Ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymers with improved pellet flowability

#Low molecular weight ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers often exhibit stickiness during the flow of pellets formed from such copolymers. A new component or species of the copolymer was discovered, and found to be responsible for sticky pellet formation, which resulted in pellets massing and poor materials handling. This species is a low-density, low molecular weight, oligomeric fraction (indicated by a “High Comonomer Content” or “HCC” value). Thus, there is a need for new polymers and processes to form the same, which have reduced amounts of such oligomeric fractions. There is a further need for such polymers with lower metal residues and lower melting temperatures. These needs have been met by the following invention.

#The invention provides a composition comprising an ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymer, and wherein the ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymer comprises the following properties:

#a) an HCC value less than, or equal to, 6.0%; and

#FIG. 1 depicts the extrapolation of the elution temperature for a TGIC temperature calibration.

#FIG. 2 depicts the test funnel for the pellet flowability study.

#FIG. 3 depicts the correlation of pellet flowability with HCC (%) level. Flowability (g/s)=−12.6×HCC (%)+186. Pellets were thermally treated at 42° C. for three weeks.

#As discussed above, the invention provides a composition comprising an ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymer, and wherein the ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymer comprises the following properties:

#a) an HCC value less than, or equal to, 6.0%; and

#b) an inorganic content of “Al, Na and Mg” less than, or equal to, 40.0 ppm, further less than, or equal to, 38.0 ppm, further less than, or equal to, 35.0 ppm, and a Ca content less than 7.0 ppm, each based on the weight of the interpolymer.