Process for pre-contacting catalyst components ex-reactor to produce amorphous poly alpha-olefins

• Main Authors: Fowler, Nick, Sustic, Andres, Arnold, Mitchell, Oetting, Steve
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.05.2021
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP

A continuous process for pre-contacting coordination polymerization catalyst components with each other before they are introduced into a polymerization reactor at 130 degrees Fahrenheit to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, where the activated coordination catalyst is contacted with at least one monomer to produce amorphous poly alpha olefin (APAO), the process involving blending a Ziegler-Natta pro-catalyst with a liquid carrier forming a Ziegler-Natta pro-catalyst slurry and flowing a co-catalyst mixture into the Ziegler-Natta pro-catalyst slurry continuously in a pre-contacting device, forming an activated Ziegler-Natta catalyst; continuously injecting the activated Ziegler-Natta catalyst into the heated polymerization reactor while simultaneously, and continuously, injecting propylene monomer and any other alpha-olefin monomers, and hydrogen gas for molecular weight control, initiating an exothermic reaction forming a monomer-polymer-catalyst slurry then continuously stirring the monomer-polymer-catalyst slurry forming an amorphous poly alpha olefin with a saturated backbone.