Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

National Distillers and Chemical Corporation

Atlantic Richfield Company

Pony Industries, Inc.

Donald E Hostetler

Haven S Kesling, Jr

Hsiang-Ning Sun

Michael J Cannarsa

James J Harris

G Stanley Achorn

Terence A Cooper

Robert J Kostelnik

Zung-Jung Shanti In

Discrete, non-agglomerating particles of polyalkylene carbonate are produced by solvent/non-solvent precipitation using certain solvent/non-solvent systems. The free-flowing particles obtained are from 30 to 3000 microns in diameter and are suitable for use in a variety of applications, particularly the preparation of foamed articles.

Formation of discrete polyalkylene carbonate particles by

Discrete, non-agglomerating particles of polyalkylene carbonate are produced by solvent/non-solvent precipitation using certain solvent/non-solvent systems. The free-flowing particles obtaine are from 30 to 3000 microns in diameter and are suitable for use in a variety of applications, particularly the preparation of foamed articles.

The selection of the proper solvent systems for polyalkylene carbonates which completely dissolve the polymer at high temperatures but are non-solvents at lower temperatures allows one to obtain discrete particles of the polymers suitable for many applications, processing and handling. The particles size can be controlled from about 30 to about 3000 microns in diameter.

Preparation of discrete particles of polyalkylene carbonate

The hydrocarbon fluid friction reducing properties of homopolymers of alpha-monoolefins having 6 to 30 carbon atoms or copolymers of two or more alpha-monoolefins having 2 to about 30 carbon atoms is improved by polymerizing the monomers in the liquid state by means of a titanium halide catalyst and a two-component activator system comprised of a dialkylaluminum halide compound and a dialkylaluminum alkoxide compound.

Polymerization process

Copolymers or terpolymers of carbon dioxide and at least one epoxide are found to be useful in formulations for adhesive compositions. Polarity due to the carbonate group and non-polarity due to the alkylene groups in the resulting polyalkylene carbonates makes it possible to adhere a large number of different surfaces such as steel, aluminum, fluoropolymers, and polyesters to themselves or to each other.

Polyalkylene carbonate hot melt adhesive

Copolymerization of ethylene and a C.sub.3 -C.sub.20 alpha-monoolefin at high temperature gives a low density polyethylene having a density of between 0.91 and 0.93 g/cc. The copolymerizations are accomplished with a catalyst made by co-comminuting an anhydrous magnesium halide, an anhydrous aluminum halide, a titanium compound, and at least one electron donor, and a cocatalyst comprising a synergistic mixture of an alkyl aluminum chloride and an oxygen-containing aluminum compound having oxygen attached to at least one aluminum valence.

Catalyst systems for polymerizations at high temperatures

Catalysts for the polymerization of ethylene or its copolymerization with C.sub.3 -C.sub.2 alpha-monoolefins are often pre-activated by polymerizing a small amount of C.sub.4 -C.sub.12 alpha-monoolefin onto the catalyst in the presence of an alkyl aluminum compound. The resultant pre-activated catalyst component is used in the form of a dispersion in an inert solvent. The dispersions have a tendency to separate into two phases rapidly and are thus difficult to add uniformly to a polymerization reaction. When the alkyl aluminum compound is replaced by a synergistic mixture of an alkyl aluminum choride and an oxygen-containing aluminum compound having oxygen attached to at least one aluminum valence, a stable dispersion is formed which will not separate into two phases for long periods of time.

Catalyst dispersion having improved stability against phase separation

A process is provided for transforming a polyolefin powder into a suitable substrate for the preparation of transition metal catalysts. A powder polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene is treated with a solution of a magnesium alkyl. The solvent is removed by any suitable procedure such as vacuum drying. The powder is then treated with gaseous HCl or other agent suitable for decomposition of the magnesium alkyl. The powder thus prepared is an effective support for preparing high efficiency catalysts such as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,058. These catalysts give polymers of increased particle size. Polyolefin powder in the absence of such treatment is not effective as a catalyst support and will not give polymers of increased particle size.

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Donald E Hostetler