Ineos Europe Limited

Ineos Manufacturing Belgium Nv

Ineos Europe Ag

Stefan Spitzmesser

Choon Kooi Chai

Sergio Mastroianni

Benoit Koch

John E Bercaw

Dominique Jan

Luc Marie Ghislain Dheur

Luc Dheur

Paul Richard Elowe

Choon Chai

Fibers, tapes, monofilaments including copolymers of ethylene and &#x3b1;-olefins which exhibit improved tensile properties expressed as a balance between tenacity and elongation at break. The copolymers may be prepared by use of metallocene catalyst systems in particular by use of monocyclopenadienyl catalyst systems. The fibers, tapes, monofilaments of the invention are particularly suitable for end-use applications including artificial grass, woven and nonwoven fabrics, cordages, ropes, netting and flexible intermediate bulk containers.

Fiber, tapes, monofilaments based on ethylene copolymers with alfa-olefins

Copolymers of ethylene and &#x3b1;-olefins having (a) a density (D) in the range 0.900-0.940 g/cm, (b) a melt index MI(2.16 kg, 190&#xb0; C.) in the range of 0.01-50 g/10 min, (c) a melt index MI(2.16 kg, 190&#xb0; C.) and Dow Rheology Index (DRI) satisfying the equation [DRI/MI]&#x3e;2.65, and (d) a Dart Drop Impact (DDI) in g of a blown film having a thickness of 25 &#x3bc;m produced from the copolymer satisfying the equation DDI&#x2267;1900&#xd7;{1&#x2212;Exp [&#x2212;750(D&#x2212;0.908)]}&#xd7;{Exp [(0.919&#x2212;D)/0.0045]}. The copolymers may be prepared using metallocene catalysis and are preferably prepared in multistage processes carried out in loop reactors in the slurry phase. The copolymers exhibit long chain branching as defined by Dow Rheology Index (DRI) and exhibit unexpected improvements in mechanical properties, in particular dart drop impact, when extruded into blown films.

Polymers

Transition metal catalysts

A method for the preparation of copolymers of ethylene and &#x3b1;-olefins having a fraction (%) of the molecular weight component of &#x3e;1,000,000 of less than 6% comprises polymerising ethylene and an &#x3b1;-olefin in the presence of a supported polymerisation catalyst system comprising (a) a transition metal compound (b) a porous support material, and (c) an activator characterized in that the support material has been (i) dried at a temperature in the range 0&#xb0; C. to 195&#xb0; C. in an inert atmosphere, and (ii) treated with an organometallic compound. The resultant supported catalyst systems show improved productivity and allow for control of the resultant polymer properties. Particularly preferred supported catalyst systems are those comprising metallocene complexes.

Method for preparing copolymers

Growing community of inventors

Brussels, Belgium

Stefan Spitzmesser