Ethylene/α-olefin interpolymers containing low crystallinity hard blocks

1. An ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer comprising a hard segment and a soft segment, wherein the ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer:

(a) has a Mw/Mn from about 1.7 to about 3.5;

(b) has an ethylene content in the hard segment in the range of from 70 wt % to 85 wt % based on total monomer content in hard segment;

(c) (i) has a hard segment composition of at least 40%, at least one melting point, Tm, in degrees Celsius and an amount of ethylene in weight percent, wt % C 2 based on total weight of the polymer, wherein the numerical values of Tm and wt % C 2 correspond to the relationship:

90° C.≧ Tm≧ 4.1276(wt % C 2 )−244.76; or

(ii) has a hard segment composition of less than 40%, at least one melting point, Tm, in degrees Celsius and an amount of ethylene in weight percent, wt % C 2 based on total weight of the polymer, wherein the numerical values of Tm and wt % C 2 correspond to the relationship:

80° C.≧ Tm≦ 4.1276(wt % C 2 )−264.95; or

(iii) is characterized by an average block index greater than zero and up to about 1.0; or

(iv) has a molecular fraction which elutes between 0° C. and 130° C. when fractionated using low temperature TREF, characterized in that the fraction has a molar comonomer content of at least 5 percent higher than that of a comparable random ethylene interpolymer fraction eluting between the same temperatures, wherein said comparable random ethylene interpolymer has the same comonomer(s) and has a melt index, density, and molar comonomer content (based on the whole polymer) within 10 percent of that of the ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer; or

(v) has a relationship between ethylene content in wt % and log molecular weight such that a line plotted of ethylene content vs log molecular weight as measured by GPC-IR has an absolute slope, m, of equal to or less than 4; and,

(d) has a turbidity measurement of a 1.0 wt % solution of the ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer in oil or a 1.5 wt % solution in dodecane of less than or equal to that of a comparable copolymer wherein the comparable copolymer has the same DSC enthalpy (J/g) at greater than 55° C. within ±5 J/g, and the same overall ethylene content within 10%; and,

wherein the soft segment comprises 35 wt % to 80 wt % comonomer based on total monomer content in the soft segment.

2. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer of claim 1 comprising ethylene in an amount in the range of from about 55 wt % to about 75 wt % based on total weight of the polymer.

3. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer of claim 1 comprising ethylene in an amount in the range of from about 60 wt % to about 73 wt % based on total weight of the polymer.

4. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer of claim 1 having a T m in the range of from about −25° C. to about 100° C.

5. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer of claim 1 having a T m in the range of from about 30° C. to about 80° C.

6. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer of claim 1 having a T m in the range of from about 35° C. to about 75° C.

7. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer of claim 1 having a T m that is less than that of a comparable random copolymer having a total weight percent comonomer within 10 wt % of that of the ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer.

8. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer of claim 1 having a turbidity in a 1.0 wt % solution of the ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer in oil or a 1.5 wt % solution in dodecane that is less than 1.5 NTU and a DSC enthalpy at greater than 55° C. of less than 2 J/g.