Neste Oy

Borealis A/s

Borealis Holding A/s

Ulf Palmqvist

Eero Iiskola

Bill Gustafsson

Arja Kostiainen

Hilkka Knuuttila

Pekka Sormunen

Tarja Korvenoja

Pekka J Sormunen

Hilkka R Knuuttila

Harri Hokkanen

Eeva-Liisa Lakomaa

Eero I Iiskola

Jukka Koskinen

Sirpa Ala-Huikku

Paivi Waldvogel

Inkeri T Korvenoja

Arja-Liisa Kostiainen

Fero I Iiskola

Bill B Gustatsson

Provided are heterogeneous catalysts for homo- and copolymerization of olefins as well as a method for preparing these catalysts, which comprise at least one metallocene compound of a Group 4A, 5A or 6A (Hubbard) transition metal on a solid inorganic support. The method comprises the steps of vaporizing the metallocene compound, treating the support material with the vaporized metallocene compound at a temperature which is sufficiently high to keep the metallocene compound in the vaporous state, contacting the support material with an amount of the vaporized metallocene compound which is sufficient to allow for a reaction between the metallocene compound and at least a substantial part of the available surface sites capable of reacting therewith, removing the rest of the metallocene compound not bound to the support, and optionally treating the product thus obtained with an activating agent. The catalysts are active even if very low amounts of activator agents, such as alumoxane, are used. Furthermore, the polymerization performance of the catalysts can be regulated during the preparation of the catalysts. Thus, by using different support pretreatment temperatures, or by using two or more different metallocenes, and by altering the order in which they are added on the support, it is possible to control and regulate the activity of the catalysts and the polymer properties, such as molecular weight and molecular weight distribution.

Catalyst for olefin polymerization and a method for the manufacture

The present invention concerns heterogeneous catalysts for polymerization of olefins. The catalysts include at least one Group IVa metal compound on a solid inorganic oxidic support. According to the invention the catalysts are prepared by vapourizing at least one solid Group IVa metal halide compound and routing the vapour of the metal halide compound into a reaction chamber, wherein the vapour is reacted with the support at a temperature of about 250.degree. to about 450.degree. C. in order to bind said metal halide compound to said support. Any metal compound not bound to said support as well as any volatile reaction products emanating from the reaction between said metal halide compound and said support are then removed from the reaction chamber in the vapour phase. Optionally, the product obtained is treated with an organic aluminum compound to increase the catalytic activity of said catalyst. The catalysts thus prepared are very well suited for polymerization of ethylene or copolymerization of ethylene with other alpha-olefins, such as propylene, butylene, 4-methyl-1-pentene and hexene. A polymerization process employing the novel catalyst will provide products of the Ultra High Molecular Weight-type (UHMWPE) having very broad MWD.

Catalyst for polymerization of ethylene

Provided are heterogeneous catalysts for homo- and copolymerization of olefins as well as a method for preparing these catalysts, which comprise at least one metallocene compound of a Group 4A, 5A or 6A (Hubbard) transition metal on a solid inorganic support. The mtehod comprises the steps of vaporizing the metallocene compound, treating the support material with the vaporized metallocene compound at a temperature which is sufficiently high to keep the metallocene compound in the vaporous state, contacting the support material with an amount of the vaporized metallocene compound which is sufficient to allow for a reaction between the metallocene compound and at least a substantial part of the available surface sites capable of reacting therewith, removing the rest of the metallocene compound not bound to the support, and optionally treating the product thus obtained with an activating agent. The catalysts are active even if very low amounts of activator agents, such as alumoxane, are used. Furthermore, the polymerization performance of the catalysts can be regulated during the preparation of the catalysts. Thus, by using different support pretreatment temperatures, or by using two or more different metallocenes, and by altering the order in which they are added on the support, it is possible to control and regulate the activity of the catalysts and the polymer properties, such as molecular weight and molecular weight distribution.

An olefin polymerization catalyst composition is prepared by adding an organometallic compound of a group IA to IIIA metal to a procatalyst containing a support impregnated with TiCl.sub.4 but without using free TiCl.sub.4 to impregnate the support. The procatalyst is prepared by stirring a carrier with magnesium dichloride and a titanium tetralkoxide in a hydrocarbon solvent containing an electron donor, evaporating the solvent and the donor to form a free-flowing powder and chlorinating the titanium tetralkoxide with an alkyl aluminum chloride.

Method of preparing catalyst composition for polymerizing olefins

Method for the preparation of a polymerizing catalyst component, a

Method for the preparation of a catalyst component for the

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a supported procatalyst intended for the polymerization of olefins, in which particles are formed from magnesium halide and alcohol, the particles are reacted with an organometallic compound of any of the metals of the groups I to III, the thus obtained particulate product is activated by means of a titanium(IV) compound, and optionally a prepolymerization is carried out for the activated particles. A problem with this kind of a method is, how to form particles from magnesium dihalide and alcohol having an advantageous structure for the polymerization of ethylene and particularly ethylene with a narrow molecular weight distribution. The problem has in the present invention been solved so that the particles are formed by spray-crystallizing a mixture of magnesium dihalide and alcohol to complex particles of magnesium dihalide and alcohol and that titanium(IV) alcoxyhalide has been used as the titanium compound. The catalytic properties of the particles thus obtained are improved, especially after the prepolymerization carried out by means of ethylene, which leads in the polymerization to a still more active, very hydrogen and comonomer sensible procatalyst having a better molecular weight selectivity. The invention also relates to the specific use of the procatalyst prepared by such a method for the polymerization of alpha-olefins. By a procatalyst is meant in this context the catalyst component of the Ziegler-Natta-catalyst which is based on the transition metal and which before the polymerization is combined with the organometallic compound of aluminium or some other metal acting as a cocatalyst.

Method for the preparation of catalyst components for the polymerization

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a supported procatalyst intended for the polymerization of olefines, in which particles are formed of magnesium dihalide and alcohol, the particles are reacted with an organic compound of a metal from the groups I-III, the thus obtained particulate product is activated by means of a titanium and/or vanadium compound and optionally a donor, and optionally a prepolymerization is carried out for the activated particles. A problem of such a method is how to form particles of magnesium dihalogenide and alcohol having a structure advantageous for the polymerization of olefins. The problem has in the present invention been solved so that the particles are formed by spray crystallizing (spray freezing) a mixture of magnesium dihalide and alcohol to complex particles of magnesium dihalide and alcohol. The hydroxyl content of the particles so obtained is much greater than earlier, which results in a much more active procatalyst than the preceding ones.

Preparation and use of a new ziegler-natta catayst component

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a supported polymerization catalyst in a multi-function reactor (1) which is equipped with a mixer (2) and at the bottom of which there is fitted a downward substantially conically converging sieve tray (3), possibly detachable, and in which there are carried out, as required for the preparation of the catalyst, an activation stage, i.e. the treatment of the catalyst support with a transition metal compound, washing stages using a suitable solvent, and drying stages using an inert gas, and possibly a prepolymerization of a suitable monomer by means of the obtained activated catalyst and a co-catalyst and possible other compounds, for example a polymerization medium.

Process for the preparation of a supported polymerization catalyst

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Porvoo, Finland

Pekka J Sormunen