Ineos Europe Ag

Ineos Sales (uk) Limited

Gaelle Pannier

Roger Spitz

Christophe Boisson

Choon Kooi Chai

Michel Clarembeau

Melanie Muron

Stephane Paye

Christopher John Whiteoak

Activating supports are prepared by (a) combining (i) fluorine-containing compounds having a reactive group and (ii) an organometallic compound, (b) contacting a porous mineral oxide support material with the mixture from step (a), (c) heating the functionalized support from step (b) under an inert gas and then under an atmosphere comprising oxygen, and (d) recovering the activating support. The fluorine-containing compounds may have the formula R(Fn)-X wherein R is hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl with up to 20 non-hydrogen atoms, n is 1-41, X is OH, SH or NR', R&#x2032; is hydrogen or hydrocarbyl. The activating supports are useful in combination with transition metal catalysts for polymerization of olefins, e.g., with metallocene complexes. Preparation of the activating supports is easier and more economic than prior methods and provides for supported polymerization catalyst systems having excellent activities. Polymers produced using the activating supports exhibit improved rheology properties.

Activating supports

Copolymers of ethylene and &#x3b1;-olefins having (a) a density in the range 0.900-0.940 g/cm, (b) a melt index MI(2.16 kg, 190&#xb0; C.) in the range 0.01-50 g/10 min, (c) a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn, by conventional GPC) in the range 2.0-4.5, (d) a comonomer partition factor, C&#x3e;1, and (e) a melt index MI(2.16 kg, 190&#xb0; C.) normalized Dow Rheology Index (DRI), [DRI/MI] in the range 3-20. The copolymers may be prepared using catalyst systems containing activating supports. The copolymers are suitably prepared in the gas phase preferably in a single reactor. The copolymers exhibit unique properties in particular with respect to their rheology.

Polymers

Activating supports may be suitably prepared by the following procedure (a) providing a porous mineral oxide support material, (b) treating the support with a phosphorus-containing compound, (c) treating the support from step (b) with an organometallic compound, (d) heating the functionalized support from step (c) under an inert gas and then under an atmosphere comprising oxygen, (e) fluorinating the support with a fluorinating agent, and (f) recovering an activating support. The activating supports are suitable used in combination with single site catalysts for the polymerization of olefins. The supports are most preferably used in combination with metallocene complexes. The preparative route for the activating supports provides for supported polymerization catalyst systems having excellent activities.

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Brussels, Belgium

Gaelle Pannier