IP Library Granted Patent US 11,421,056
Granted Patent B2
US 11,421,056 · App. 16/762,353 · Granted Aug 23, 2022

Polyolefin polymer composition

Inventors: Vladimir P. Marin (Pasadena, TX); Jan Van Egmond (Charleston, WV); Ahmed Hintolay (Pasadena, TX)
Assignee: W.R. GRACE & CO.-CONN.
C08F210/06C07C69/78C08F110/06C08F210/16C08L23/16B01J31/0258B01J31/36C08F4/6183C08F4/6186C08F4/6497C08F4/656C08F4/6543C08F4/6565C08F2410/03C08F2500/12C08F2500/18C08F2500/24C08F2800/20C08L2207/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,421,056
App. No.
16/762,353
Granted
Aug 23, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to polyolefin polymers, such as polypropylene homopolymers, and propylene-ethylene copolymers that have improved flow properties. In one embodiment, the polymers can be produced using a solid catalyst component that includes a) dissolving a halide-containing magnesium compound in a mixture, the mixture including an epoxy compound, an organic phosphorus compound, and a hydrocarbon solvent to form a homogenous solution; b) treating the homogenous solution with an organosilicon compound during or after the dissolving step; c) treating the homogenous solution with a first titanium compound in the presence of a first non-phthalate electron donor, and an organosilicon compound, to form a solid precipitate; and d) treating the solid precipitate with a second titanium compound in the presence of a second non-phthalate electron donor to form the solid catalyst component, where the process is free of carboxylic acids and anhydrides.

Claims (31)

1. A polymer composition comprising propylene-ethylene copolymer particles including propylene as a primary monomer, the propylene-ethylene copolymer particles comprising ethylene in an amount greater than 3% by weight, the propylene-ethylene copolymer exhibiting a melt flow rate according to ASTM D1238 at 230° C. and a weight of 2.16 kg, of about 50 g/10 min to about 500 g/10 min, and wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer particles exhibit a Cup Test Index of 2 or less.

2. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer contains ethylene in an amount greater than about 8% by weight.

3. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer contains ethylene in an amount greater than about 10% by weight.

4. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer particles exhibit a Cup Test time of less than 10 seconds.

5. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer includes a first polymer phase combined with a second polymer phase comprising an elastomeric propylene-ethylene copolymer.

6. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer particles have a D50 particle size of from about 300 microns to about 3000 microns and have a bulk density of from about 0.4 g/cm 3 to about 0.6 g/cm 3 .

7. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer is produced in the presence of a catalyst system, the catalyst system comprising a solid catalyst component combined with an aluminum compound, at least one selectivity control agent, and optionally an activity limiting agent, the solid catalyst component comprising a reaction product of a magnesium compound with an epoxy compound, the solid catalyst component further comprising an organic phosphorus compound, a titanium compound, an organosilicon compound, and an internal electron donor.

8. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer is produced in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a solid catalyst component combined with an aluminum compound, at least one selectively control agent, and optionally an activity limiting agent, the solid catalyst component comprising:

magnesium compound including a halide-containing magnesium compound and a reaction product of a magnesium compound with an epoxy compound;

an organic phosphorus compound;

a titanium compound;

an organosilicon compound;

an internal electron donor, the internal electron donor comprising an aryl diester, a diether, a succinate, an organic acid ester, a polycarboxylic acid ester, a polyhydroxy ester, a heterocyclic polycarboxylic acid ester, an inorganic acid ester, an alicyclic polycarboxylic acid ester, a hydroxy-substituted carboxylic acid ester compound having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a compound having at least one ether group and at least one ketone group, or mixtures thereof;

wherein the solid catalyst component is free of side reaction products between a carboxylic acid or an anhydride thereof and a magnesium compound or a titanium compound.

9. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the propylene-ethylene copolymer is produced in the presence of a catalyst system that has an extended lifetime such that a catalyst activity of the catalyst system during a second hour of polymerization is no less than about 8% of a catalyst activity of the catalyst system during a first hour of polymerization.

10. A polymer composition comprising particles of polypropylene homopolymer, polypropylene copolymer, or a mixture thereof, wherein the particles have a D50 particle size of about 150 microns to about 3000 microns, the particles exhibit an aspect ratio, B/L3, of greater than about 0.6, and wherein the polymer composition exhibits a bulk density of greater than 0.415 g/cm 3 ; wherein the polypropylene homopolymer or polypropylene copolymer exhibits a melt flow rate according to ASTM D1238 at 230° C. and a weight of 2.16 kg from 50 g/10 min to 500 g/10 min; and wherein the particles comprise microspheres.

11. The polymer composition of claim 10 , wherein the particles have a B/L3 of from about 0.7 to about 1.0.

12. The polymer composition of claim 10 , wherein the polymer composition has a bulk density of from 0.42 g/cm 3 to 0.60 g/cm 3 .

13. The polymer composition of claim 10 , wherein the polypropylene polymer is produced in the presence of a catalyst system, the catalyst system comprising a solid catalyst component combined with an aluminum compound, at least one selectivity control agent, and optionally an activity limiting agent, the solid catalyst component comprising a reaction product of a magnesium compound with an epoxy compound, the solid catalyst component further comprising an organic phosphorus compound, a titanium compound, an organosilicon compound, and an internal electron donor.

14. The polymer composition of claim 13 , wherein the solid catalyst component further comprises a supportive donor, the supportive donor comprising a mono aryl ester, the internal electron donor is represented by one of the following formulas:

wherein:

each of R 1 through R 34 is independently H, F, Cl, Br, I, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, or heteroarylalkyl; and q is an integer from 0 to 12.

15. The polymer composition of claim 10 , wherein the polypropylene polymer comprises a polypropylene homopolymer.

16. The polymer composition of claim 10 , wherein the polypropylene polymer comprises a propylene-ethylene copolymer.

17. The polymer composition of claim 16 , wherein the polypropylene polymer comprises a heterophasic random copolymer.

18. The polymer composition of claim 10 , wherein the polypropylene polymer is produced in the presence of a catalyst system, the catalyst system comprising a solid catalyst component combined with an aluminum compound, at least one selectively control agent, and optionally an activity limiting agent, the solid catalyst component comprising:

magnesium compound including a halide-containing magnesium compound and a reaction product of a magnesium compound with an epoxy compound;

an organic phosphorus compound;

a titanium compound;

an organosilicon compound;

an internal electron donor, the internal electron donor comprising an aryl diester, a diether, a succinate, an organic acid ester, a polycarboxylic acid ester, a polyhydroxy ester, a heterocyclic polycarboxylic acid ester, an inorganic acid ester, an alicyclic polycarboxylic acid ester, a hydroxy-substituted carboxylic acid ester compound having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a compound having at least one ether group and at least one ketone group, or mixtures thereof; wherein the solid catalyst component is free of side reaction products between a carboxylic acid or an anhydride thereof and a magnesium compound or a titanium compound.

Assignments (6)
NOTES SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2026
From: W. R. GRACE & CO.-CONN.; ADVANCED REFINING TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 074532/0229 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: W. R. GRACE & CO.-CONN.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072520/0653 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2023
From: W.R. GRACE & CO.-CONN.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 062792/0510 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 23, 2021
From: W. R. GRACE & CO.-CONN.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 057594/0104 →
NOTES SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 23, 2021
From: W. R. GRACE & CO.-CONN.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 057594/0156 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2020
From: MARIN, VLADIMIR P.; VAN EGMOND, JAN; HINTOLAY, AHMED
To: W.R. GRACE & CO.-CONN
Reel/Frame 052949/0609 →