Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Curvel Hypolite

Alec Y Wang

Jorge Rubalcaba

Pradeep Jain

Michael Joseph Zogg, Jr

Thomas W Karjala

Edward O Madenjian

Job D Guzman

Mehmet Demirors

Brian W Walther

Michael D Turner

Timothy Wayne Gambrel

Timothy E Clayfield

Anthony J Castelluccio

Kyle E Hart

Brandon Fails

Daniel S Rynearson

James B Crim

Ludovicus J C Sluijts

Jacob Veldman

Jr Michael J Zogg

Ludovicus Jc Sluijts

A method of producing bimodal ethylene-based polymer includes reacting ethylene monomer and C-C&#x3b1;-olefin comonomer in the presence of a first catalyst in an agitated reactor to produce a first polymer fraction, and outputting effluent from the agitated reactor. A second catalyst is added to the effluent downstream of the agitated reactor and upstream from a non-agitated reactor, the second catalyst facilitates production of a second polymer fraction having a density and melt index (I) different from the first polymer fraction. The second catalyst and effluent are mixed in at least one mixer. The second catalyst, second polymer fraction, and the first polymer fraction are passed to the non-agitated reactor; and additional ethylene monomer, additional C-C&#x3b1;-olefin comonomer, and solvent are passed to the non-agitated reactor to produce more second polymer fraction and thereby the bimodal ethylene-based polymer.

Process for the production of bimodal ethylene-based polymers having high molecular weight high density fractions

The invention provides a method, and apparatus, for determining the degree of separation (DOS) of a polymer solution into a polymer-rich stream and a solvent-rich stream, said method comprising the following:

Process and apparatus to determine the degree of separation of two solution streams

A process to form a block copolymer comprising two or more regions or segments of differentiated polymer composition or properties, including feeding a first mixture that includes a chain shuttling agent, a solvent, the one or more monomers, and optionally hydrogen into a first reactor or reactor zone, feeding a second mixture that includes at least one olefin polymerization catalyst and at least one cocatalyst into the first reactor or reactor zone, contacting the first mixture and the second mixture under polymerization conditions in the first reactor or reactor zone to form a reaction mixture that is characterized by the formation of polymer chains from the monomers, allowing polymerization to occur in the first reactor or reactor zone and/or a second reactor or reactor zone to form polymer chains that are differentiated from the polymer chains, such that the resultant polymer has two or more chemically or physically distinguishable blocks.

Process for adding a chain shuttling agent

The invention provides a process to form a composition comprising at least one ethylene-based polymer and at least one oil, said process comprising the following: polymerizing a mixture comprising ethylene, and optionally one or more comonomers, in a reactor system, comprising at least one reactor and at least one mixer, located downstream from the reactor, to form the ethylene-based polymer; and wherein the oil is added to the ethylene-based polymer upstream of the mixer. The invention also provides a reactor system for a process to form a composition comprising at least one ethylene-based polymer and at least one oil, said reactor system comprising at least one reactor, at least one mixer, and an oil feed into the ethylene-based polymer, and wherein the oil feed is located after the reactor and before the mixer.

Process to form oil containing ethylene-based polymers

The invention provides a method, and apparatus, for determining the degree of separation (DOS) of a polymer solution into a polymer-rich stream and a solvent-rich stream, said method comprising the following: adding to a liquid-liquid separation vessel the polymer solution, which comprises a polymer, a solvent and an anti-solvent; separating the polymer solution into a polymer-rich stream and a solvent-rich stream; removing at least some the polymer-rich stream from at least one outlet P on the vessel, and measuring the actual solution density of this polymer-rich stream using at least one flow meter; removing at least some of the solvent-rich stream from at least one other outlet S on the vessel, and measuring the actual density of the solvent-rich stream using at least one flow meter; and wherein the degree of separation (DOS) is determined by the following equation (Eqn. 1):DOS=[actual solution density (polymer-rich steam)&#x2212;actual solution density (solvent-rich stream)]/[theoretical solution density (polymer-rich stream)&#x2212;theoretical solution density (solvent-rich stream)]&#x2003;&#x2003;(Eqn. 1).

The invention provides a process to form a 'first composition comprising a first ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer and a second ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer,' said process comprising polymerizing a first mixture comprising ethylene, an &#x3b1;-olefin, and optionally a polyene, in a stirred tank reactor to form a first ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer, and transferring at least some of the first ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer to a loop reactor, and polymerizing, therein, a second mixture comprising ethylene, an alpha-olefin, and optionally a polyene, in the presence of the first ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer, to form the 'first composition comprising the first ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer and the second ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer.' The invention also provides a polymerization reactor configuration comprising at least the following: a stirred tank reactor followed by a loop reactor.

Process to form ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymers

A system for detecting an interface between polymer-rich phase and solvent-rich phase comprising a liquid-liquid separator configured to receive a polymer solution as an inlet stream produced in a solvent-based polymerization reactor through an inlet feed, wherein the tank is configured to permit the stream to separate into a polymer rich phase and a solvent rich phase; a first sonic transponder for sending a first sonic signal from either a top or bottom of the liquid-liquid separator and for receiving a first reflected portion of the sonic signal, the reflected portion of the sonic signal created by the passage of the sonic signal through a liquid-liquid interface between the solvent rich phase and the polymer rich phase is provided.

Liquid-liquid separator interface detection system and polymerization process utilizing the same

The invention provides a composition comprising a first composition comprising the following: A) a first ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer that has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) greater than 90,000 g/mole and a MWD less than, or equal to 3, each as determined by conventional GPC; B) a second ethylene/&#x3b1;-olefin interpolymer; and wherein the first composition has a number average molecular weight (Mn) less than 10,000 g/mole, as determined by conventional GPC; and wherein the &#x3b1;-olefin of first interpolymer is the same as the &#x3b1;-olefin of the second interpolymer.

Ethylene-based polymer compositions with improved viscosities

A system for detecting an interface between a polymer-rich phase and a solvent-rich phase comprising a liquid-liquid separator configured to receive a polymer solution as an inlet stream comprising solvent, polymer and unreacted monomer produced in a solvent-based polymerization reactor through an inlet feed, wherein a tank is configured to provide a residence time of at least 20 minutes and to permit the stream to separate into the polymer rich phase and the solvent rich phase; a first sonic transponder for sending a first sonic signal from either a top or bottom of the liquid-liquid separator and for receiving a first reflected portion of the sonic signal, the reflected portion of the sonic signal created by the passage of the sonic signal through a liquid-liquid interface between the solvent rich phase and the polymer rich phase, wherein the first sonic transponder is positioned such that it transmits the signal which travels perpendicularly to the liquid-liquid interface is provided.

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Rosharon, TX, United States of America

Curvel Hypolite