Abstract:
The co-polymerization reaction of one or more olefin monomers, such as propylene, with &agr;,&ohgr;-diene units and the resulting copolymers are provided. More specifically, the copolymer may have from 90 to 99.999 weight percent of olefins and from 0.001 to 2.000 weight percent of &agr;,&ohgr;-dienes. The copolymer may have a weight average molecular weight in the range from 50,000 to 2,000,000, a crystallization temperature in the range from 115° C. to 135° C. and a melt flow rate in the range from 0.1 dg/min to 100 dg/min. These copolymers may be employed in a wide variety of applications, the articles of which include, for example, films, fibers, such as spunbonded and meltblown fibers, fabrics, such as nonwoven fabrics, and molded articles. The copolymer may further include at least two crystalline populations. Desirably, the melting point range of one of the crystalline populations is distinguishable from the melting point range of another crystalline population by a temperature range of from 1° C. to 8° C. More desirably, one of the crystalline populations has a melting point in the range from 152° C. to 158° C. and another crystalline population has a melting point in the range from 142° C. to 148° C.
Abstract:
This invention is generally directed toward a supported catalyst system useful for polymerizing olefins. The method for supporting the catalyst of the invention provides for a supported bulky ligand transition metal catalyst which when utilized in a polymerization process substantially reduces the reactor fouling and sheeting particularly in a slurry phase polymerization process.
Abstract:
This invention relates to a supported catalyst composition useful in the polymerization of olefins and to a method for its production. The invention particularly relates to the use of undehydrated silica gel containing from about 6 to about 20 per cent by weight adsorbed water as the catalyst support material. The catalyst is formed by first reacting a trialkylaluminum compound with a metallocene, and subsequently reacting the resulting material with the undehydrated silica gel. The resulting supported metallocene-alumoxane catalyst has a level of activity comparable to that of conventionally made supported catalysts which are achieved at active metal loadings which are reduced from the loadings used in the previously known metallocene-alumoxane catalysts by at least 20%, and preferably 50%.
Abstract:
This invention relates to a process for preparing a supported metallocene alumoxane catalyst for use in the polymerization of olefins. The invention particularly relates to the use of silica gel containing from about 6 to about 20 percent by weight adsorbed water as the catalyst support material. It has been found that such silica gel may be safely added to an trialkyl aluminum solution, preferably a mixed trimethylaluminum-triethylaluminum solution, to form by direct reaction with the adsorbed water content of the silica gel catalyst support material the alumoxane component of the catalyst system. An alumoxane coated silica gel is formed to which a metallocene may be added and the resulting material dryed to free flowing powder. The dry free flowing powder may then be used as a supported metallocene alumoxane catalyst complex for gas phase or liquid phase polymerization of olefins.
Abstract:
This invention provides new supported catalyst compositions for the polymerization of 1-olefins, together with processes for preparing and using the catalysts. The catalyst compositions include two catalyst components. The first catalyst component is formed by reacting a halogen-containing compound of the formula: H.sub.a M.sup.1 X.sup.1.sub.b R.sup.1.sub.(c-b-a) wherein M.sup.1 is boron, carbon, silicon or mixtures thereof; X.sup.1 is Cl, Br or mixtures thereof; R.sup.1 is a hydrocarbyl or alkoxy radical; with a mixture produced by contacting a finely divided porous inorganic oxide support in an inert solvent with a solution made by combining a magnesium dihydrocarbyloxide dissolved in an inert solvent, and of the formula: Mg(OR.sup.2).sub.2 wherein R.sup.2 is a hydrocarbyl radical, with a transition metal hydrocarbyloxide of the formula: M.sup.2 (OR.sup.3).sub.y wherein M.sup.2 is a transition metal from Group IVB, VB, and VIB of the Periodic Table; and R.sup.3 is a hydrocarbyl radical. The second catalyst component of the new catalyst compositions is an organometal compound of the formula: M.sup.3 R.sup.4.sub.e-f X.sub.f wherein M.sup.3 is aluminum, magnesium, zinc or mixtures thereof; R.sup.4 is a saturated hydrocarbyl radical; X is hydrogen, halogen or an alkoxy. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the solution made by combining the magnesium dihydrocarbyloxide, dissolved in an inert solvent, with the transition metal hydrocarbyloxide, is reacted with a carboxylic acid derivative, of the formula R.sup.5 COZ, wherein R.sup.5 is a hydrocarbyl radical and Z is a halogen atom or an alkoxy radical. An important characteristic of this invention is that the new catalyst compositions give significantly higher hydrogen and comonomer responses and greater productivity with larger average particle size and higher bulk density than with at least certain state of the art catalysts.