Process for preparing propylene polymers
AssigneeBorealis AG
InventorsNoureddine Ajellal, Ville Virkkunen
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for producing a propylene polymer, such as a propylene homopolymer, a propylene-ethylene random copolymer or a heterophasic propylene copolymer using a specific class of metallocene complexes in combination with a cocatalyst system comprising a boron containing cocatalyst and an aluminoxane cocatalyst, preferably in a multistage polymerization process including a gas phase polymerization step.
Claims14
A process for polymerizing propylene monomers, optionally together with ethylene comonomers, in the presence of a single-site catalyst comprising
- (i) a complex of formula (I)
- wherein
- M is zirconium or hafnium;
- each X independently is a sigma-donor ligand
- L is a divalent bridge selected from —R′2C—, —R′2C—CR′2—, —R′2Si—, —R′2Si—SiR′2—, —R′2Ge—, wherein each R′ is independently a hydrogen atom or a C1-C20-hydrocarbyl group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms of Group 14-16 of the periodic table or fluorine atoms, or optionally two R′ groups taken together can form a ring;
- R′ and R1′ are each independently hydrogen, C5-C10-aryl or a group —CH(Rx)2 wherein each Rx is independently H or a C1-C10 hydrocarbyl group, and optionally the two Rx taken together can form a ring,
- R2 and R2′ are each independently hydrogen, C5-C10-aryl or a group —C(Ry)3 wherein each Ry is independently H or a C1-10 hydrocarbyl group, or optionally two or three Ry groups taken together can form a ring whereby at least one of R1 or R2 and one of R1′ or R2′ is different from hydrogen and
- whereby R2 together with one of R1, as well as R2′ together with one of R1′ can be part of a further mono- or multicyclic ring condensed to the phenyl ring
- R3 and R3′ are each independently a linear C1 to C6 hydrocarbyl group or a branched or cyclic C4 to C10 hydrocarbyl group, whereby the groups are not branched in α-position
- R4 and R4′ are each independently a tertiary C4 to C10 hydrocarbyl group
- R5 and R5′ are each independently a linear or branched C1 to C10 alkyl group or an C5-C10-aryl group and
- (ii) a cocatalyst system comprising a boron containing cocatalyst and an aluminoxane cocatalyst.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the molar ratio of boron in the boron containing cocatalyst to the metal ion M in the complex of formula (I) is in the range of 0.5:1 to 10:1 mol/mol, preferably 1:1 to 10:1, especially 1:1 to 5:1 mol/mol.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the molar ratio of aluminium in the aluminoxane cocatalyst to the metal ion M in the complex of formula (I) is in the range of 1:1 to 2000:1 mol/mol, preferably 10:1 to 1000:1, especially 50:1 to 500:1 mol/mol.
The process according to any one of the preceding claims comprising the steps of
- a) introducing propylene monomer units, optionally ethylene comonomer units and hydrogen into a polymerization reactor;
- b) polymerizing the propylene monomer units and optionally ethylene units to form a polymer of propylene which is selected from a propylene homopolymer or a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene.
The process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wherein the single-site catalyst has an metallocene (MC) activity of at least 1000 kg/(g·h).
The process according to any one of the preceding claims comprising the steps of
- (A′) polymerizing in a first reactor propylene monomer units and optionally ethylene comonomer units in the presence of hydrogen for obtaining a first propylene homopolymer fraction (hPP1) or a first propylene-ethylene random copolymer fraction (cPP1),
- (B′) transferring said first propylene homopolymer fraction (hPP1) or first propylene-ethylene random copolymer fraction (cPP1) in a second reactor,
- (C′) polymerizing in said second reactor in the presence of the first propylene homopolymer fraction (hPP1) or first propylene-ethylene random copolymer fraction (cPP1) propylene monomer units and optionally ethylene comonomer units in the presence of hydrogen for obtaining a second propylene homopolymer fraction (hPP2) or a second propylene-ethylene random copolymer fraction (cPP2), said first propylene homopolymer fraction (hPP1) or first propylene-ethylene random copolymer fraction (cPP1) and said second propylene homopolymer fraction (hPP2) a second propylene-ethylene random copolymer fraction (cPP2) forming the matrix phase (M),
- (D′) transferring said matrix phase (M) into a third reactor, said third reactor being a gas phase reactor,
- (E′) polymerizing in said third reactor in the presence of the matrix (M) propylene monomer units and ethylene comonomer units for obtaining an elastomeric propylene copolymer (E), wherein said matrix (M) and said elastomeric propylene copolymer (E) form the heterophasic propylene copolymer.
A polymer of propylene obtainable from the process according to anyone of the preceding claims which comprises a homopolymer of propylene or a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.