Polymerization of polyethylene having high molecular weight

Abstract

The present invention includes a bimodal polyethylene polymerization process wherein metallocene catalyst to is used to adjust the hydrogen response of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst. The polymerization may be carried out in a single reactor or in two or more reactors in series, preferably two or more continuously stirred tank reactors in series. In an embodiment having two or more reactors, the Zeigler-Natta catalyst is added to a first reactor and the metallocene catalyst is added to a downstream reactor. In another embodiment having two or more reactors, the Zeigler-Natta catalyst and metallocene catalyst are added to the same reactor, preferably an upstream reactor. A preferred Zeigler-Natta catalyst comprises TiCl4, and a preferred metallocene catalyst comprises bis(cyclopentadienyl) titanium dichloride.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.