Propylene-hexene random copolymer produced in the presence of a metallocene catalyst

1. Propylene copolymer (A)

(a) comprising at least 1-hexene as a comonomer,

(b) having a comonomer content in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 wt.-%,

(c) having a xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) equal or below 2.5 wt.-%,

(d) being partially crystallized in the β-modification, and

(e) fulfilling the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent.

2. Propylene copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein

(i) the copolymer (A) has polydispersity index (PI) of equal or below 4.0 Pa −1 , and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 150° C., and/or

(iii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 138° C.

3. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein the copolymer (A) comprises a β-nucleating agent (B).

4. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein propylene copolymer (A) has a MFR 2 (230° C.) of not more than 0.8 g/10 min measured according to ISO 1133.

5. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein the 1-hexene content of the propylene copolymer (A) is in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 wt.-%.

6. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein the propylene copolymer (A) is only constituted by propylene and 1-hexene units.

7. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein the comonomer content of the propylene copolymer (A) is in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 wt.-%.

8. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of the β-modification of the propylene copolymer (A) is at least 50%.

9. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein the propylene copolymer (A) has a flexural modulus measured according to ISO 178 of at least 950 MPa.

10. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , wherein the propylene copolymer (A) has an impact strength measured according the Charpy impact test (ISO 179 (1eA)) at 23° C. of at least 33.0 kJ/m 2 and/or an impact strength measured according the Charpy impact test (ISO 179 (1eA)) at −20° C. of at least 1.5 kJ/m 2 .

11. Propylene copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein the propylene copolymer (A) has a FNCT measured according to ISO 16770 (at 80° C. and applied stress of 4.0 MPa) of more than 7000 h.

12. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 1 , which is formed into pipes or parts of pipes.

13. Propylene copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein

(i) the copolymer (A) has polydispersity index (PI) of equal or below 4.0 Pa −1 , and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 150° C., and/or

(iii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 136° C.

14. Propylene copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein

(i) the copolymer (A) has polydispersity index (PI) of equal or below 4.0 Pa −1 , and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 148° C., and/or

(iii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 138° C.

15. Propylene copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein

(i) the copolymer (A) has polydispersity index (PI) of equal or below 4.0 Pa −1 , and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 148° C., and/or

(iii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 136° C.

16. Propylene copolymer (A)

(a) comprising at least 1-hexene as a comonomer,

(b) having a comonomer content in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 wt.-%,

(c) having a xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) equal or below 2.5 wt.-%,

(d) having a polydispersity index (PI) of equal or below 4.0 Pa −1 , and

(e) being partially crystallized in the β-modification.

17. Propylene copolymer according to claim 16 , wherein

(i) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 150° C., and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 138° C., and/or

(iii) the copolymer (A) fulfills the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent.

18. Propylene copolymer according to claim 16 , wherein

(i) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 150° C., and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 136° C., and/or

(iii) the copolymer (A) fulfills the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent.

19. Propylene copolymer according to claim 16 , wherein

(i) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 148° C., and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 138° C., and/or

(iii) the copolymer (A) fulfills the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent.

20. Propylene copolymer according to claim 16 , wherein

(i) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 148° C., and/or

(ii) the part of the copolymer (A) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 136° C., and/or

(iii) the copolymer (A) fulfills the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent.

21. Propylene copolymer (A)

(a) comprising at least 1-hexene as a comonomer,

(b) having a comonomer content in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 wt.-%,

(c) having a xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) equal or below 2.5 wt.-%, and

(d) being partially crystallized in the β-modification,

wherein further the part of the propylene copolymer (A)

(i) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 150° C., and/or

(ii) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 138° C.

22. Propylene copolymer according to claim 21 , wherein the copolymer (A)

(i) fulfills the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent

and/or

(ii) has a polydispersity index (PI) of equal or below 4.0 Pa −1 .

23. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 21 , wherein the part of the propylene copolymer (A)

(i) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 150° C., and/or

(ii) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 136° C.

24. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 21 , wherein the part of the propylene copolymer (A)

(i) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 148° C., and/or

(ii) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 138° C.

25. Propylene copolymer (A) according to claim 21 , wherein the part of the propylene copolymer (A)

(i) crystallized in the α-modification has a melting temperature below 148° C., and/or

(ii) crystallized in the β-modification has a melting temperature below 136° C.

26. Process for the manufacture of a propylene copolymer (A), wherein the propylene copolymer (A) is produced in the presence of a metalallocene catalyst and subsequently β-nucleated, and

wherein the propylene copolymer (A)

(a) comprising at least 1-hexene as a comonomer,

(b) having a comonomer content in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 wt.-%,

(c) having a xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) equal or below 2.5 wt.-%,

(d) being partially crystallized in the β-modification, and

(e) fulfilling the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent.

27. Pipe comprising a propylene copolymer (A)

(a) comprising at least 1-hexene as a comonomer,

(b) having a comonomer content in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 wt.-%,

(c) having a xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) equal or below 2.5 wt.-%,

(d) being partially crystallized in the β-modification, and

(e) fulfilling the equation (I.1)

[

XCS

]

[

C

]

<

1.0

,

(

I

⁢

.1

)

wherein

[XCS] is the amount of xylene cold soluble fraction (XCS) of the propylene copolymer (A) given in weight percent, and

[C] is the amount of comonomer of the propylene copolymer (A) in weight percent.

28. Pipe according to claim 27 , wherein the pipe is a pressure pipe.