Patents Represented by Attorney Diane L. Kilpatrick-Lee
  • Patent number: 7960484
    Abstract: Polymerization processes in a bulk loop reactor are described herein. In particular, a method of contacting a flow of metallocene with a flow of propylene is provided. This method includes directing the flow of metallocene towards a junction, directing the flow of propylene towards the junction and maintaining a portion of the flow of metallocene separate from a portion of the flow propylene within a portion of the junction downstream of the flow of propylene into the junction. In another embodiment, a method of introducing a quantity of antifouling agent into a catalyst mixing system is provided. In this embodiment a portion of the antifouling agent is introduced at or downstream of a point of contact of a stream of propylene with a stream of catalyst. The antifouling agent may be a member, alone or in combination with other members, selected from Stadis 450 Conductivity Improver, Synperonic antifouling agent, and Pluronic antifouling agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Tharappel, Renaud Oreins, William Gauthier, David Attoe, Kevin McGovern, Michel Messiaen, David Rauscher, Kai Hortmann, Michel Daumerie
  • Patent number: 7902300
    Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a cyclic ketone peroxide of half-life time larger than one second at a temperature of 225° C., for producing a controlled rheology polypropylene heterophasic copolymer of melt index MI2 larger than 15 g/10 min, having simultaneously a very high impact resistance and a high flexural modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventors: Philippe VanDeurzen, Lisa K. Albe, William Wheat, Michel Daumerie
  • Patent number: 7666959
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a metallocene catalyst system for producing polyolefins comprising: A. a hafnocene-based catalyst component suitable for producing the high molecular weight fraction of the polyolefin; B. one or more metallocene or post-metallocene components different from the component A and suitable for producing the low molecular weight fraction of the polyolefin; C. an activating agent having a low or no coordinating capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventor: Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7658875
    Abstract: A polymer film having a thickness of 10 microns or less and improved barrier characteristics to both water vapor and oxygen is formed from a biaxially-oriented polypropylene film of isotactic polypropylene. The polypropylene is prepared by the polymerization of propylene in the presence of an isospecific metallocene catalyst. The film has a permeability to water vapor of less than about 2.5 g/m2 day/25 ?m and a permeability to oxygen of less than about 2200 cc/m2 day/25 ?m. The film also has a haze properties of less than about 1%. The polypropylene contains 0.1 to 1% 2,1 insertions and has an isotacticity of at least 96% meso pentads. The isotactic polypropylene thus produced is then extruded into a sheet that is biaxially-oriented by stressing the sheet in the transverse and longitudinal directions to a draw ratio of at least about 6:1 in the transverse direction, and at least about 4:1 in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott D. Cooper
  • Patent number: 7659349
    Abstract: Degraded polypropylene (co)polymer modified with a linear dialkylperoxide in order to retain its impact strength and a process for its preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventor: Kristien Roegiers
  • Patent number: 7645834
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of polymerizing olefin using a compatible combination of a multi-site catalyst and a single-site catalyst. The catalysts may be a Ziegler-Natta catalyst and a metallocene catalyst. The resulting polymer, which may be a homopolymer or a random copolymer, may exhibit a molecular weight distribution which is intermediate than that resulting for polymers prepared using either catalyst alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Fina Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Blackmon, Joseph L. Thorman, David John Rauscher, Edwar S. Shamshoum, Christopher Bauch
  • Patent number: 7605294
    Abstract: Methods for the preparation of fluorenyl-type ligand structures and substituted fluorenyl groups which may be employed in metallocene-type olefin polymerization catalysts. There is provided a 2,2?-dihalogen-diphenylmethylene having a methylene bridge connecting a pair of phenyl groups. Each phenyl group has a halogen on a proximal carbon atom relative to the methylene bridge. The halogenated diphenylmethylene is reacted with a coupling agent comprising a Group 2 or 12 transition metal in the presence of a nickel or palladium-based catalyst to remove the halogen atoms from the phenyl groups and couple the phenyl groups at the proximal carbon atoms to produce a fluorene ligand structure. The coupling agent may be zinc, cadmium or magnesium and the catalyst may be a monophosphene nickel complex. The halogenated diphenylmethylene may be an unsubstituted ligand structure or a monosubstituted or disubstituted ligand structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Marin, Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7598200
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for preparing an heterogeniseded catalyst component comprising the steps of: a) providing a halogenated precursor component of formula (I) —X—[—CH2]—CH3 b) reacting the halogenated precursor with an ionic liquid precursor in a solvent to prepare an ionic liquid; IL+X? c) optionally, reacting the intermediate IL+X? with a salt C+A?, wherein C+ is a cation that can be selected from K+, Na+, NH4+, and A? is an anion that can be selected from PF6?, SbF6?, BF4?, (CF3—SO2)2N?CIO4—, CF3SO3?, NO3— or CF3CO2?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventors: Olivier Lavastre, Fabien Bonnette, Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7589138
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of a molded article formed of an isotactic ethylene propylene copolymer comprising providing an isotactic ethylene-propylene copolymer having an ethylene content of no more than 5 weight percent produced by the copolymerization of ethylene and propylene in the presence of an isospecific metallocene catalyst; heating the copolymer to a molten state; incorporating a nucleating agent into copolymer in an amount effective to provide a uniform shrinkage of the molded article at 48 hours molding of the at least 85% as determined by the differential in transverse and longitudinal shrinkage at the 48 hour mark; extruding the molten copolymer into a mold cavity; cooling the copolymer within the confines of the mold cavity to solidify the copolymer and form the molded article which is then retrieved from the mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Li
  • Patent number: 7569713
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method for making a hydrogenated metallocene catalyst component comprising the steps of: 1. Providing a compound comprising at least one aromatic group; 2. Hydrogenating the at least one aromatic group in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst to form a hydrogenated compound; and 3. Forming a metallocene catalyst component from the hydrogenated compound from step 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventor: Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7538167
    Abstract: A syndiotactic polypropylene comprising a melting temperature of greater than 160° C., a percentage of syndiotactic pentads greater than 95%, a toluene soluble fraction of equal to or less than 0.4, and a molecular weight of from 10,000 Daltons to 1,000,000 Daltons. A syndiotactic polypropylene comprising a melting temperature of greater than 170° C., a molecular weight of from 100,000 Daltons to 300,000 Daltons, a molecular weight distribution of less than 3, and a toluene soluble fraction of less than 0.4. A syndiotactic polypropylene comprising a tensile modulus of equal to or greater than 60,000 psi, a tensile strength at yield of equal to or greater than 3,600 psi, a tensile strength at break of equal to or greater than 3,900 psi, an elongation at yield of equal to or greater than 13%, and an elongation at break of equal to or greater than 400%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Marin, Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7514509
    Abstract: Olefin polymerization processes are described herein. In one embodiment, the process generally includes introducing propylene monomer to a reaction zone, disposing an isospecific metallocene catalyst within the reaction zone, wherein the isospecific metallocene catalyst has the formula: (SiRA2)(CpRB4)(FluRC8)MAn wherein Si is silicon and is a structural bridge between Cp and Flu, Cp is a cyclopentadienyl group, Flu is a fluorenyl group, M is a transition metal, A is a leaving group, n is an integer equal to the valence of M minus 2, RA is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyls, aromatics and combinations thereof, RB is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyls and combinations thereof and RC is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyls, aromatics and combinations thereof, contacting the propylene monomer with the isospecific metallocene catalyst to form isotactic polypropylene and recovering the isotactic polypropylene from the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir P. Marin, Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7514510
    Abstract: An olefin polymerization process comprising contacting one or more olefins and a catalyst component in a reaction zone under suitable reaction conditions to form a polyolefin, wherein the catalyst component is characterized by the formula: B(Cp)(Fl)MQ2 wherein M comprises a metal, Q comprises a halogen, an alkyl group or an aryl group or combinations thereof, Cp comprises a cyclopentadienyl group, Fl comprises a fluorenyl group, B is a bridging group that may be characterized by the general formula —YRH wherein Y comprises C or Si and R comprises an alkyl group, an aryl group, a poly-aryl group or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Marin, Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7473750
    Abstract: A composition that may be useful for thermoforming and blow molding applications comprises a metallocene catalyzed propylene-ethylene random copolymer having an ethylene content of from about 0.1 to about 1.5 weight percent based on the copolymer, and exhibits a flexural modulus of at least about 1,100 MPa, a haze of less than about 40 percent, a melt flow of from about 1.0 dg/min to about 3.0 dg/min, and a xylene solubles content from about 0.2 weight percent to about 1.0 weight percent based on the copolymer. A process for preparing the copolymer and articles prepared therefrom are also disclosed. The composition's properties may make it particularly desirable for applications such as bottles, syringes and containers such as those used for food and medical purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Musgrave, Lu Ann Kelly, Mark Murphy
  • Patent number: 7473813
    Abstract: Methods for the preparation of fluorenyl-type ligand structures and substituted fluorenyl groups which may be employed in metallocene-type olefin polymerization catalysts. There is provided a 2,2?-dihalogen-diphenylmethylene having a methylene bridge connecting a pair of phenyl groups. Each phenyl group has a halogen on a proximal carbon atom relative to the methylene bridge. The halogenated diphenylmethylene is reacted with a coupling agent comprising a Group 2 or 12 transition metal in the presence of a nickel or palladium-based catalyst to remove the halogen atoms from the phenyl groups and couple the phenyl groups at the proximal carbon atoms to produce a fluorene ligand structure. The coupling agent may be zinc, cadmium or magnesium and the catalyst may be a monophosphene nickel complex. The halogenated diphenylmethylene may be an unsubstituted ligand structure or a monosubstituted or disubstituted ligand structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Marin, Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7473751
    Abstract: A polymer film having a thickness of 10 microns or less and improved barrier characteristics to both water vapor and oxygen is formed from a biaxially-oriented polypropylene film of isotactic polypropylene. The polypropylene is prepared by the polymerization of propylene in the presence of an isospecific metallocene catalyst. The film has a permeability to water vapor of less than about 2.5 g/m2day/25 ?m and a permeability to oxygen of less than about 2200 cc/m2day/25 ?m. The film also has a haze properties of less than about 1%. The polypropylene contains 0.1 to 1% 2,1 insertions and has an isotacticity of at least 96% meso pentads. The isotactic polypropylene thus produced is then extruded into a sheet that is biaxially-oriented by stressing the sheet in the transverse and longitudinal directions to a draw ratio of at least about 6:1 in the transverse direction, and at least about 4:1 in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott D. Cooper
  • Patent number: 7470759
    Abstract: A method of producing a polymer comprising contacting in a reaction zone under conditions suitable for polymerization of an alpha-olefin monomer with a metallocene catalyst having at least three asymmetric centers, and recovering an alpha-olefin polymer from the reaction zone. A method of polymerizing propylene comprising contacting in a reaction zone propylene, a cocatalyst, and a metallocene catalyst having the formula including stereoisomers: and recovering polypropylene from the reaction zone. A polypropylene composition having a tensile modulus from 40,000 psi to 300,000 psi, a tensile strength at yield from 2,000 psi to 6,000 psi, a tensile strength at break from 1,000 psi to 3,500 psi, a tensile strength from 1,000 psi to 5,000 Kpsi, an elongation at yield of greater than or equal to 10%, and an elongation at break from 50% to 500%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Marin, Abbas Razavi
  • Patent number: 7470764
    Abstract: It has been discovered that using n-butylmethyldimethoxysilane (BMDS) as an external electron donor for Ziegler-Natta catalysts can provide a catalyst system that may prepare polypropylene films with improved properties. The catalyst systems of the invention provide for controlled chain defects/defect distribution and thus a regulated microtacticity. Consequently, the curve of storage modulus (G?) v. temperature is shifted such that the film achieves the same storage modulus at a lower temperature enabling faster throughput of polypropylene film through a high-speed tenter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Paul Blackmon, David J. Rauscher, Michael Ray Wallace
  • Patent number: 7470757
    Abstract: An olefin polymerisation process carried out in the presence of an anti-fouling agent and a chromium-type catalyst or Ziegler Natta catalyst; characterised in that the anti-fouling agent comprises an anti-fouling polymer having an average molecular weight (Mw) of greater than 1000 daltons and containing: (1) one or more blocks —(CH2—CH2—O)k— where each k is in the range from 1 to 50; and (2) one or more blocks —(CH2—CH(R)—(O)n? where R comprises an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and each n is in the range from 1 to 50, and terminated by a R? and a R? end groups, wherein R? is OH or an alkoxy having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and R? is H or an alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventors: Olivier Miserque, Daniel Siraux, Philippe Bodart
  • Patent number: 7449527
    Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a polyolefin having a multimodal molecular weight distribution, which process comprises: (a) polymerizing a first olefin monomer in the presence of an isomerizable metallocene catalyst, to form a first multi-modal polyolefin component; and (b) polymerizing a second olefin monomer in the presence of a second metallocene catalyst to form a second polyolefin component; wherein the molecular weight distribution of the first polyolefin component overlaps with the molecular weight distribution of the second polyolefin component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventor: Abbas Razavi