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US 4,060,569 AGranted
Hydrocarbon polymers
AssigneePetrolite Corporation
InventorsJohn Henry Woods, Toby R. Graves
Life of this patent
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AssigneePetrolite Corporation
InventorsJohn Henry Woods, Toby R. Graves
Estimating the term…
This invention relates to hydrocarbon polymers having lower penetration or greater hardness (H), greater viscosities (V), higher molecular weights (MW), but having melting points (MP) and congealing points (CP) which are essentially no higher, but preferably lower than the original hydrocarbon. I.e. hydrocarbon Polymer's MW, V, H > original hydrocarbon Hydrocarbon Polymer's MP, CP < original hydrocarbon. These polymers are prepared by polymerizing hydrocarbons under free radical conditions at low pressures. The polymers are unique in that although hydrocarbon polymers generally have higher molecular weight, greater viscosity and greater hardness than the starting hydrocarbon they generally have higher melting points and congealing points than the starting hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons employed are primarily alpha olefins of the formula RCH=CH.sub.2 but also include alpha olefins of the vinylidene structure ##STR1## or a mixture of alpha olefins, vinylidenes, internal olefins and saturates. Because alpha olefins are primarily employed, this term is often used to indicate both alpha olefins and mixtures of various combinations of alpha olefins, vinylidenes, internal olefins and saturates.
A process of preparing polymers which have congealing and melting points which are essentially no higher than those of the starting materials, which comprises polymerizing a hydrocarbon starting material consisting primarily of alpha olefins, and which is a solid at room temperature, in the presence of a free radical catalyst under pressures of less than 500 psig but sufficient to keep the reactants and catalysts from vaporizing and at temperatures of about 40.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. for a period of 1 to 20 half-lives of the free radical catalyst, the molar ratio of free radical catalyst to hydrocarbon being from about 0.005 to 0.35.
A process of preparing polymers which have congealing points and melting points which are essentially no higher than those of the starting materials, which comprises polymerizing a hydrocarbon starting material consisting primarily of alpha olefins, and which is a solid at room temperature, in the presence of a source of free radicals under pressures of less than 500 psig but sufficient to keep the reactants from vaporizing and at temperatures of about 40.degree. to 250.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.