Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and a solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; recovering at least part of the lactide; and recovering at least part of the water; wherein the step of converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water is performed in one step; and wherein the step of recovering at least part of the water comprises a decantation step, preferably with the proviso that the step of recovering at least part of the water does not comprise an azeotropic distillation step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for determining a set of one or more operating conditions of an olefin polymerization reactor for the synthesis of a polyolefin in slurry condition, comprising the steps of: a1) introducing a polyolefin into a volume of at least one diluent, said diluent being agitated by a powered agitator at a first temperature T1; b1) monitoring the power consumed by the agitator as a function of the concentration, for at least three concentrations C1, C2, and Cn, which are different from each other; c1) repeating steps a1) and b1) at two or more subsequent temperatures T2 and Tn, which are different from each other and from T1; d1) determining from the power consumed by the agitator as a function of concentration, said set of one or more stable operating conditions for the synthesis of the polyolefin in the olefin polymerization reactor.

Abstract: A propylene-comonomer block copolymer may have a molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn of at least 1.7, a percentage of enthalpy measured between Ti and [Tm?18° C.] of at least 20% of the total enthalpy, and a ratio E1/Co of at least 0.80. The propylene-comonomer block copolymer may be produced by polymerizing propylene in the presence of at least one comonomer and a bridged metallocene catalyst. The bridged metallocene catalyst may include bridged fluorenyl, bridged indenyl metallocene, or any combination thereof. The propylene-comonomer block copolymer may be used as a heat seal layer for biaxially oriented multi-layer films.

Abstract: The invention covers a supported catalyst system prepared according to a process comprising the following step: i). impregnating a silica-containing catalyst support having a specific surface area of from 150 m2/g to 800 m2/g, preferably 280 m2/g to 600 m2/g, with one or more titanium compounds of the general formula selected from RnTi(OR?)m and (RO)nTi(OR?)m, wherein R and R? are the same or different and are selected from hydrocarbyl groups containing from 1 to 12 carbon and halogens, and wherein n is 0 to 4, m is 0 to 4 and m+n equals 4, to form a titanated silica-containing catalyst support having a Ti content of at least 0.1 wt % based on the weight of the Ti-impregnated catalyst support wherein the supported catalyst system further comprises an alumoxane and a metallocene.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for dehydration of alcohols into olefins comprising an improved step for recovery of unreacted alcohol.

Abstract: A composition includes a polymer having a poly-lactide and at least one compound of formula (I), where L1 is C1-8alkylene or C3-6cycloalkylene; L2 is C1-6alkylene; L3 is C1-6alkylene; L4 is C1-6alkylene; L5 is C1-6alkylene; n is an integer selected from 1, 2, 3 or 4; m is an integer selected from 1, 2, 3 or 4; R1 is H; or C1-6alkyl; R2 is H; or C1-6alkyl. The poly-lactide is poly-L-lactide comprising a content of D isomer of at least 10% by weight based on the total weight of the poly-L-lactide; poly-D-lactide comprising a content of L isomer of at least 10% by weight based on the total weight of the poly-D-lactide; poly-DL-lactide; poly(meso-lactide); or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide comprising the steps of: providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water and into lactic acid oligomers; recovering at least part of the lactide; recovering at least part of the water and at least part of the lactic acid oligomers; adding a feed, optionally comprising lactic acid oligomers, and optionally comprising water, to the recovered water and the recovered lactic acid oligomers, and mixing the feed with the recovered water and the recovered lactic acid oligomers to form a mixture; converting at least part of the lactic acid oligomers in the mixture into lactic acid and into lactic acid dimer; and removing at least part of the water from the mixture; whereby at least part of the remainder of the mixture is provided as one of the one or more components that are provided to the at least one reactor; and, wher

Abstract: The present invention relates to a masterbatch for use in a process of preparing a composite material comprising a blend of a first semi-crystalline polymer with at least 5 wt % carbon nanotubes. Good dispersion of the carbon nanotube is obtained within the masterbatch and evidenced by the blending of the masterbatch with a second semi-crystalline polymer miscible with the first one in respective proportions to obtain a composite material containing about 1 wt % of carbon nanotubes wherein said composite material yields an agglomerate area fraction U % lower than 2 and a surface resistivity lower than 105 ohm/sq.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotomolded article, comprising at least one metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin comprising at least two metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene fractions A and B, wherein the polyethylene resin comprises: at least 25% to at most 55% by weight of polyethylene fraction A based on the total weight of the polyethylene resin, wherein fraction A has a melt index MI2 of at least 25.0 g/10 min as determined according to ISO 1133, condition D, at 190° C. and under a load of 2.16 kg, and a density at least 0.005 g/cm3 higher than the density of the polyethylene resin; and wherein the polyethylene resin has a density of at least 0.938 g/cm3 to at most 0.950 g/cm3 as measured according to ASTM D-1505 at 23° C.; a melt index MI2 of at least 1.0 g/10 min to at most 25.0 g/10 min as determined according to ISO 1133, condition D, at 190° C. and under a load of 2.16 kg. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing said rotomolded article.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a polyethylene product having a multimodal molecular weight distribution, said process comprising the steps of: (a) feeding ethylene monomer, a diluent, at least one metallocene catalyst, optionally hydrogen, and optionally one or more olefin co-monomers into a first slurry loop reactor; and polymerizing the ethylene monomer, and the optionally one or more olefin co-monomers, in the presence of said at least one metallocene catalyst, and optionally hydrogen, in said first slurry loop reactor thereby producing a first polyethylene fraction; (b) feeding the first polyethylene fraction to a second slurry loop reactor serially connected to the first slurry loop reactor, and in the second slurry loop reactor polymerizing ethylene, and optionally one or more olefin co-monomers, in the presence of the first polyethylene fraction, and optionally hydrogen, thereby producing a second polyethylene fraction; and (c) feeding the second polyethylene fraction to a gas

Abstract: The present invention is a process for dehydrating an alcohol to prepare corresponding olefin(s), comprising: (a) providing a feed (A) comprising at least an alcohol having at least 2 carbon atoms, and preferably at most 5 carbon atoms, or a mixture thereof optionally water, optionally an inert component, in a dehydration unit, (b) placing the feed (A) into contact with an acidic catalyst in a reaction zone of said dehydration unit at conditions effective to dehydrate at least a portion of the alcohol to make an olefin or a mixture of olefins having the same number of carbon atoms as the alcohol, (c) recovering from said dehydration unit an effluent (B) comprising: an olefin or a mixture of olefins, water, undesired by-products including aldehydes and lighter products resulting from degradation of said aldehydes under the conditions of step (b), optionally unconverted alcohol(s) if any, optionally the inert component, wherein, said feed (A)-providing step (a) comprises adding an effective amount of one

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotomolded article, comprising at least one layer, wherein said at least one layer comprising comprises at least one metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin comprising at least two metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene fractions A and B; and at least one ionomer; wherein the polyethylene resin comprises: at least 25% to at most 55% by weight of polyethylene fraction A based on the total weight of the polyethylene resin, wherein fraction A has a density at least 0.005 g/cm3 higher than the density of the polyethylene resin; and wherein the polyethylene resin has a density of at least 0.930 g/cm3 to at most 0.954 g/cm3 as measured according to ASTM D-1505 at 23° C.; a melt index MI2 of at least 1.0 g/10 min to at most 25.0 g/10 min as determined according to ISO 1133, condition D, at 190° C. and under a load of 2.16 kg. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing said rotomolded article.

Abstract: A bamboo fibers reinforced polypropylene composition may include at least 50 wt % of a heterophasic propylene copolymer; from 2 to 40 wt % of bamboo fibers; and from 0.1 to 10 wt % of a coupling agent. The composition may show a melt flow index that is at least 5 g/10 min at 190° C. under a load of 2.16 kg according to ISO 1133, condition L; a density that is in the range of 0.900 and 1.010 g/cm3 according to ISO 1183; and a flexural modulus is in the range of 1100 MPa and 4000 MPa according to ISO 178. The composition may be prepared by mixing and kneading, and may be used to form articles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising a modified crystalline aluminosilicate of the Framework Type FER having Si/Al framework molar ratio greater than 20 characterized in that in said modified crystalline aluminosilicate the ratio between the strong acid sites and the weak acid sites, S/W, is lower than 1.0 and having the extra framework aluminum (EFAL) content lowered to less than 10 wt % preferably 5 wt % even more preferably less than 2 wt % measured by 27 Al MAS NMR. The present invention further relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols in presence of said catalyst composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypropylene composition comprising: a first polypropylene homopolymer or random copolymer (PPR1) having a comonomer content lower than the comonomer content of the second polypropylene, a second polypropylene (PPR2) which is a random copolymer of propylene and of the comonomer; said comonomer being an alpha-olefin different from propylene, the melting temperature of the polypropylene composition (Tm(PPR)) being defined as Tm(PPR)>165?6.9*[total comonomer content]?8.4*[comonomer content of the first polypropylene], the difference between the melting temperature and the crystallization temperature of the polypropylene composition ranges from 27 and 33, and a xylene soluble fraction (XS) at 23° C. of not more than 1.5 wt. %. The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of said polypropylene composition. The present invention further relates to the use of said polypropylene composition for producing films or moulded articles.

Abstract: A process for purifying an olefin-containing hydrocarbon feedstock comprising the steps of: (a) passing the said hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of hydrogen over a first catalyst bed material comprising nickel deposited on a support material wherein said nickel is present as both nickel oxide and metallic nickel (b) recovering the feedstock having a substantially reduced acetylenics (in particular methylacetylene) and allenes (in particular propadiene) content.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for dehydrating an alcohol to prepare a corresponding olefin, comprising: (a) providing a composition (A) comprising at least an alcohol having at least 2 carbon atoms, optionally water, optionally an inert component, in a dehydration unit, (b) placing the composition (A) into contact with an acidic catalyst in a reaction zone of said dehydration unit at conditions effective to dehydrate at least a portion of the alcohol to make a corresponding olefin, (c) recovering from said dehydration unit an effluent (B) comprising: at least an olefin, water, undesired by-products including aldehydes and light products, optionally unconverted alcohol(s), optionally the inert component, wherein, said composition (A)—providing step (a) comprises adding an effective amount of one or more sulfur containing compound capable to reduce the undesired by-products by comparison with a non introduction of such sulfur containing compound.

Abstract: A method to make a phosphorus modified zeolite can include providing a zeolite having at least one ten member ring, making an ion-exchange, steaming the zeolite, and introducing phosphorus on the zeolite. The zeolite can be mixed with one or more binders and shaping additives, and then shaped. A metal can be introduced, and the catalyst can be washed, calcined, and steamed in an equilibration step. The steaming can be at performed at a steam severity (X) of at least about 2. The steaming can be performed at a temperature above 625° C. The catalyst can be used in alcohol dehydration, olefin cracking, MTO processes, and alkylation of aromatics by alcohols with olefins and/or alcohols.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article suitable to act as a thermal switch device, the article having a surface resistance of more than 105 ohms and formed from a polymer composition comprising from 50 to 99.9 wt % relative to the total weight of the polymer composition, of a polymer being selected from an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature Tg, a semi-crystalline polymer having a melting temperature Tm or a mixture thereof, and from 0.1 to 50 wt % relative to the total weight of the polymer composition, of a conductive material, wherein the surface resistance of the article is divided by at least 10, preferably by at least 100, when said article is submitted for a determined period of time of less than 5 minutes to a temperature of switch i) ranging from Tg+10° C. to Tg+250° C. if the polymer composition comprises an amorphous polymer, or ii) ranging from Tm?80° C. to Tm+250° C. if the polymer composition comprises a semi-crystalline polymer.

Abstract: A masterbatch for use in a process of preparing a composite material may contain a blend of a first amorphous polymer with carbon nanotubes. At least 5% by weight of carbon nanotubes may be present in the masterbatch, based on a total weight of the masterbatch. The masterbatch may exhibit a high load melt flow index HLMI1 of less than 40 g/10 min determined at 200° C. under a load of 21.6 kg according to ISO1133. The first amorphous polymer may have a melt flow index MFI1 of at least 10 g/10 min determined at 200° C. under a load of 5 kg according to ISO1133H.