The Dow Chemical Company

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Brian W Kolthammer

Robert K Rosen

Teresa Plumley Karjala

Daniel D VanderLende

Robert S Cardwell

John G Hefner

James C Stevens

Lee Spencer

Steven M Ueligger

Francis J Timmers

Pak-Wing Steve Chum

Charles F Diehl

Peter N Nickias

Ravi B Shankar

Selim Yalvac

Martin J Guest

Jasson T Patton

Jacquelyn A deGroot

Mark McAdon

Jeffrey J Wooster

Thomas W Karjala

Miriam P Ripplinger

John C Tracy

Mehmet Demirors

David A Wilson

Yunwa Wilson Cheung

David R Wilson

Sarat Munjal

Deepak R Parikh

Yijian Lin

Cynthia L Rand

Thomas Carl Eisenschmid

Aaron W Sanders

Malcolm F Finlayson

Michael D Turner

Michael Joseph Zogg, Jr

Joshua B Gaubert

Pierre Thomas Varineau

Kevin P Peil

Kara S Weber

Gordon C Dunmore

Ralph E Guerra

Craig C Garrison

Robert D Swindoll

Robert Kirk Thompson

Dennis R Gifford

Bruce A Story

Kevin C Taylor

Michael J Zogg Jr

Embodiments of methods for producing a trimodal polymer in a solution polymerization process comprise three solution polymerization reactors organized in parallel or in series.

Multimodal ethylene-based polymer processing systems and methods

The instant invention provides an improved process for producing pelletized polymer compositions, and pelletized polymer compositions. The process for producing a pelletized polymer composition according to the present invention comprises: (1) polymerizing one or more alpha-olefins in one or more solution reactors thereby producing a molten polymer composition comprising one or more solvents; (2) removing at least a portion of said one or more solvents thereby forming a polymer composition having a low solvent content (typically less than 1,000 parts of solvent per million of polymer on a weight basis); (3) removing heat from said polymer composition having low solvent content to a temperature in the range of equal to or greater than the crystallization point of the polymer composition having low solvent content to less than or equal to a temperature in the range of from (the crystallization point of the polymer composition having low solvent content+20&#xb0; C.) thereby forming a viscous polymer melt; and (4) pelletizing said viscous polymer melt via an underwater pelletizer thereby forming said pelletized polymer composition.

Process for producing pelletized polymer compositions

The subject invention pertains to homogeneous liquid low molecular weight ethylene/alpha-olefin polymers having a number average molecular weight (Mn) as determined by gel permeation chromatography, of less than 25,000, a total crystallinity, as measured by DSC, of less than 10%, and a pour point, as measured by ASTM D97, of less than 50&#xb0; C. The subject invention also pertains to homogeneous gel-like low molecular weight ethylene/alpha-olefin polymers having a number average molecular weight (Mn) as determined by gel permeation chromatography, of less than 25,000, a total crystallinity, as measured by DSC, of less than 50%, and a pour point, as measured by ASTM D97, of less than 90&#xb0; C.

Liquid and gel-like low molecular weight ethylene polymers

The present invention relates to an ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer product comprising at least one &#x3b1;-olefin interpolymerized with ethylene and, characterized in at least one aspect, as having improved properties when utilized in a hot melt adhesive formulation. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing the interpolymer product wherein the process comprises employing two or more single site catalyst systems in at least one reaction environment (or reactor) and wherein the at least two catalyst systems have (a) different comonomer incorporation capabilities or reactivities and/or (b) different termination kinetics, both when measured under the same polymerization conditions. The interpolymer products are useful, for example, in applications such as hot melt adhesives, and also for impact, bitumen and asphalt modification, adhesives, dispersions or latexes and fabricated articles such as, but not limited to, foams, films, sheet, moldings, thermoforms, profiles and fibers.

Interpolymers suitable for use in hot melt adhesives and processes to prepare the same

Novel mixtures of long-chain (C10-C20) olefins are functionalized by conversion to aldehydes using an OXO process, or to sulfates, sulfonates, sulfones, sulfides, or sulfoxides by direct sulfonation. The aldehydes may then be hydrogenated to form alcohols, or aminated to form amines or amides. The olefins starting mixture may be acquired as a byproduct of the tetramerization of ethylene in the presence of certain chromium-containing tetramerization catalysts. The functionalized mixtures, and derivatives prepared therefrom such as alkoxylates prepared from the alcohols, may be useful as surfactants that may offer improved performance in many applications, while their preparation based on a byproduct mixture reduces their cost and also reduces waste-handling issues for this non-targeted stream.

Functionalized long-chain olefin mixtures and uses therefor

The present invention relates to a thermoplastic interpolymer product comprising an &agr;-olefin interpolymerized with at least one vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer and/or at least one hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer and, in at least one aspect, is characterized as having substantially synergistic thermal properties. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing the interpolymer product wherein the process employs two or more single site or metallocene catalyst systems in at least one reaction environment and wherein at least two of the catalyst systems have (a) different monomer incorporation capabilities or reactivities and (b) the same or, optionally, different monomer sequencing and/or tacticity characteristics. With unique thermal property attributes, the interpolymer product is useful, for example, for impact, bitumen and asphalt modification, adhesives, dispersions or latexes and fabricated articles such as, but not limited to, foams, films, sheet, moldings, thermoforms, profiles and fibers.

&agr;-olefin/vinyl or vinylidene aromatic interpolymer product and process for making same using multiple catalyst systems

The subject invention pertains to a non-pourable homogeneous ultra-low molecular weight ethylene polymer composition and a process for the preparation thereof. Such polymer compositions have longer lamella and a greater degree of crystalline organization than corresponding higher molecular weight materials at an equivalent density.

Ultra-low molecular weight ethylene polymers

Group 4 metal constrained geometry complexes comprising a fused ring indenyl derivative ligand, catalytic derivatives thereof, processes for preparing the same and their use as components of olefin polymerization catalysts are disclosed.

Fused ring substituted indenyl metal complexes and polymerization

A gas phase fluidized bed process is described for producing ethylene polymers having improved processability and an MWD of less than about 2.9. Multiple reactors in series or parallel may be used to produce in-situ blended polymers. Each reactor can separately have a constrained geometry catalyst or a conventional Ziegler-Natta catalyst as needed for obtaining in-situ blended polymer with the desired properties as long as there is a constrained geometry catalyst in at least one reactor. Olefin polymers can be produced according to this invention which have low susceptibility to melt fracture, even under high shear stress conditions.

Gas phase polymerization of olefins

Fused ring substituted indenyl metal complexes and polymerization process

Processes for polymerizing ethylene/.alpha.-olefin interpolymer compositions are disclosed. The interpolymer compositions have a controlled composition and a controlled molecular weight distribution. The processes utilize a highly-efficient homogeneous catalyst composition in at least one reactor to produce a first interpolymer having a narrow composition distribution and a narrow molecular weight distribution, and a highly-efficient heterogeneous Ziegler catalyst in at least one other reactor. The reactors can be operated sequentially or separately, depending upon the desired product. The novel compositions have good optical properties (e.g., clarity and haze) and good physical properties (e.g., modulus, yield strength, toughness and tear). Useful products which can be formed from these compositions include film, molded articles and fiber.

Ethylene interpolymerizations

A supported catalyst composition comprising a complex of a Group 4 metal cyclopentadienyl derivative reacted with silica treated with an aluminoxane demonstrates improved reactivity, especially for incorporating long chain alpha-olefins and also shows improved resistance to catalyst poisoning. The supported catalyst composition is adapted to produce homogeneous polymers, copolymers, terpolymers, etc., for example, homogeneous polyethylene, homogeneous poly(ethylene-octene) copolymers and the like. The invention further includes the process of preparing the supported catalyst compositions and a process for preparing olefinic polymers using these catalyst compositions.

Supported catalyst complexes for olefin in polymerization

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Lake Jackson, TX, United States of America

Brian W Kolthammer