DEVOLATILIZATION OF ETHYLENE/ALPHA-OLEFIN COPOLYMER PELLETS

Pellets of ethylene/a-olefin copolymer are devolatilized using nitrogen in a devolatilization bin via a multistep process. Said multistep process, among other things, comprises providing nitrogen gas to the devolatilization bin at a first nitrogen inlet temperature (I) less than VICAT softening temperature of the ethylene/α-olefin copolymer for a first period of time t 1 to form a new peak melting peak (II) greater than (I) and smaller than a highest peak melting temperature Tm of the ethylene/α-olefin copolymer. The devolatilization process is continued by raising and holding the nitrogen gas temperature provided to said devolatilization bin at a second nitrogen inlet temperature (III) for a second period of time t2 subsequent to the first period of time t1, wherein (III) is greater than (I) and less than (II).