Abstract: The present invention relates to bituminous compositions, particularly suitable for paving and building waterproofing, comprising a bitumen and a copolymer of ethylene with propylene and/or other alpha-olefins and optionally with smaller proportion of a diene or polyene. The copolymer is besides characterized by a very low crystallinity, intrinsic viscosity higher than 1.5 dl/g and by a content of propylene units or of the alpha-olefin in form of triads comprised between 4 and 50% of the propylene or of the alpha-olefin, with at least 70% of said triads having isotactic structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid catalyst component for the polymerization of olefins CH2═CHR in which R is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical with 1-12 carbon atoms, comprising a titanium compound, having at least a Ti-halogen bond and an electron donor compound supported on a Mg halide, in which said electron donor compound is selected from esters of malonic acids of formula (I): wherein R1 is a C1-C20 linear or branched alkyl, C3-C20 alkenyl, C3-C20 cycloalkyl, C6-C20 aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl group; R2 is a C1-C20 linear alkyl, C3-C20 linear alkenyl, C6-C20 aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl group; R3 and R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C3 alky, cyclopropyl, with the proviso that when R1 is C1-C4 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, R2 is different from R1. Said catalyst components when used in the polymerization of olefins, and in particular of propylene, are capable to give high yields and polymers having high insolubility in xylene.

Abstract: Polyolefin compositions containing from 70 to 99 parts by weight of a composition (A) that includes (i) from 75 to 95% by weight of a copolymer of ethylene with an &agr;-olefin CH2═CHR, where R is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and (ii) from 5 to 25% by weight of a copolymer of propylene with ethylene and/or an &agr;-olefin CH2═CHR1, where R1 is an alkyl radical having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and from 1 to 30 parts by weight of a polyolefin component (B) that includes crystalline polybutene-1. The compositions can be used for making films.

Abstract: Zirconocene compounds with two indenyl ligands linked in the 2 position by means of a two-carbon-atoms divalent bridging group can be suitably used as components of catalysts for the polymerization of olefins. Particularly it is possible to prepare, with high yields, ethylene (co)polymers having low molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions, without the need of using considerable amounts of molecular weight regulators, such as hydrogen.

Abstract: A class of bridged or unbridged metallocene compounds is disclosed, wherein the cyclopentadienyl ligands have two or four adjacent substituents forming one or two alkylenic cycles of from 4 to 8 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing 2-aryl-substituted indenes by reacting an indene with an arene compound substituted with an halogen atom, preferably a iodine atom, or with an organosulphonate group, said reaction being carried out in a basic medium in the presence of a palladium catalyst. The compounds obtainable by this process can be used to prepare metallocene compounds with transition metals such as titanium, zirconium or hafnium, which are useful as catalyst components in the polymerization of olefins.

Abstract: It is disclosed a new class of bridged metallocene compounds of formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 can be hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkylaryl or arylalkyl radicals; R3 and R4 form a condensed, 5- to 8-membered, aliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic ring; M is a transition metal of groups 3, 4, 5, lanthanide or actinide; X is hydrogen, halogen, —R, —OR, —OSO2CF3, —OCOR, —SR, —NR2 or PR2, wherein R is an hydrocarbon substituent; and p is 0-3. Furthermore, a catalyst system for olefin polymerization based on the above bridged metallocene compounds and the ligands for their preparation are disclosed.

Abstract: A foamed ionomer polymer comprising metal ions pertaining to the IA, IIA, or IIB Group of the Periodic Table, and a crystalline or semicrystalline graft copolymer where the backbone polymer chain of the graft copolymer is a polymer of an olefin selected from ethylene and C3-C10 &agr;-olefins, and the grafted chains comprise monomers containing at least one functional group selected from carboxylic groups and their derivatives.

Abstract: Elastomeric ethylene/propylene or ethylene/propylene/polyene copolymers containing small amounts of one or more &agr;-olefins are prepared by a slurry process wherein the polymerization reaction is carried out in a mixture of liquid propylene and alpha-olefin.

Abstract: A method for controlling a chemical reactor such as a gas-phase reactor using a non-linear predictive control includes steps for generating a plurality of signals representing a current state of the chemical reactor and reflecting a respective constituent of reactants in the chemical reactor, calculating a future state of the chemical reactor responsive to said plurality of signals and referenced to mass hold-up of the reactants in the chemical reactor, and controlling at least one parameter related to the chemical reactor so as to control the future state of the chemical reactor. Spurious control events due to noise in sensor or controller output signals are preferably minimized by filtering these signals using a N-sign filter subroutine.

Abstract: A multi-stage process for preparing ethylene (co)polymers having broad molecular weight distributions is disclosed, said process comprising: (A) a first polymerization stage in which, in the presence of a Ti or V catalyst, a first ethylene polymer is prepared; (B) a treatment stage in which the catalyst used in the first stage is deactivated and in which a bridged bis-2-indenyl zirconocene is supported on the ethylene polymer produced in stage (A), optionally in the presence of a suitable cocatalyst; and (C) a second polymerization stage in which ethylene is polymerized in the presence of the product obtained from stage (B). Furthermore, polyethylene obtainable by the above process is disclosed, having intrinsic viscosity ranging from 0.5 to 6 dl/g, Mw/Mn>8 and cold xylene solubility<1.2% wt.

Abstract: The thermal oxidative stability of acrylic grafted polymers is improved by (a) graft polymerizing monomers selected from the group consisting of (i) an ester or salt of an unsubstituted or 1-3 C alkyl-substituted acrylic acid and (ii) an ester or salt of an unsubstituted or 1-3 C alkyl-substituted acrylic acid and about 1 to about 10 mole %, based on the total monomers added, of an unsubstituted or 1-3 C alkyl-substituted acrylic acid, to a backbone of a propylene polymer material in the presence of a 4-vinyl-substituted 5-12 C cyclic 1-alkene, wherein the total amount of polymerized monomer is about 20 to about 200 parts per hundred parts of the propylene polymer material and the vinyl-substituted cyclic alkene is present in an amount of about 1 mole % to about 30 mole %, based on the total moles of monomer added, and (b) removing any unreacted grafting monomer from the resulting grafted propylene polymer material, decomposing any unreacted initiator, and deactivating any residual free radicals in the materi

Abstract: A process, particularly a gas phase fluidised bed process, for the production of polymers avoids formation of sheets or chunks within the reactor, without the need to use antistatic agents, which can reduce the activity of the catalyst or alter the characteristics of the yielded product. According to the invention, a device generates a corona discharge in the polymerisation reactor during the polymerisation process; an AC voltage difference is applied between the elements which constitute the discharging pair of the device.

Abstract: A process for polymerizing addition polymerizable monomers using hafnocenes catalysts/catalyst precursors having a selected symmetry condition under condensed polymerization conditions where the symmetry condition is such that the resulting polymer has varying degrees of tactioselectivity or copolymers having regions of varying degrees of tactioselectivity. Preferred classes of the haflocenes are capable of generating near pure isospecific and syndiospecific polymers in solution or in bulk polymerization conditions.

Abstract: The invention relates to solid catalyst components for the polymerization of olefins CH2═CHR, in which R is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical with 1-12 carbon atoms, comprising Ti, Mg, halogen and an electron donor compound selected from cyanoesters of formula (I): wherein R1 is a C1-C20 linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkylcycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl group; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; R2, R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from hydrogen or C1-C20 linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkylcycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl groups; two or more of R2 and R3, and R4 and R5, can be joined to form a cycle. Said catalyst components when used in the polymerization of olefins are characterized by an excellent response to hydrogen and capability to produce polymers with broad Molecular Weight Distribution.

Abstract: Zirconocene compounds with two indenyl ligands linked in the 2 position by means of a two-carbon-atoms divalent bridging group can be suitably used as components of catalysts for the polymerization of olefins. Particularly it is possible to prepare, with high yields, ethylene (co)polymers having low molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions, without the need of using considerable amounts of molecular weight regulators, such as hydrogen.

Abstract: Process for the gas-phase polymerization of olefins of the formula CH2═CHR where R is hydrogen or an alkyl or aryl radical with 1 to 8 carbon atoms carried out in one or more reactors having a fluidized or mechanically agitated bed, using a catalyst obtained by reaction of a titanium halide or haloalcoholate and optionally an electron-donor compound supported on an active Mg-dihalide with an Al-trialkyl compound and optionally an electron-donor compound, comprising the steps of: a) contacting the catalyst components in the absence of polymerizable olefin or optionally in the presence of said olefin in an amount to from up to 3 g per g of solid catalyst component; b) prepolymerizing propylene or mixtures of propylene with ethylene or an alpha-olefin to form a propylene polymer having an insolubility in xylene of at least 60% by weight, in an amount of from 5 g of polymer per g of solid catalyst component to 10% by weight of the final catalyst yield; and c) polymerizing one or more CH2═CHR olefins

Abstract: A polymer blend having a high melt strength and a low Young's modulus after irradiation of the polymers contains (1) a propylene homopolymer or copolymer having an isotactic index of greater than 90 and (2) a propylene homopolymer or copolymer having a crystallinity of <24% made using a metallocene catalyst. The blend can be used for extrusion coating (including fabric coating), foam extrusion, blow molding, and thermoforming applications.

Abstract: Amorphous copolymers of ethylene with propylene, and optionally with minor amounts of polyenes, have the following characteristics: (A) the % content by mole of propylene in the copolymer (%P) and the triads ratio EPE/(EPE+PPE+PPP) satisfy the following relationship: 0.01%P+EPE/(EPE+PPE+PPP)≧1 (B) less than 2% of the CH2 groups in the chain are in sequences (CH2)n, wherein n is an even number. These copolymers are obtainable by operating in the presence of particular metallocene catalysts having two fluorenyl groups joined together through a bridging group.

Abstract: Embossed sheets having improved grain retention can be made from a polyolefin composition containing a propylene polymer material, a partially crosslinked thermoplastic olefin elastomer composition, and optionally, crystalline polyethylene. Large parts such as automobile door and instrument panels can be formed from these sheets.