Process for Making Ethylene-Based Polymers Using Carbon-Carbon Free Radical Initiators

A process for making a composition comprising an ethylene-based polymer, the process comprising the steps of:

• (A) contacting under first polymerization conditions at least ethylene and at least one molecular catalyst to form a first ethylene-based polymer, and
• (B) contacting under second polymerization conditions the first ethylene-based polymer of (A) with at least additional ethylene and a carbon-carbon free radical initiator of Structure I:
• wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are each, independently, hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group and wherein, optionally, two or more R groups (Ri, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6) form a ring structure, with the proviso that at least one of R2 and R5, and at least one of R3 and R6 is a hydrocarbyl group of at least two carbon atoms, to form a polymer composition comprising a second ethylene-based polymer.