The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Jean Steininger Clites

Howard Allen Colvin

Daniel Frederick Klemmensen

Adel Farhan Halasa

Wen-Liang Hsu

Kenneth Floyd Castner

Ronald David Fiedler

Timothy John Wolfgang

The present invention is directed to a batch process for synthesizing rubbery polymers, such as styrene-butadiene rubber, having a high trans microstructure. In one embodiment, the batch process involves mixing a catalyst system with styrene and butadiene monomers in a single reactor, with additional butadiene monomer being added after a desired period of time to further drive styrene conversion and, thus, provide a desirable high trans rubbery polymer, e.g., styrene-butadiene rubber. The copolymerization process can be conducted at a temperature in the range of about 20&#xb0; C. to about 180&#xb0; and over a period of about 1 to about 4 hours. The catalyst system can include (a) an organolithium compound, (b) a group IIa metal salt, and (c) an organoaluminum compound. The catalyst system may further optionally include an amine compound and/or an organomagnesium compound.

Batch process for synthesizing rubbery polymers having a high trans microstructure content

This invention discloses a process for synthesizing a styrene-butadiene polymer, which is particularly useful for modifying asphalt to improve force ductility, elastic recovery, toughness and tenacity, by a process which comprises the steps of: (1) continuously charging 1,3-butadiene monomer, an organo lithium compound, a polar modifier and an organic solvent into a first polymerization zone, (2) allowing the 1,3-butadiene monomer to polymerize in said first polymerization zone to a conversion of at least about 90 percent to produce a living polymer solution which is comprised of said organic solvent and living polybutadiene chains having a number average molecular weight which is within the range of about 20,000 to about 60,000, (3) continuously withdrawing said living polymer solution from said first reaction zone, (4) continuously charging styrene monomer, divinyl benzene and the living polymer solution being withdrawn from the first polymerization zone into a second polymerization zone, (5) allowing the styrene monomer and divinyl benzene monomer to polymerize in said second polymerization zone to produce a solution of styrene-butadiene polymer having a number average molecular weight which is within the range of about 30,000 to about 85,000 and (6) continuously withdrawing the solution of said styrene-butadiene polymer from the second polymerization zone.

Polymer for asphalt cement modification

This invention discloses a process for synthesizing a styrene-butadiene polymer which comprises the steps of: (1) continuously charging 1,3-butadiene monomer, an organolithium compound, a polar modifier and an organic solvent into a first polymerization zone, (2) allowing the 1,3-butadiene monomer to polymerize in said first polymerization zone to a conversion of at least about 90 percent to produce a living polymer solution, (3) continuously withdrawing said living polymer solution from said first polymerization zone, (4) continuously charging divinyl benzene and the living polymer solution being withdrawn from the first polymerization zone into a second polymerization zone, (5) allowing the divinyl benzene monomer to react with the living polybutadiene chains in said second polymerization zone to produce a solution of living divinylbenzene modified butadiene polymer, (6) continuously withdrawing the solution of said divinylbenzene modified butadiene polymer from the second polymerization zone, (7) continuously charging styrene and the living divinylbenzene modified butadiene polymer being withdrawn from the second polymerization zone into a third polymerization zone, (8) allowing the styrene to polymerize in the third polymerization zone to produce a solution of styrene-butadiene polymer having a number average molecular weight which is within the range of about 30,000 to about 85,000 and (9) continuously withdrawing the solution of styrene-butadiene polymer from the third polymerization zone.

Continuous polymerization process

The subject invention discloses a technique for controlling the molecular weight of synthetic polymers which are made by anionic polymerization. This invention is based upon the discovery that the molecular weight of diene polymers made by anionic polymerization utilizing organolithium initiators can be reduced by conducting the polymerization in the presence of bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene) nickel. The present invention more specifically discloses a process for producing a polymer of controlled molecular weight by anionic polymerization, said process comprising initiating the anionic polymerization of at least one conjugated diolefin monomer with an organolithium compound, wherein the polymerization is conducted in the presence of bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene) nickel. This technique is particularly useful in synthesizing liquid polymers but can also be used to reduce the molecular weight of rubbery polymers.

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North Canton, OH, United States of America

Jean Steininger Clites