High Ductility, High Modulus and Phthalate Free Impact Resistant Propylene Copolymer

A process for producing a phthalate free impact resistant polypropylene copolymer comprising homo-polymer portion and C2/C3 rubber portion interspersed therein, comprising:

• a) in a first polymerization step, polymerizing propylene in bulk or gas phase to produce a propylene homo-polymer having at least 85% by weight of insoluble in xylene at 25° C.;
• and
• b) in a second polymerization step, polymerizing ethylene and propylene, in the presence of the propylene homo-polymer from the first polymerization step, to produce the phthalate free impact resistant polypropylene copolymer;
• wherein the copolymer has a flexural modulus value in the range of about 120 to 200 Kpsi;
• wherein the copolymer has 100% instrumented impact ductility at −30° C. and 6.7 m/s;
• wherein the copolymer has a C2/C3 rubber content greater than 20% by weight;
• and
• wherein the copolymer has a total ethylene content in the range of about 10 to 20 molar percent.
• wherein the second polymerization step occurs in the presence of a phthalate free Ziegler/Natta (Z/N) catalyst, wherein the said Z/N catalyst comprises a urea component represented by Formula I:
• wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4, which may be identical or different, are independently hydrogen, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3-20 carbon atoms, an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6-20 carbon atoms, or a hetero atom containing a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein two or more of R1, R2, R3, and R4 may be linked to form one or more saturated or unsaturated monocyclic or polycyclic rings.