High tensile strength amorphous 1-butene/propylene and ethylene/propylene copolymers

• US 5,714,554 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rextac Llc
• Original Assignee: Rexene Corp. (Huntsman Corporation)
• Inventors: Sustic, Andres, Allen, George C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/483,498
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 526/125, 526/125.3
• US Class Current: 526/125.3
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/06 Propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/08 Butenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/16 Copolymers of ethene with alpha-alkenes, e.g. EP rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/16 Syndiotactic
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/17 Viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/20 Activation energy or enthalpy
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/6465 containing silicium
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/6555 and magnesium or compounds thereof

Abstract

Amorphous propylene/1-butene and ethylene/propylene copolymers having increased tensile properties produced by the process comprising:

reacting propylene and 1-butene monomers or ethylene and propylene monomers in the presence of a catalyst system comprising:

(a) a solid supported catalyst component is prepared by the method comprising: (i) co-comminuting magnesium halide support base and aluminum trihalide in a molar ratio from about 8:0.5 to about 8:3 in the absence of added electron donor; and (ii) then co-comminuting the product of step (i) in the absence of added electron donor with sufficient titanium tetrahalide to provide a molar ratio of magnesium halide to titanium tetrahalide from about 8:0.1 to about 8:1.0;

(b) a trialkylaluminum co-catalyst, having from 1 to 9 carbon atoms in each alkyl group in an amount such that the Al/Ti ratio is between about 50:1 and about 500:1; and

(c) an alkoxy silane component of the formula R_n Si(OR'"'"')_4-n where n=1-3, R=aryl or alkyl and R'"'"'=C_1-3 alkyl.

Claims

1. A process for the production of amorphous ethylene/propylene copolymers comprising:

feeding a mixture consisting essentially of ethylene and propylene monomers and hydrogen to a reactor at an ethylene;

propylene weight ratio of from 6.8;

120;

to 8.8;

120; and

a hydrogen;

propylene weight ratio of from 1.52;

120 to 1.80;

120 and reacting the ethylene and propylene monomers and hydrogen at a temperature of between 135°

F. to 145°

F. and at a pressure between 540 and 560 psig in the presence of a catalyst system consisting essentially of;

(a) a solid supported catalyst component prepared by the method comprising;

(i) co-comminuting magnesium halide support base and aluminum trihalide in a molar ratio from about 8;

0.5 to about 8;

3 in the absence of added electron donor; and

(ii) then co-comminuting the product of step (i) in the absence of added electron donor with sufficient titanium tetrahalide to provide a molar ratio of magnesium halide to titanium tetrahalide from about 8;

0.1 to about 8;

1.0;

(b) a trialkylaluminum co-catalyst, having from 1 to 9 carbon atoms in each alkyl group in an amount such that the Al/Ti ratio is between about 290;

1 to about 430;

1; and

(c) an alkoxy silane component of the formula R_n Si(OR'"'"')_4-n where n=1-3, R=aryl or alkyl and R'"'"'=C_1-3 alkyl in a sufficient quantity such that the molar ratio of organoaluminum co-catalyst to alkoxy silane is in the range from about 100;

1 to about 500;

1;

producing an amorphous ethylene/propylene copolymer, said amorphous copolymer consisting essentially of from about 16.4 wt % to about 17 wt % ethylene. and from about 83.6 to about 83.0 wt % propylene, a tensile strength of from 100 to 350 psi, a melt viscosity between 6700 and 7700 a glass transition temperature between -47°

C. and -50°

C., a ring and ball softening point from between 280°

F. and 285°

F., a needle penetration of from between 5 and 24 a heat of fusion from 7.5 J/g to 14.4 J/g, said copolymer containing no heptane insolubles.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkoxy silane is selected from the group consisting of cyclohexyl methyl dimethoxy silane and phenyl triethoxy silane, and wherein the alkoxy silane component is present in a sufficient quantity such that the molar ratio of organoaluminum co-catalyst to alkoxy silane is in the range from about 100:

1 to about 500;

1.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkoxy silane is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl diethoxy silane, dodecyl triethoxy silane, methyl phenyl diethoxy silane, methyl octyl dimethoxy silane and methyl triethoxy silane, and wherein the alkoxy silane component is present in a sufficient quantity such that the molar ratio of organoaluminum co-catalyst to alkoxy silane is in the range from about 100:

1 to about 500;

1.