Patents by Inventor M. Bruce Welch

M. Bruce Welch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6355359
    Abstract: A self supporting film having one or more layers wherein at least one layer has a percent haze of less than 17.8 and the polymer of that layer consists essentially of a polyethylene having a density of at least 0.925 grams per cc, a molecular weight distribution of no more than 4, optionally containing a fluoroelastomer, and methods for making such film are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Ashish M. Sukhadia, William R. Coutant, Jim D. Byers, Louis Moore, Jr., M. Bruce Welch, Syriac J. Palackal, Kiplin D. Cowan, David C. Rohlfing, Jay Janzen, Paul J. DesLauriers, William M. Whitte
  • Patent number: 6353071
    Abstract: Processes are provided that produce organo-aluminoxane compositions. Said processes comprise: desiccating a first mixture, where said first mixture comprises organo-aluminoxane molecules intermixed with a solvent, to produce a first composition, where said first composition comprises organo-aluminoxane molecules; mixing said first composition with a solvent to produce a second mixture, where said second mixture comprises organo-aluminoxane molecules and said solvent; contacting said second mixture with a insolublization agent to produce said organo-aluminoxane compositions. A polymerization process using a catalyst that comprises an organo-aluminoxane composition is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Syriac J. Palackal, M. Bruce Welch, Rolf L. Geerts
  • Patent number: 6340651
    Abstract: A process for producing a metallocycle metallocene comprising reacting a reactant metallocene which has a cyclopentadienyl group having an alkenyl group attached which has at least 3 carbon atoms with about 2 molar equivalents of an alkali metal alkyl having at least 4 carbon atoms, catalyst systems resulting from the combination of the metallocycle metallocene and an organic cocatalyst, and polymerization processes using such catalyst systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Erik Licht, Helmut G. Alt, M. Bruce Welch
  • Publication number: 20010056033
    Abstract: Metallocenes having a 9-fluorenyl group and another cyclic dienyl group connected by a single carbon having a terminally unsaturated hydrocarbyl substituent wherein the 9-fluorenyl group has a hydrocarbyl substituent in the 4 position, olefin polymerization catalyst systems prepared therefrom, and the use of such catalyst systems are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Applicant: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Alexander Koppl, Helmut G. Alt, M. Bruce Welch
  • Patent number: 6329312
    Abstract: Metallocycle metallocenes are produced by reacting a first metallocene having an aralkyl group or an aryl dialkyl silyl group attached to a cyclodienyl group with about two molar equivalents of an alkali metal alkyl having at least 4 carbon atoms. The use of the metallocycle metallocenes as components of catalyst for the polymerization of olefins is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Erik Licht, Helmut G. Alt, M. Bruce Welch
  • Patent number: 6329541
    Abstract: An (organo) ((omega-alkenyl) cyclopentacarbyl) (silane-bridged) metallocene compound is provided. Polymerization processes therewith are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Michael Jung, Helmut G. Alt, M. Bruce Welch
  • Patent number: 6291608
    Abstract: A process is provided to prepare polyolefins having a multimodal molecular weight distribution comprising contacting at least one mono-1-olefin in a polymerization zone, under polymerization conditions, with a dual catalyst system comprising a first catalyst system which comprises a metallocene catalyst and a cocatalyst and a second catalyst system which comprises diimine nickel complexes which further comprise additional ligands selected from the group consisting of ∝-deprotoned-&bgr;-diketones, ∝-deprotoned-&bgr;-ketoesters, halogens and mixtures thereof. The resultant, recovered polymer has at least a bimodal, or broad, molecular weight distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Nancy W. Eilerts, Bryan Hauger, M. Bruce Welch, Harold R. Deck
  • Patent number: 6291382
    Abstract: Metallocenes having a 9-fluorenyl group and another cyclic dienyl group connected by a single carbon having a terminally unsaturated hydrocarbyl substituent wherein the 9-fluorenyl group has a hydrocarbyl substituent in the 4 position, olefin polymerization catalyst systems prepared therefrom, and the use of such catalyst systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Alexander Köppl, Helmut G. Alt, M. Bruce Welch
  • Patent number: 6268453
    Abstract: A solid cocatalyst is prepared by reacting a suitable support base with an organoaluminum compound and then reacting that product with an activity promoting amount of water. The solid cocatalyst can be combined with a polymerization catalyst to form a catalyst system useful for the polymerization of olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Alexander Köppl, Helmut G. Alt, Syriac J. Palackal, M. Bruce Welch
  • Patent number: 6262201
    Abstract: Substituted metallocenes which have a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl alkyl, aryl alkyl silyl, and aryl silyl groups, catalyst systems resulting from the combination of such metallocenes and a cocatalyst, and for producing olefins using such catalyst systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: M. Bruce Welch, Erik Licht, Helmut G. Alt
  • Patent number: 6248840
    Abstract: A process comprising reacting at least one polymer component, with at least one reactive component, to produce a composition, the polymer being a metallocene polymerized ethylene (co)polymer, and the reactive component being a crosslinking agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Ashish M. Sukhadia, M. Bruce Welch, William M. Whitte, Syriac J. Palackal, William R. Coutant
  • Patent number: 6239300
    Abstract: A number of process steps are provided that can be combined to produce bridged cyclopentadienyl-fluorenyl metallocenes. The process steps include production of a cyclopentadiene compound from dicyclopentadiene; production and recovery of a fulvene compound using the cyclopentadiene compound; production of a raw metallocene product using the fulvene compound; and recovery of the pure metallocene from the raw product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Carleton E. Stouffer, Syriac J. Palackal, Gary L. Glass, M. Bruce Welch, John D. Hottovy, Michael D. Jensen
  • Patent number: 6239060
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new type of supported metallocene catalyst system. In one aspect of the invention, an inorganic oxide support, such as silica, is impregnated with a Group XIII element such as B, Al or GA. The support is then contacted with a liquid catalyst system prepared by combining in a liquid an organo aluminoxane and a metallocene having two cyclopetadienyl-type ligands selected from substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, benzoindenyl, tetrahdroindenyl, benzofluorenyl, octahydrofluorenyl, and fluorenyl ligands to form a supported metallocene catalyst system. In preferred embodiments the process further includes conducting prepolymerization of at least one olefin in the presence of the supported metallocene catalyst system to produce a prepolymerized metallocene catalyst system. The prepolymerized metallocene catalyst system prepared in this manner yields substantially increased activity for the polymerization of olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: David W. Dockter, Bryan E. Hauger, M. Bruce Welch, Randall S. Muninger
  • Patent number: 6232415
    Abstract: A process to produce a monovinylaromatic/monoolefin polymer is provided. Said monovinylaromatic/monoolefin polymer is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Iqbal Ahmed, Jianxin Kuang, George A. Moczygemba, M. Bruce Welch, Syriac J. Palackal
  • Patent number: 6232414
    Abstract: A process to produce a monovinylaromatic polymer is provided. Said monovinylaromatic polymer is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Iqbal Ahmed, Syriac J. Palackal, M. Bruce Welch, Jianxin Kuang, George A. Moczygemba
  • Patent number: 6221981
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for preparing a highly active solid metallocene-containing catalyst system and its use in the polymerization of olefins. The catalyst system is prepared by creating a catalyst system solution by combining an aluminoxane with a metallocene having a substituent which has olefinic unsaturation in a suitable liquid to form a liquid catalyst system, conducting prepolymerization of an olefin in the liquid catalyst system, and separating the resulting solid metallocene-containing catalyst system from the reaction mixture. Also polymerization of olefins using the inventive solid catalyst system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Michael Jung, Helmut G. Alt, Bryan E. Hauger, M. Bruce Welch, David W. Dockter, Syriac J. Palackal, Antoni Jurkiewicz
  • Patent number: 6214469
    Abstract: A high clarity film containing three layers wherein the polymer of each outer layer is the same or different polyethylene selected from polyethylenes having a density of at least 0.925 g/cc, and a molecular weight distribution of less than 4, and being further characterized by being substantially free of branches having 6 or more carbon atoms, polyethylenes of the outer layers optionally containing a fluoroelastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Ashish M. Sukhadia, David C. Rohlfing, Jay Janzen, Paul J. DesLauriers, Jim D. Byers, Louis Moore, Jr., M. Bruce Welch, Syriac J. Palackal, William M. Whitte, William R. Coutant, Kiplin D. Cowan
  • Patent number: 6197899
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for the particle form polymerization of olefins. The process employs a titanium-containing having hydrocarbon soluble titanium components. The resulting catalyst is pretreated with an organometallic reducing agent prior to the introduction of the catalyst into the polymerization zone to give a catalyst which can be used satisfactorily in a loop reactor with lower levels of cocatalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Kent E. Mitchell, Max P. McDaniel, M. Bruce Welch, Elizabeth A. Benham, Grover W. Cone
  • Patent number: 6187880
    Abstract: Metallocene having two cyclic dienyl groups connected by a single carbon having an aryl substituent and a terminally unsaturated hydrocarbyl substituent, olefin polymerization catalyst systems prepared therefrom, and the use of such catalyst systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: M. Bruce Welch, Syriac J. Palackal, Bryan E. Hauger, David W. Dockter, Alexander Köppl, Helmut G. Alt
  • Patent number: 6162936
    Abstract: Fluorenyl-containing metallocenes are disclosed along with methods for making the metallocenes. Also disclosed are methods for using the metallocenes as polymerization catalysts. In addition, polymers resulting from such polymerizations are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Helmut G. Alt, Syriac J. Palackal, Konstantinos Patsidis, M. Bruce Welch, Rolf L. Geerts, Eric T. Hsieh, Max P. McDaniel, Gil R. Hawley, Paul D. Smith