Fina Technology, Inc.

Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Albemarle Corporation

Fina Technologies, Inc.

Steven P. Diefenbach

Christopher G. Bauch

Lubin Luo

Samuel A. Sangokoya

Jamie R. Strickler

Christopher Garland Bauch

Edwar Shoukri Shamshoum

David J Rauscher

Todd S Edwards

B Raghava Reddy

Prasadarao Meka

Chon-Yie Lin

Jamie R Strickler

Kevin P McGovern

Steven P Diefenbach

Samuel A Sangokoya

Kevin Wayne Lawson

Blu E Englehorn

Kenneth Paul Blackmon

Sehyun Kim

Jeffrey Lawrence Brinen

George James Pehlert

Feng-Jung Wu

Joseph Lyndon Thorman

Keith W Trapp

Theodore Harris

Daniel L Bilbao

Larry S Simeral

Xiaodan Zhang

Sung A Kim

Provided herein are methods of polymerizing α-olefin monomer with a catalyst and hydrogen in a slurry to produce low molecular weight polyolefins. Hydrogen is vented from the low molecular weight polyolefins and then the low molecular weight polyolefins are further polymerized in a gas phase to produce a polyolefin having a molecular weight distribution of between 4.0 and 30 and a flexural modulus between 1500 mPa and 2500 mPa.

Processes for producing polyolefins and impact copolymers with broad molecular weight distribution and high stiffness

Provided is a hydrogenation catalyst solution comprising a solid catalyst precursor and an activator mixed in a solvent solution where propylene or another alpha-olefin or combination thereof is then added to this solution to prevent the formation of solids and stabilize the solution. The hydrogenation catalyst solution can then be combined with a polymerization catalyst such as Ziegler-Natta catalyst in a polymerization reactor so as to remove excess hydrogen from the reactor during a polymerization process. Hydrogen is eliminated by converting a portion of the olefins (propylene and ethylene) present into alkanes (propane and ethane).

Methods of stabilizing hydrogenation catalysts

Disclosed is a polypropylene with an MFR of at least 20 g/10 min comprising a homopolypropylene and optionally within a range from 2 wt % to 30 wt % of an propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer by weight of the polypropylene; wherein the homopolypropylene has a MFR within a range from 30 g/10 min to 200 g/10 min, an Mw/Mn within a range from 7 to 16, and comprising 1.1 wt % or less atactic polypropylene based on the total weight of the homopolypropylene and atactic polypropylene, where the propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer has within a range from 30 wt % to 50 wt % &#x3b1;-olefin derived units by weight of the propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer, and an intrinsic viscosity within a range from 4 to 8 dL/g. The impact copolymer may be obtained by combining a Ziegler-Natta catalyst having at least two different internal electron donors with propylene in reactors in series to produce the homopolypropylene followed by a gas phase reactor to produce a propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer.

High stiffness polypropylene impact copolymer

Disclosed is a polypropylene with an MFR of at least 20 g/10 min comprising a homopolypropylene and within a range from 2 wt % to 20 wt % of a propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer by weight of the polypropylene, where the homopolypropylene has a MFR within a range from 30 g/10 min to 200 g/10 min, where the propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer comprises within a range from 30 wt % to 50 wt % &#x3b1;-olefin derived units by weight of the propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer, and has an IV within a range from 4 to 9 dL/g. The polypropylene may be obtained by combining a Ziegler-Natta catalyst having two transition metals with propylene in reactors in series to produce the homopolypropylene followed by a gas phase reactor to produce a propylene-&#x3b1;-olefin copolymer blended with the homopolypropylene.

High impact polypropylene impact copolymer

A process for reducing the level of hydrogen in certain polymerization effluent and recycle streams containing unreacted propylene monomers and hydrogen by contacting the streams with a hydrogenation catalyst so as to convert at least part of the propylene to the corresponding alkane. The process is particularly applicable to the effluent from a slurry polymerization reactor which has been used to produce a polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer having a first molecular weight and at least part of the effluent is to be supplied to a slurry polymerization reactor to produce a polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer having a second, higher molecular weight.

Olefin polymerization processes

Disclosed is a method of reducing and/or regulating the level of hydrogen in a polymerization reactor comprising contacting a first feed comprising a first amount of hydrogen with a hydrogenation catalyst prior to entering a polymerization reactor to form a second feed; then contacting the second feed having a second amount of hydrogen with monomers and a polymerization catalyst in a polymerization reactor to form a polymer. The first and second feeds may reside in a feed line from one reactor to another, a monomer feed line to the reactor, or in a recycle line to and from the same reactor.

Method of regulating hydrogen to a polymerization reactor

A propylene-based impact copolymer having a high gloss and suitable for appliance components comprising a polypropylene homopolymer and within a range of from 6 wt % to 20 wt % of propylene copolymer based on the weight of the impact copolymer, wherein the copolymer comprises from 20 wt % to 44 wt % ethylene, and/or C4 to C10 &#x3b1;-olefin derived units and the remainder propylene-derived units based on the weight of the propylene copolymer, the impact copolymer having a melt flow rate (230&#xb0; C./2.16 kg) within a range of from 10 g/10 min to 50 g/10 min.

Low comonomer propylene-based impact copolymers

A propylene-based impact copolymer (ICP) and composition including the ICP, the ICP comprising a polypropylene homopolymer and within the range of from 10 wt % to 45 wt % of propylene copolymer based on the weight of the ICP, wherein the copolymer comprises from 20 wt % to 44 wt % ethylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene and/or 1-octene derived units and from 80 to 60 wt % propylene-derived units based on the weight of the propylene copolymer, the propylene-based impact copolymer having a Melt Flow Rate (230&#xb0; C./2.16 kg) within the range of from 10 g/10 mm to 50 g/10 mm and an Elongation at Break of greater than 70%.

Propylene-based impact copolymers

A propylene-based impact copolymer (ICP) and composition including the ICP, the ICP comprising a polypropylene homopolymer and within the range of from 10 wt % to 45 wt % of propylene copolymer based on the weight of the ICP, wherein the copolymer comprises from 20 wt % to 44 wt % ethylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene and/or 1-octene derived units and from 80 to 56 wt % propylene-derived units based on the weight of the propylene copolymer, the propylene-based impact copolymer having a Melt Flow Rate (230&#xb0; C./2.16 kg) within the range of from 10 g/10 min to 50 g/10 min and an Elongation at Break of greater than 70%.

Disclosed is a method of polymerizing olefin using a compatible combination of a multi-site catalyst and a single-site catalyst. The catalysts may be a Ziegler-Natta catalyst and a metallocene catalyst. The resulting polymer, which may be a homopolymer or a random copolymer, may exhibit a molecular weight distribution which is intermediate than that resulting for polymers prepared using either catalyst alone.

Catalyst system for production of polyolefins

Novel haloaluminoxane compositions have been formed. The halogen is fluorine, chlorine, and/or bromine, and the amount of halogen atoms present in said composition is in the range of about 0.5 mole % to about 15 mole % relative to aluminum atoms. Processes for producing haloaluminoxane compositions are also provided.

Haloaluminoxane compositions, their preparation, and their use in catalysis

Novel haloaluminoxane compositions have been formed. The halogen is fluorine, chlorine, and/or bromine, and the amount of halogen atoms present in said composition is in the range of about 0.5 mole % to about 15 mole % relative to aluminum atoms.

A process for polymerizing olefins using a catalyst system comprising a conventional Ziegler-Natta catalyst and an external election donor selected from the group consisting of diethers and combinations thereof. The catalyst system comprises a Ziegler-Natta catalyst having a transition metal compound generally represented by the formula: MR&prime; where M is a transition metal, R&prime; is a halogen or a hydrocarboxyl, and x is the valence of the transition metal. The transition metal compound can be TiCl . The Ziegler-Natta catalyst may comprise an internal electron donor, such as phthalate. The catalyst system further includes an external electron donor selected from the group consisting of diethers and a co-catalyst selected from the group of organoaluminum compounds. In one embodiment, the external electron donor is 2,2-diisobutyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, and the co-catalyst is triethylaluminum. During polymerization, the catalyst system is introduced to a reaction zone along with one or more olefin monomers under suitable polymerization conditions.

Polymerization of olefins using a ziegler-natta catalyst system having an external electron donor

Surprisingly stable olefin polymerization co-catalysts formed from hydroxyaluminoxanes are revealed. In one embodiment of the invention, a solid composition of matter is formed from a hydroxyaluminoxane and a treating agent, whereby the rate of OH-decay for the solid composition is reduced as compared to that of the hydroxyaluminoxane. Processes for converting a hydroxyaluminoxane into a such a solid composition of matter, supported catalysts formed from such solid compositions of matter, as well as methods of their use, are described.

Compositions formed from hydroxyaluminoxane and their use as catalyst components

This invention relates to a conventional supported heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalyst for the polymerization of olefins. It has been found that adding a lithium compound to a transition metal catalyst component and then adding an organoaluminum co-catalyst and an organosilicon electron donor produces a catalyst which yields polymer with increased molecular weight. The lithium compound is of the general formula LiCp wherein Cp is a cyclopentadienyl or substituted cyclopentadienyl and is preferably lithium cyclopentadienide or lithium indene. Preferably, the molar ratio of lithium compound/transition metal is at least 0.2.

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Seabrook, TX, United States of America

Christopher Garland Bauch