Eastman Chemical Company

Eastman-Kodak Company

Robert E Holliday

Horst K Seeger

Jeffrey James Vanderbilt

Richard Kingsley Stuart, Jr

William A Ames

James H Scott

Kenneth H Albers

Max Statman

Luis A Pagan

Edward H Carter, Jr

Timothy J McKeon

Thomas L Doerr

Gregory T Slemons

The present invention relates to a continuous high molecular weight, amorphous polymer-producing process which includes a reactor design, an unreacted monomer and solvent recycling and purification system, a catalyst deactivation and polymer stabilization system, and a polymer isolation process. The present invention relates to the discovery of a continuous process for the production of polymers. The discovery relates particularly to Ziegler-Natta synthesis of amorphous polymers from .alpha.-olefins. In the inventive method, it was discovered that reconfiguration of process streams for the purposes of the product stabilization and catalyst deactivation led to elimination of the need for an elaborate absorption bed train to purify recycled components. Additionally, reconfiguration of process streams resulted in an improvement of process yield where recycled solvent and unreacted monomer previously caused process yield to be marginal in comparison to using entirely new feedstocks. The present invention also comprises a preferred embodiment of the synthesis of polyoctene, the separation of polyoctene from unreacted octene monomer and unreactive hydrocarbon solvent, and the deactivation of polymerization catalyst.

Process for the synthesis of high molecular weight predominantly

The present invention is an elastomeric polyolefin terpolymer comprising about 5 to 25 weight percent ethylene units, from greater than about 5 to about 40 weight percent hexene units, and about 35 to less than about 90 weight percent propylene units, wherein the total weight percent of monomer units equals 100 percent. The high molecular weight terpolymer is amorphous, is elastomeric, has a melt flow rate of about 0.01 to 500 grams per 10 minutes and has a tensile set of about 65 to 120 percent, according to ASTM D-412.

Elastomeric amorphous olefin terpolymer

A process for the production of elastomeric polypropylene is disclosed. The process entails contacting the propylene monomer neat or in an unreactive hydrocarbon solvent, with a catalyst in a recirculated, stirred reactor at a temperature of about 60.degree. to 80.degree. C. thereby producing elastomeric polypropylene. The reactor contents are in the slurry/solution phase and are essentially free of catalyst poisons. The reactor is capable of recirculating contents that are very viscous such that the reactor contents are well mixed while a portion of the contents of the reactor containing propylene, any solvent, and elastomeric polypropylene are continually removed by the use of a high viscosity pump to recover the elastomeric polypropylene.

Process for the synthesis of elastomeric polypropylene

A process for the production of amorphous polyolefins is disclosed. The process entails contacting the olefin monomer, in an unreactive hydrocarbon solvent, with a catalyst in a recirculated, stirred reactor thereby producing amorphous polyolefin. The reactor is capable of recirculating contents that are very viscous.

Catalysts and synthesis of high molecular weight amorphous polyolefins

In a two step process for preparing polymeric material wherein said polymeric material is formed by polymerizing alpha-monoolefins in the presence of a halogen-containing polymerization catalyst that leaves corrosive halogen-containing catalyst residues in said polymeric material, the improvement which comprises contacting said polymeric material containing corrosive catalyst residues with steam, air and nitrogen at a temperature where the polymeric material is in a fluid or liquid state and thereafter treating said steam-air-nitrogen treated molten polymer with alumina. The polymeric material treated with the two step catalyst deactivation process had good color, low chlorides and low volatiles.

Two step polyolefin catalyst deactivation

Hot melt polyolefin adhesives are provided having white color. These adhesives contain a white, non-pigmented polymeric composition prepared by polymerizing styrene in the presence of an amorphous polyalpha-olefin.

Growing community of inventors

Longview, TX, United States of America

Robert E Holliday