Olefin polymerization catalyst composition

Claim 1

A method for preparing high-activity, free-flowing solid catalyst components for alpha monoolefin polymerization comprising: (a) halogenating a magnesium compound of the formula MgR'R" wherein R' is an alkoxide or aryloxide group and R" is an alkoxide or aryloxide group or halogen, with a halide of tetravalent titanium in the presence of a halohydrocarbon and an ester electron donor, and separating the solid reaction product from the reaction mixture; (b) contacting the halogenated product with a tetravalent titanium halide and separating the resulting solid; (c) contacting the resulting solid with an inert, light hydrocarbon liquid wherein said inert light hydrocarbon liquid is selected from the group consisting of iso-pentane, n-hexane, iso-octane and toluene to remove unreacted titanium compounds; (d) adding a certain amount of a hydrocarbon mineral oil to a mixture of light hydrocarbon liquid and solid product, said mineral oil being a viscous, paraffinic/naphthenic hydrocarbon oil having a viscosity of about 50 to about 2000 SSU at 38° C. and wherein at least 80% by weight of said hydrocarbon mineral oil has an initial boiling point of 300° C. or higher, corrected to atmospheric pressure; and (e) removing by evaporation the light hydrocarbon liquid from the resulting mixture, wherein the amount of hydrocarbon mineral oil added in step (d) is between about five percent by weight and 25 percent by weight, based on the combined weight of the solid component plus mineral oil, and is less than the amount whereby the resulting solid product is no longer free-flowing.

Claim 2

A method for preparing high-activity, free-flowing solid catalyst components for alpha monoolefin polymerization comprising: (a) halogenating a magnesium compound of the formula MgR'R" wherein R' is an alkoxide or aryloxide group and R" is an alkoxide or aryloxide group or halogen, with a halide of tetravalent titanium in the presence of a halohydrocarbon and an ester electron donor, and separating the solid reaction product from the reaction mixture; (b) contacting the halogenated product with a tetravalent titanium halide and separating the resulting solid; (c) contacting the resulting solid with an inert, light hydrocarbon liquid wherein said inert light hydrocarbon liquid is selected from the group consisting of iso-pentane, n-hexane, iso-octane and toluene to remove unreacted titanium compounds; (d) adding a certain amount of a hydrocarbon mineral oil to a mixture of light hydrocarbon liquid and solid product, said mineral oil being a viscous, paraffinic/naphthenic hydrocarbon oil having a viscosity of about 50 to about 2000 SSU at 38° C. and wherein at least 80% by weight of said hydrocarbon mineral oil has an initial boiling point of 300° C. or higher, corrected to atmospheric pressure; and (e) removing by evaporation the light hydrocarbon liquid from the resulting mixture, wherein the amount of hydrocarbon mineral oil added in step (d) is between about five percent by weight and 25 percent by weight, based on the combined weight of the solid component plus mineral oil, and is less than the amount whereby the resulting solid product is no longer free-flowing.