EP0447071A1
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EP
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Catalyst and prepolymer used for polymerising olefins, and (co-)polymer of ethylene obtainable therefrom
Assignee: BP Chemicals SNC
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Filing: 1991-02-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-02-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a solid catalyst suitable for polymerizing olefins in a heterogeneous process, the catalyst consisting of spheroidal particles having a narrow particles size distribution and comprising (i) a support containing a magnesium dichloride and an electron-donor free from labile hydrogen, (ii) a zirconium metallocene, (iii) at least one halide of a transition metal selected amongst titanium or vanadium, and (iv) optionally an organoaluminium compound preferably an aluminoxane. The solid catalyst may be used as such or in the form of a prepolymer comprising a polyethylene or a coplymer of ethylene and an active catalyst essentially consisting of atoms of Mg, Cl, Al, Zr, Ti and/or V, preferably in the form of spheroidal particles. The solid catalyst or the prepolymer may be used for producing polyethylene or copolymer of ethylene having from 0.5 to 20 ppm of Zr and a molecular weight distribution higher than 5 and lower than 15, in the form of a powder having a bulk density from 0.3 to 0.55 g/cm³, preferably consisting of spheroidal particles.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Claude André BP Chemicals SNC Bailly
- 👤 Christine Jacqueline Bp Chemicals Snc Chabrand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 20:27
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08F; C08F10/00; C08F4/00; C08F4/06; C08F4/10; C08F110/00; C08F110/02; C08F2410/00; C08F2410/06; C08F4/42; C08F4/44; C08F4/60; C08F4/62; C08F4/64; C08F4/659; C08F4/65904; C08F4/65912; C08F4/65916; C08F4/6592
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
Solid catalyst suitable for a heterogeneous process for polymerizing one or more olefins, the solid catalyst consisting of spheroidal particles having a mass-average diameter, Dm, of 10 to 100 microns and a particle size distribution such that the ratio of Dm to the number-average diameter, Dn, of the particles is not higher than 3, the catalyst comprising: - a support containing from 90 to 99.9 mol% of magnesium dichloride and from 0.1 to 10 mol% of at least one organic electron-donor compound, D, free from labile hydrogen, - a zirconium metallocene, - at least one halide of a transition metal (TM) chosen from titanium or vanadium, - and optionally an organoaluminium compound, preferably an aluminoxane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
Catalyst according to Claim 1, characterized in that the magnesium dichloride, the zirconium metallocene, the transition metal (TM) halide and the organoaluminium compound are present in the catalyst with atomic ratios Zr/Mg ranging from 0.001 to 0.2, Zr/TM ranging from 0.01 to 100 and Al/Mg ranging from 0 to 2.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
126 words
Process for preparing the solid catalyst according to Claim 1, characterized in that: (1) a solid support (A) containing from 80 to 99.5 mol% of magnesium chloride and from 0.5 to 20 mol% of at least one organic electron-donor compound, D, free from labile hydrogen, the solid support (A) being in the form of spheroidal particles having a mass-average diameter, Dm, of 10 to 100 microns and a particle size distribution such that the ratio of Dm to the number-average diameter, Dn, of the particles is not higher than 3, is brought into contact (2) with a zirconium metallocene (B) and at least one halide (C) of a transition metal (TM) chosen from titanium or vanadium, and optionally with an organoaluminium compound (E), preferably an aluminoxane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
Prepolymer particles comprising (i) a polyethylene or a copolymer of ethylene with up to 10% by weight of at least one C3 to C8 alpha-olefin, and (ii) an active catalyst for a (co-)polymerization of olefins essentially containing atoms of magnesium, chlorine, aluminium, zirconium, titanium and/or vanadium, in quantities such that the prepolymer contains from 0.1 to 500 g of polyethylene or copolymer of ethylene per millimole of zirconium and transition metal (TM), and the atomic ratio Al/(Zr + TM) is from 10 to 1000.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
Prepolymer particles according to Claim 4, characterised in that they consist of spheroidal particles having a mass-average diameter, Dm, from 10 to 500 microns and a particle size distribution such that the ratio of Dm to the number-average diameter, Dn, of the particles is not higher than 3.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
Process for preparing the prepolymer particles according to Claim 4, characterized in that the solid catalyst according to Claim 1, or prepared by a process according to Claim 3, is contacted with ethylene or a mixture of ethylene and at least one C3 to C8 alpha-olefin in a liquid hydrocarbon or in a gas phase at a temperature from 0 to 100°C, under a total pressure from 0.1 to 5 MPa, in the presence of an organoaluminium compound preferably an aluminoxane in a quantity such that the atomic ratio Al/(Zr + TM) is from 10 to 1000.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
Process for polymerizing ethylene or copolymerizing ethylene with at least one C3 to C8 alpha-olefin, characterized in that the solid catalyst according to Claim 1, or prepared according to Claim 3, or the prepolymer particles according to Claim 4, or prepared by a process according to Claim 6 are contacted with ethylene or a mixture of ethylene with at least one C3 to C8 alpha-olefin, at a temperature of 10 to 110°C, under a total pressure of 0.1 to 5 MPa, in the presence of an organoaluminium compound preferably an aluminoxane in a quantity such that the atomic ratio Al/(Zr + TM) is from 10 to 1,000.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
Process according to Claim 7, characterized in that the polymerization or copolymerization is performed in a liquid hydrocarbon slurry or, preferably, in a gas phase.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
122 words
Polymer or copolymer powder obtainable by the process according to Claim 7, comprising (i) a polyethylene or a copolymer of ethylene with up to 30% by weight of at least one C3 to C8 alpha-olefin, having a density from 0.89 to 0.965 g/cm³, a melt index (ASTM-D-1238 condition F) from 0.01 to 100 g/10 minutes, a molecular weight distribution higher than 5 and lower than 15 and a level of ethylenic unsaturation not higher than 0.6 per 1000 carbon atoms, and (ii) catalyst residues essentially consisting of atoms of magnesium, chlorine, aluminium, zirconium, titanium and/or vanadium, the quantity of zirconium being from 0.5 to 20 parts by weight per million, the said powder having a bulk density from 0.3 to 0.55 g/cm³.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
Polymer or copolymer powder according to Claim 9, characterized in that it consists of spheroidal particles having a mass-average diameter, Dm, from 150 to 1500 microns and a particle size distribution such tha the ratio of Dm to the number-average diameter, Dn, of the particles is not higher than 3.5.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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