Tpc Group LLC

Peggy J Macatangay

Michael O Nutt

Rajeev Kumar

André M Gobin

Sohel K Shaikh

Gilbert D Valdez

George Pappas

Wayne Ouellette

James A Hopson

Randall V Redd

Leonard M Czupski

Alfred Chiu

Patrick L Bradley

Isobutylene copolymer includes repeat units derived from isobutylene and one or more comonomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, limonene, substituted styrenes, and C4 to C10 dienes other than isoprene, butadiene, limonene, cyclopentadiene, or dicyclopentadiene, wherein the molar ratio of isobutylene derived repeat units to the comonomer derived repeat units is from 75:1 to 1.5:1. The copolymers have a molecular weight, Mn, of from 200 to 20,000 Daltons and typically have a high double bond content and a high vinylidene double bond content when diene monomers are utilized.

Isobutylene copolymers, method for making isobutylene copolymers and isobutylene copolymer products

Non-random isobutylene copolymer includes repeat units derived from isobutylene and one or more comonomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, limonene, substituted styrenes, and C4 to C10 dienes other than isoprene, butadiene, limonene, cyclopentadiene, or dicyclopentadiene, wherein the molar ratio of isobutylene derived repeat units to the comonomer derived repeat units is from 75:1 to 1.5:1. The non-random copolymers have a molecular weight, Mn, of from 200 to 20,000 Daltons and typically have a high double bond content and a high vinylidene double bond content when diene monomers are utilized.

Non-random isobutylene copolymers

A method of making a low-fluoride reactive PIB composition includes (a) providing a modified C4 feedstock by way of blending a mixed C4 feedstock with a second feedstock having a lower LB/IsoB ratio; or providing a C4 feedstock with an LB/IsoB index of less than 10%; (b) feeding the modified C4 feedstock or the C4 feedstock with an LB/IsoB index of less than 10% to a CSTR with a homogeneous catalyst comprising BFand a modifier selected from alcohols, ethers and mixtures thereof; (c) polymerizing the modified C4 feedstock or the C4 feedstock with an LB/IsoB index of less than 10% in the reactor while maintaining the reactor at a temperature above &#x2212;15&#xb0; C. and utilizing a residence time less than 45 minutes to produce a crude PIB composition in a polymerization mixture; and (d) recovering a purified PIB composition from the polymerization mixture having a molecular weight, Mn, from 250 to 5000 Daltons and an alpha vinylidene content of at least 50 mol %. The crude PIB composition suitably has a fluoride content of less than 100 ppm and the purified PIB composition has a fluoride content of less than 20 ppm in preferred embodiments. In the most preferred embodiments, ammonium salts are used to neutralize the catalyst and fluoride salts are sublimed from the product at elevated temperatures.

Low-fluoride, reactive polyisobutylene

A method of making a low-fluoride reactive PIB composition includes in one embodiment: a) providing an isobutylene-enriched C4 feedstock by way of blending a first mixed C4 feedstock with a second feedstock having a lower LB/IsoB index; (b) feeding the isobutylene-enriched C4 feedstock to a polymerization reactor with a catalyst complex comprising BFand a modifier selected from alcohols, ethers and mixtures thereof; (c) polymerizing the isobutylene-enriched C4 feedstock in the reactor while maintaining the reactor at a temperature above &#x2212;40&#xb0; C. and most preferably above &#x2212;15&#xb0; C. and utilizing a residence time less than 45 minutes to produce a crude PIB composition in a polymerization mixture; and (d) recovering a purified PIB composition from the polymerization mixture having a molecular weight, Mn, from 250 to 5000 Daltons and an alpha vinylidene content of at least 50 mol %. The crude PIB composition suitably has a fluoride content of less than 100 ppm and the purified PIB composition has a fluoride content of less than 20 ppm. In another aspect, ammonium salts are used to neutralize the catalyst and fluoride salts are sublimed from the product at elevated temperatures.

A method of making a polyisobutylene polymer in a recirculating loop reactor with one or more reaction tubes in contact with a heat transfer medium includes controlling the delta P and polymerization reaction to provide a linear velocity of the reaction mixture of at least 11 ft/sec in the one or more tubes of the loop reactor and/or controlling the delta P and polymerization reaction of steps (b) and (c) to provide a recirculation ratio of the recirculation rate to the feed rate of at least 30:1. Typically, the process utilizes a recirculating pump operating at a pressure differential of from 35 psi to 70 psi.

Polyisobutylene prepared at high velocity and circulation rate

A method of making a polyisobutylene polymer in a recirculating loop reactor with one or more reaction tubes in contact with a heat transfer medium includes controlling the delta P and polymerization reaction to provide a linear velocity of the reaction mixture of at least 11 ft/sec in the one or more tubes of the loop reactor and/or controlling the delta P and polymerization reaction of steps (b) and (c) to provide a recirculation ratio of the recirculation rate to the feed rate of at least 30:1. Typically, the process utilizes a recirculating pump operating at a at a pressure differential of from 35 psi to 70 psi.

Growing community of inventors

League City, TX, United States of America

Peggy J Macatangay