Supported vanadium catalyst for polymerization of olefins and a process of preparing and using the same

Abstract

This invention relates to a supported vanadium-alumoxane catalyst for use in gas and liquid polymerization of olefins. The invention particularly relates to the use of silica gel containing from about 6 to about 20 percent by weight adsorbed water as the catalyst support material. The particle size of the silica gel is generally between about 0.1 and 200.0 .mu.u. Such silica gel may be safely added to a trialkylaluminum solution to form by direct reaction with the adsorbed water content of the silica gel catalyst support material the alumoxane cocatalyst component of the catalyst system. An alumoxane coated silica gel is formed to which a vanadium compound is added and the resulting material dried to a free flowing powder. The dry free flowing powder may then be used as a supported vanadium alumoxane catalyst complex for the polymerization of olefins. Resins produced from such processes have a broad molecular weight distribution suitable in blow molding for the fabrication of household and industrial containers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.