Flexible propylene copolymer compositions having a high transparency

A process for preparing a propylene copolymer composition comprising:

• A) a propylene copolymer containing from 1 to 20% by weight of olefins other than propylene;
• and
• B) at least one propylene copolymer containing from 10 to 30% by weight of olefins other than propylene,
• where the propylene copolymer A and the propylene copolymer B are present as separate phases and a portion of n-hexane soluble material is ≦2.6% by weight, the propylene copolymer composition comprising a tensile E modulus ranging from 150 MPa to 800 MPa;
• the process comprising polymerizing monomers in a multistage polymerization process comprising at least two successive polymerization steps and a catalyst system comprising a metallocene compound, wherein the catalyst system is used in each successive polymerization step;
• wherein the metallocene compound is of formula VIII:
• wherein:
• M is zirconium, hafnium or titanium;
• X are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or an —R, —OR, —OSO2CF3, —OCOR, —SR, —NR2 or —PR2 group, where R is linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds, where two X are optionally joined to one another and form a C4-C40-dienyl ligand, or X is an —OR′O— group in which the substituent R′ is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of C1-C40-alkylidene, C6-C40-arylidene, C7-C40-alkylarylidene and C7-C40-arylalkylidene;
• L is a radical selected from the group consisting of —SiMe2-, —SiPh2-, —SiPhMe-, —SiMe(SiMe3)-, —CH2—, —(CH2)2, —(CH2)3— and —C(CH3)2—;
• R1 is a linear or branched C1-C10-alkyl group which is unbranched in the α position;
• R2 is a group the formula —C(R3)2R4;
• R3 is a linear or branched C1-C10-alkyl group;
• R4 is hydrogen;
• R5 are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds;
• R6 is an aryl group of the formula (VII),
• where
• R7 are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds;
• or two R7 are optionally joined to form a saturated or unsaturated C3-C20 ring;
• and
• R8 is hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds.

A process comprising producing fibers, films or moldings from a propylene copolymer composition, the process comprising extruding or injection-molding, the propylene copolymer composition, the propylene copolymer composition comprising:

• A) a propylene copolymer containing from 1 to 20% by weight of olefins other than propylene;
• and
• B) at least one propylene copolymer containing from 10 to 30% by weight of olefins other than propylene,
• where the propylene copolymer A and the propylene copolymer B are present as separate phases and a portion of n-hexane soluble material is ≦2.6% by weight, the propylene copolymer composition comprising a tensile E modulus ranging from 150 MPa to 800 MPa, and the propylene copolymer composition is obtained from a polymerization process comprising at least two successive polymerization steps, wherein a catalyst system comprising a metallocene compound is used in each successive polymerization step;
• wherein the metallocene compound is of formula VIII:
• wherein:
• M is zirconium, hafnium or titanium;
• X are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or an —R, —OR, —OSO2CF3, —OCOR, —SR, —NR2 or —PR2 group, where R is linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds, where two X are optionally joined to one another and form a C4-C40-dienyl ligand, or X is an —OR′O— group in which the substituent R′ is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of C1-C40-alkylidene, C6-C40-arylidene, C7-C40-alkylarylidene and C7-C40-arylalkylidene;
• L is a radical selected from the group consisting of —SiMe2-, —SiPh2-, —SiPhMe-, —SiMe(SiMe3)-, —CH2—, —(CH2)2—, —(CH2)3— and —C(CH3)2—;
• R1 is a linear or branched C1-C10-alkyl group which is unbranched in the α position;
• R2 is a group of the formula —C(R3)2R4;
• R3 is a linear or branched C1-C10-alkyl group;
• R4 is hydrogen;
• R5 are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds;
• R6 is an aryl group of the formula (VII),
• where
• R7 are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds;
• or two R7 are optionally joined to form a saturated or unsaturated C3-C20 ring;
• and
• R8 is hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C1-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds.

A fiber, film or molding comprising a propylene copolymer composition comprising A) a propylene copolymer containing from 1 to 20% by weight of olefins other than propylene;

• and
• B) at least one propylene copolymer containing from 10 to 30% by weight of olefins other than propylene,
• where the propylene copolymer A and the propylene copolymer B are present as separate phases and a portion of n-hexane soluble material is ≦2.6% by weight, the propylene copolymer composition comprising a tensile E modulus ranging from 150 MPa to 800 MPa, and the propylene copolymer composition is obtained from a polymerization process comprising at least two successive polymerization steps, wherein a catalyst system comprising a metallocene compound is used in each successive polymerization step;
• wherein the metallocene compound is of formula VIII:
• wherein:
• M is zirconium, hafnium or titanium;
• X are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or an —R, —OR, —OSO2CF3, —OCOR, —SR, —NR2 or —PR2 group, where R is linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds, where two X are optionally joined to one another and form a C4-C40-dienyl ligand, or X is an —OR′O— group in which the substituent R′ is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of C1-C40-alkylidene, C6-C40-arylidene, C7-C40-alkylarylidene and C7-C40-arylalkylidene;
• L is a radical selected from the group consisting of —SiMe2-, —SiPh2-, —SiPhMe-, —SiMe(SiMe3)-, —CH2, —(CH2)2—, —(CH2)3— and —C(CH3)2—;
• R1 is a linear or branched C1-C10-alkyl group which is unbranched in the α position;
• R2 is a group of the formula —C(R3)2R4;
• R3 is a linear or branched C1-C10-alkyl group;
• R4 is hydrogen;
• R5 are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds;
• R6 is an aryl group of the formula (VII),
• where
• R7 are identical or different and are each, independently of one another, hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds;
• or two R7 are optionally joined to form a saturated or unsaturated C3-C20 ring;
• and
• R8 is hydrogen or halogen or linear or branched C1-C20-alkyl, C3-C20-cycloalkyl which are optionally substituted by one or more C1-C10-alkyl radicals, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-alkylaryl or C7-C20-arylalkyl and optionally comprise one or more heteroatoms of groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or one or more unsaturated bonds.