Gas phase polymerization reactions utilizing soluble unsupported catalysts
AssigneeUnion Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation
InventorsRobert C. Brady, III, Frederick J. Karol, Timothy R. Lynn, Robert J. Jorgensen, Sun-Chueh Kao, Eric P. Wasserman
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Abstract
Gas phase polymerization processes are disclosed which utilize unsupported soluble transition metal coordination catalysts. The catalysts are introduced into the reactor as a solution.
Claims20
A process for producing polymer in a gas phase polymerization reaction which comprises:
- a) continuously introducing a gaseous stream comprising one or more monomers having from two to twelve carbon atoms into a reaction zone;
- b) introducing an unsupported polymerization catalyst having a droplet size in the range of from about 1 to about 1,000 microns comprising (i) a transition metal compound selected from Groups IIIB to VIII and (ii) an organometallic compound wherein (i) and (ii) are in liquid form;
- and
- c) withdrawing polymeric product from said reaction zone.
A process for producing polymer in a gas phase polymerization reaction which comprises:
- a) continuously introducing a gaseous stream comprising one or more monomers having from two to twelve carbon atoms into a reaction zone;
- b) introducing an unsupported polymerization catalyst having a droplet size in the range of from about 1 to about 1,000 microns comprising a solution of the reaction product of a transition metal compound selected from Groups IIIB to VIII and an organometallic compound;
- and
- c) withdrawing polymer product from said reaction zone.
A process for producing polyolefins by a gas phase polymerization reaction in a reaction zone which comprises:
- a) continuously introducing a gaseous stream comprising one or more alpha-olefin monomers having from two to twelve carbon atoms into said reaction zone;
- b) introducing an unsupported olefin polymerization catalyst into said reaction zone comprising (i) at least one metallocene compound containing a transition metal selected from Groups IIIB to VIII and (ii) aluminoxane wherein (i) and (ii) are in liquid form;
- and
- c) withdrawing polyolefin product from said reaction zone.
A process for producing polyolefins by a gas phase polymerization reaction in a reaction zone which comprises:
- a) continuously introducing a gaseous stream comprising one or more alpha-olefin monomers having from two to twelve carbon atoms into said reaction zone;
- b) introducing an unsupported olefin polymerization catalyst into said reaction zone comprising a solution of the reaction product of a metallocene compound containing a transition metal selected from Groups IIIB to VIII and aluminoxane;
- and
- c) withdrawing polyolefin product from said reaction zone.
A process for producing polymer from monomer in a gas fluidized bed reactor having a reaction zone containing a bed of growing polymer particles, a lower gas diffusion zone, an upper reduced gas velocity zone, a gas inlet into said gas diffusion zone, and a gas outlet above said reduced gas velocity zone which comprises:
- a) continuously passing a gaseous stream containing monomer through said gas diffusion zone and into said reaction zone with an upward velocity sufficient to maintain said particles in a suspended and gas fluidized condition;
- b) introducing an unsupported catalyst range of from about 1 to about 1,000 microns into said reaction zone;
- c) withdrawing polymer product from said reaction zone;
- d) continuously withdrawing a stream of unreacted gases comprising monomer from said reaction zone, compressing and cooling said stream;
- and
- e) continuously introducing said stream into said gas diffusion zone.
A process for producing polymer from monomer in a gas fluidized bed reactor having a reaction zone containing a bed of growing polymer particles, a lower gas diffusion zone, an upper reduced gas velocity zone, a gas inlet into said gas diffusion zone, and a gas outlet above said reduced gas velocity zone which comprises:
- a) continuously passing a gaseous stream containing monomer through said gas diffusion zone and into said reaction zone with an upward velocity sufficient to maintain said particles in a suspended and gas fluidized condition;
- b) introducing an unsupported catalyst growing particles within said reaction zone having a droplet size in the range of from about 1 to about 1,000 microns and having a concentration in the range of from about 0.01 to about 10,000 millimoles/liter;
- c) withdrawing polymer product from said reaction zone having a particle size within the range of from about 500 to about 5,000 microns;
- d) continuously withdrawing a stream of unreacted gases comprising monomer from said reaction zone, compressing and cooling said stream;
- and
- e) continuously introducing said stream into said gas diffusion zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.