# US 10,766,980 B2 · Process for the production of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene

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- Number: US 10,766,980 B2
- Document ID: US10766980B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/344,837
- Filed: 2017-10-24
- Published: 2019-08-15
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-28
- Assignees: Sabic Global Technologies B.V.
- Applicants: Sabic Global Technologies B.V.
- Inventors: Remy Peter Theresia Smeets; Nicolaas Hendrika Friederichs; Robert Lap Key Chan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766980B2

## CPC

- C08F 110/02: Ethene
- C08F 4/6555: {and magnesium or compounds thereof}
- C08F 2410/06: Catalyst characterized by its size
- C08F 2500/01: High molecular weight, e.g. >800,000 Da.
- C08F 2500/17: Viscosity
- C08F 2500/24: Polymer with special particle form or size
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS

## Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the production of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene in the presence of a catalyst system that comprises (I) the solid reaction product obtained from the reaction of a) a hydrocarbon solution containing 1) an organic oxygen containing magnesium compound or a halogen containing magnesium compound and 2) an organic oxygen containing titanium compound and b) an aluminium compound of the formula AlRaX(3-a) where R is a hydrocarbylgroup containing (3-10) carbon atoms, X is an halogenide and 0<a<3 and (I!) an aluminium compound having the formula AlR3 in which R is a wherein the molar ratio of aluminium from (b): titanium from (a) is higher than 3:1 and the average particle size of the catalyst ranges between 0.1 μm and 1.0 μm and The obtained polymer is in the form of spheroidal particles with an average particle size of less than 50 μm or is in the form of loosely bound agglomerates consisting of spheroidal sub-particles with an average particle size of less than 50 μm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the production of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, the process comprising polymerizing ethylene in the presence of a catalyst system that comprises:
(I) a catalyst which is a solid reaction product obtained from the reaction of:
a) a hydrocarbon solution containing
1) an organic oxygen containing magnesium compound or a halogen containing magnesium compound, and
2) an organic oxygen containing titanium compound and
b) an aluminium compound of the formula AlRaX(3-a) where R is a hydrocarbyl group containing 3-10 carbon atoms, X is an halogenide, and 0<a<3 , and
(II) aluminium compound having the formula AlR3 in which R is a hydrocarbon radical containing 1-10 carbon atom, wherein
the molar ratio of aluminium from (b): titanium from (a) is higher than 3:1, and the average particle size of the catalyst ranges between 0.01 μm and 1.0 μm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the obtained polymer is in the form of spheroidal particles with an average particle size of less than 50 μm or is in the form of loosely bound agglomerates consisting of spheroidal sub-particles with an average particle size of less than 50 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that in the aluminium compound of formula AlRaX(3-a) X is chlorine and R is a branched (C3-C10) alkyl group.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the aluminium compound of formula AlRaX(3-a) is selected from di-isobutyl aluminium chloride (DIBAC), isobutyl-aluminium-dichloride (IBADIC) and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that in the aluminium compound of the formula AlRaX(3-a) 1.5≤a≤2.5.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The process according to claim 4, characterised in that the aluminium compound of formula AlRaX(3-a) is di-isobutyl aluminium chloride (DIBAC).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the organic oxygen containing magnesium compound is magnesium alkoxide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the organic oxygen containing titanium compound is titanium alkoxide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process according to claim 8 characterised in that the titanium alkoxide is Ti(OC4H9)4 or Ti(OC8H15)4.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the the aluminium compound having the formula AlR3 is triethylaluminium or triisobutyl aluminium.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the molar ratio of magnesium: titanium is lower than 3:1.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the average particle size of the catalyst ranges between 0.05 μm and 0.45 μm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that in the aluminium compound of formula AlRaX(3-a) X is chlorine and hydrocarbylgroup R is a branched (C3-C10)alkyl group, that in the aluminium compound of the formula AlRaX(3-a) 1.5≤a≤2.5, and that the organic oxygen containing titanium compound is Ti(OC4H9)4 or Ti(OC8H15)4, and that the average particle size of the catalyst ranges between 0.05 μm and 0.45 μm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, characterised in that the aluminium compound of formula AlRaX(3-a) is selected from di-isobutyl aluminium chloride (DIBAC), isobutyl-aluminium-dichloride (IBADIC) and mixtures thereof, that in the aluminium compound of the formula AlRaX(3-a) 1.5≤a≤2.5, that the organic oxygen containing titanium compound is Ti(OC4H9)4 or Ti(OC8H15)4, and that the average particle size of the catalyst ranges between 0.05 μm and 0.45 μm.