Phillips Petroleum Company

Patrick Rooney

Phil M Stricklen

Jeffrey A Russell

Daniel M Hasenberg

Terry D Brown

In the copolymerization of 4-methyl-1-pentene and at least one alpha olefin under batch polymerization conditions at a temperature of at least about 50.degree. C. wherein 4-methyl-1-pentene is initially polymerized in the absence of comonomer and then comonomer is added to the reaction vessel to permit copolymer formation, the improvement comprising initially forming 4-methyl-1-pentene homopolymer in an amount sufficient to reduce the solubility of the later formed copolymer at the polymerization temperature, said homopolymer being no more than about 5 weight percent of the end product copolymer. Also the products of such polymerizations are disclosed.

Process for the copolymerization of 4-methyl-1-pentene

Sulfonated asphalt is produced by heating an asphaltic material, preferably having a softening point between about 315.degree. F. and 350.degree. F., by mixing the asphalt with a solvent, such as hexane, sulfonating the asphalt with a liquid sulfonating agent, such as liquid sulfur trioxide, neutralizing the sulfonic acids with a basic neutralizing agent, such as sodium hydroxide, separating solvent from the sulfonated asphalt, preferably by passing the same through a wiped film evaporator, recovering the evaporated solvent for reuse, preferably by passing the same in indirect heat exchange with a closed cycle refrigerant, recovering solvent from vapors from the sulfonation and neutralization steps by either scrubbing with neutalizing agent or sulfuric acid or by passing the same through fiber-type filter means and, thereafter, passing the same to the refrigeration step and drying the separated, sulfonated asphalt, preferably by passage through a drum dryer, and separating particle-form sulfonated asphalt from the vapors from the drum dryer, preferably by passing the same through a cyclone separator. Preferably the process is a batch-type process in which the rates of flow of the solvent, the asphaltic material, the sulfonating agent and the neutralizing agent and the periods of time prior to withdrawal of the sulfonic acids and the sulfonated asphalt are coordinated in accordance with a predetermined time cycle.

Production of sulfonated asphalt

Method and apparatus for recovering a solvent from a mixture containing the solvent is disclosed. In certain aspects, a portion of the recovered liquid is recycled and used in the evaporative process, such as for the seal liquid in a liquid ring vacuum pump. In another aspect, the initial separation is achieved in a thin film evaporator operating under partial vacuum from the liquid ring vacuum pump.

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Bartlesville, OK, United States of America

Patrick Rooney