Abstract: The devolatilization of plastomer pellets is undertaken using nitrogen that is recycled in the process. Volatile hydrocarbons are removed from the nitrogen in a hydrocarbon extraction vessel (e.g. an adsorbent bed). In an embodiment, the recycled nitrogen contains less than 300 ppm of volatile hydrocarbons after being treated in the adsorbent bed.

Abstract: Organometallic complexes are described which are useful as pre-polymerization catalysts which may form part of olefin polymerization catalyst systems. The catalyst systems find use in the polymerization of ethylene, optionally with one or more C3-12 alpha-olefin comonomers. The organometallic complexes are broadly represented by formula I: wherein L is a bridging group containing a contiguous chain of atoms connecting P with Cy, wherein the contiguous chain contains 2 or 3 atoms and wherein Cy is a cyclopentadienyl-type ligand. The olefin polymerization catalyst system is effective at polymerizing ethylene with alpha-olefins in a solution phase polymerization process at high temperatures and produces ethylene copolymers with high molecular weight and high degrees of alpha-olefin incorporation. Pre-metallation compounds, metallation processes and synthetic methods to make the organometallic complexes as well as polymerization processes are also described.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes ethylene/?-olefin copolymer products with a density from 0.865 to 0.905 g/cm3 characterized as having unique rheological fingerprint during their transition from a solid state into a fully molten state. The ethylene/?-olefin copolymer products comprise a first high-density fraction and optionally a second high-density fraction. wherein said first and said optional second high-density fractions have distinct chemical compositions from that of the overall ethylene/?-olefin copolymer products. The first high-density fraction further has a weight-average molecular weight Mw,1HD, wherein Mw,1HD and the weight average molecular weight of the overall ethylene/?-olefin copolymer product Mw satisfy the inequality of Mw,1HD/Mw>2.

Abstract: A system for mitigating naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in an oxidative dehydrogenation process includes a feed stream, an oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) reactor, an effluent stream, a processing unit, and a NORM reduction unit. The feed stream includes oxygen, a hydrocarbon, and NORM. The ODH reactor is configured to receive the feed stream and react the hydrocarbon with the oxygen to form a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon and water. The effluent stream includes the dehydrogenated hydrocarbon, water, unreacted hydrocarbon, and NORM. The processing unit is configured to process the effluent stream to form a product stream and a recycle stream. The product stream includes the dehydrogenated hydrocarbon. The recycle stream includes unreacted hydrocarbon and NORM. The NORM reduction unit is configured to reduce an amount of the NORM in the recycle stream to produce a NORM-reduced recycle stream. The ODH reactor is configured to receive the NORM-reduced recycle stream.

Abstract: Pellets of ethylene/a-olefin copolymer are devolatilized using nitrogen in a devolatilization bin via a multistep process. Said multistep process, among other things, comprises providing nitrogen gas to the devolatilization bin at a first nitrogen inlet temperature (I) less than VICAT softening temperature of the ethylene/?-olefin copolymer for a first period of time t1 to form a new peak melting peak (II) greater than (I) and smaller than a highest peak melting temperature Tm of the ethylene/?-olefin copolymer. The devolatilization process is continued by raising and holding the nitrogen gas temperature provided to said devolatilization bin at a second nitrogen inlet temperature (III) for a second period of time t2 subsequent to the first period of time t1, wherein (III) is greater than (I) and less than (II).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method to improve the optical properties of an ethylene copolymer composition which is made in a multi reactor solution phase polymerization process. A single site catalyst is employed in a first polymerization reactor and a multi-site catalyst is employed in a second polymerization reactor arranged in series with the first polymerization reactor. The method involves increasing the amount of alpha olefin fed to a second polymerization reactor relative to the amount of alpha olefin fed to a first polymerization reactor, and if desired, optimizing other process conditions across the two reactors, such as the overall alpha-olefin to ethylene ratio, the polymerization temperature of the reactors, and the amount of hydrogen fed to each reactor, in order to maintain the density and the melt index of the ethylene copolymer composition.

Abstract: Provided herein is a laminate comprising first and second film layers prepared primarily, if not entirely, using polyethylene resins. The first film possesses a low level of surface roughness and a continuous coating, comprising an aqueous dispersion of a clay mineral, that becomes contained at the interface between the first and second film layers following lamination. The laminate is suitable for use in packaging applications that require optimal oxygen barrier performance, and since the laminate is prepared primarily from polyethylene it is accompanied by the benefit of being amenable to recycling.

Abstract: Mixed metal oxide catalysts having an amorphous content of not less than 40 wt. % are prepared by calcining the catalyst precursor fully or partially enclosed by a porous material having a melting temperature greater than 600° C. in an inert container including heating the catalyst precursor at a rate from 0.5 to 10° C. per minute from room temperature to a temperature from 370° C. to 540° C. under a stream of pre heated gas chosen from steam and inert gas and mixtures thereof at a pressure of greater than or equal to 1 psig having a temperature from 300° C. to 540° C. and holding the catalyst precursor at that temperature for at least 2 hours and cooling the catalyst precursor to room temperature.

Abstract: The copolymerization of ethylene with a cyclic mono olefin (such as norbornene) is conducted in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a bridged hafnocene catalyst and a three part activator. The catalyst system provides excellent activity at high polymerization temperatures. Copolymers produced according to this invention have unique microstructure (with methyl branching being observed) and unique rheology.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a process of converting one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes that includes providing a first stream containing one or more alkanes and oxygen to an oxidative dehydrogenation process which converts at least a portion of the one or more alkanes to one or more alkenes in an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor, a second stream exiting the oxidative dehydrogenation process comprising one or more alkanes, and one or more alkenes; and providing at least a portion of the alkanes in the second stream to a catalytic membrane dehydrogenation process containing a catalyst loaded into a catalytic dehydrogenation membrane reactor which converts at least a portion of the alkanes to the corresponding alkenes and hydrogen.

Abstract: The product distribution from an oxidative dehydrogenation process can be altered by co-feeding different ratios of ethanol to steam, in the range of 0.01 to 0.50 ethanol:steam to an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor. Increasing the ethanol to steam ratio was found to: increase ethylene yield; decrease acetic acid yield; increase, or decrease, or cause no effect on CO or CO2 yield; and have negligible effect on ethane conversion. The feed ethanol is converted to carbonaceous products without negatively effecting the catalyst activity.

Abstract: Large volumes of recycled polyethylenes are available for reuse. It would be desirable to prepare films from recycled polyethylene, however, the technical demands for many types of films can make this very difficult. Provided herein are films, for example, stretch films; shrink films; films for vacuum packages and films for dunnage packaging, that may be prepared from a blend of recycled polyethylene with “virgin” polyethylene.

Abstract: An anti-coking surface having a thickness up to 15 microns comprising from 15 to 50 wt. % of MnCr2O4 (for example manganochromite); from 15 to 25 wt. % of Cr0.23Mn0.08Ni0.69 (for example chromium manganese nickel); from 10 to 30 wt. % of Cr1.3Fe0.7O3 (for example chromium iron oxide); from 12 to 20 wt. % of Cr2O3 (for example eskolaite); from 4 to 20 wt. % of CuFe5O8 (for example copper iron oxide); and less than 5 wt. % of one or more compounds chosen from FeO(OH), CrO(OH), CrMn, Si and SiO2 (either as silicon oxide or quartz) and less than 0.5 wt. % of aluminum in any form provided that the sum of the components is 100 wt. % is provided on steel.

Abstract: A polyethylene composition having a high flow index and a bimodal composition provides an outstanding combination of environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) and ductility in rotomolded articles. The composition is easy to process/mold.

Abstract: A system and method including an oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) reactor system, feeding ethane and oxygen to an ODH reactor having ODH catalyst, and dehydrogenating ethane to ethylene via the ODH catalyst in presence of the oxygen in the ODH reactor, thereby forming acetic acid in the ODH reactor. The ODH reactor effluent is discharged through a quench heat exchanger, thereby cooling the effluent via the quench heat exchanger to below a temperature threshold, the effluent including ethylene, acetic acid, water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and unreacted ethane, wherein residence time of the effluent from the ODH reactor to effluent discharge outlet of the quench heat exchanger is less than a specified upper limit.

Abstract: This document relates to oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst materials that include molybdenum, vanadium, beryllium, oxygen, and optionally aluminum.

Abstract: A dual reactor solution polymerization process gives polyethylene compositions containing a first ethylene copolymer and a second ethylene copolymer and which has a balance of barrier properties, toughness and environmental resistance. The polyethylene compositions are suitable for end use applications which may benefit from low oxygen transmission rates such as closures for bottles or barrier film.

Abstract: An olefin polymerization process is carried out in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a pre-polymerization catalyst, a boron-based catalyst activator, an alkylaluminoxane co-catalyst, and a hindered phenol compound. The pre-polymerization catalyst is a titanium complex and has an indenoindolyl ligand bridged to a phenoxy ligand via a silyl group. The catalyst system is effective at polymerizing ethylene with alpha-olefins in a solution phase polymerization process at high temperatures and produces ethylene copolymers with high molecular weight and high degrees of alpha-olefin incorporation.

Abstract: A process, a system, and an apparatus for separation of an oxygenate from a stream is provided. More specifically, a stream comprising the oxygenate is introduced to a quench tower along with a caustic outlet stream comprising a metal salt. Contact between the oxygenate and the metal salt results in conversion of a portion of the oxygenate into a derivative salt. The derivative salt and unconverted oxygenate are condensed by quenching and substantially removed from the quench tower as an oxygenate outlet stream. The gaseous components of the stream, minus a substantial portion of the oxygenate, are removed from the quench tower as a quench outlet stream.

Abstract: A phosphinimide catalyst system comprises: i) a phosphinimide pre-polymerization catalyst having two phosphinimide ligands, at least one of which is substituted by a phosphinimide moiety; and ii) a catalyst activator. The catalyst system polymerizes ethylene with an alpha-olefin to give high molecular weight ethylene copolymer.