Process for manufacturing ultra high molecular weight polymers using novel bridged metallocene catalysts
AssigneeTicona LLC
InventorsJens Panitzky, Jens Ehlers, Tim Dickner, Jorg Schottek
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing ultra high molecular weight polymers by means of polymerization and co-polymerization of olefins using novel bridged metallocene catalysts as well as their catalyst systems.
Claims28
A process of manufacturing ultra high molecular weight ethylene polymers comprising predominantly polyethylene, wherein the process comprises reacting ethylene in the presence of a catalyst system which includes a compound of Formula I to produce a polymer having a viscosimetrically determined molecular weight of greater than 1×106 g/mol
- whereby:
- M1 is a transition metal of the 4th to 6th group of the periodic table, wherein the oxidation level of said transition metal does not equal zero;
- R1 is equal to hydrogen or a C1-C20-carbonaceous group or a halogen atom;
- R2 is equal to hydrogen or a C1-C20 carbonaceous group or a halogen atom;
- R3, R10 are each identical or different and are a C1-C20 carbonaceous group, provided that at least one radical R3 or R10 is a C2-C20 carbonaceous group;
- R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15 are each identical or different and are a hydrogen or a halogen atom or a C1-C20 carbonaceous group, whereby, optionally, two or several consecutively form a cyclic system;
- and
- R9 is a bridge between the ligands, which is represented by the following formulas:
- whereby:
- M2 is either silicon, germanium or tin;
- and
- R16, R17 are each identical or different and are each hydrogen or a C1-C20 carbonaceous group or a halogen atom.
A method of using a catalyst system to produce ultra-high molecular weight ethylene homopolymer or copolymers, wherein the method comprises reacting ethylene in the presence of said catalyst system to produce a polymer comprising predominantly polyethylene having a viscosimetrically determined molecular weight of greater than 1×106 q/mol, wherein said catalyst system contains:
- (i) at least one catalyst having the formula:
- whereby:
- M1 is a transition metal of the 4th to 6th group of the periodic table, wherein the oxidation level of said transition metal does not equal zero;
- R1 is equal to hydrogen or a C1-C20-carbonaceous group or a halogen atom;
- R2 is equal to hydrogen or a C1-C20 carbonaceous group or a halogen atom;
- R3, R10 are each identical or different and are a C1-C20 carbonaceous group, provided that at least one radical R3 or R10 is a C2-C20 carbonaceous group;
- R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15 are each identical or different and are a hydrogen or a halogen atom or a C1-C20 carbonaceous group, whereby, optionally, two or several consecutively form a cyclic system;
- and
- R9 is a bridge between the ligands, which is represented by the following formulas:
- whereby:
- M2 is either silicon, germanium or tin;
- and
- R16, R17 are each identical or different and are each hydrogen or a C1-C20 carbonaceous group or a halogen atom;
- and
- (ii) at least one co-catalyst.
A process of manufacturing ultra high molecular weight ethylene polymers comprising predominantly polyethylene, wherein the process comprises reacting ethylene in the presence of a catalyst system to produce a polymer having a viscosimetrically determined molecular weight of greater than 1×106 g/mol, wherein the catalyst system comprises a bridged metallocene catalyst compound having a zirconium dichloride central functionality and a dimethyl silandiyl bridge between five-membered rings of the metallocene compound, and wherein the rings are indenyl, with the proviso that both rings are substituted at the 2-position with respect to the dimethyl silanediyl bridge with a C1-C20 carbonaceous group and at least one of the rings is substituted with a C2-C20 carbonaceous group at the 2 position with respect to the dimethyl silandiyl bridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.