Patents Examined by Roberto Rabago
  • Transition metal crosslinking of acid-containing polymers
    Patent number: 8236903
    Abstract: An acid-functional polymer is reacted with a transition metal compound having an average particle size small enough to react with the polymer at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymer, e.g., at room temperature, to produce cross-linked polymer. The process produces a liquid polymer product that dries to a cross-linked film without the required presence of volatile ligands. Improved coatings such as floor polishes that can be formed from these cross-linked polymers are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Inventors: Jay M. Shaffer, Tracy L. Eifolla
  • Hydrolytically stable maleimide-terminated polymers
    Patent number: 8227555
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to conjugates of hydrolytically stabilized maleimide-functionalized water soluble polymers and to methods for making and utilizing such polymers and their precursors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nektar Therapeutics
    Inventors: Antoni Kozlowski, Remy F. Gross, III, Samuel P. McManus
  • Process for preparing ethylene copolymers
    Patent number: 8222356
    Abstract: A process for preparing polyethylene which comprises ethylene homopolymers and/or copolymers of ethylene with 1-alkenes and has a molar mass distribution width Mw/Mn of from 5 to 30, a density of from 0.92 to 0.955 g/cm3, a weight average molar mass Mw of from 50000 g/mol to 500 000 g/mol and has from 0.01 to 20 branches/1000 carbon atoms and a z-average molar mass Mz of less than 1 million g/mol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Basell Polyolefine GmbH
    Inventors: Jennifer Kipke, Shahram Mihan, Rainer Karer, Dieter Lilge
  • Method of modifying materials surfaces
    Patent number: 8211456
    Abstract: The present invention relates to “grafting to” methods of modifying materials surfaces with high-density polymer brushes. A method of the present invention comprises contacting in succession or simultaneously an activated material surface, a solution of a polymeric material having a polymeric backbone with pendant reactive moieties, and a melt of brush-forming terminally-functionalized polymer chains, in order to allow a covalent bonding reaction to occur between surface and polymers, wherein upon completion of the reaction, the polymeric material forms a layer between the material surface and the brush polymer chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Joost Hubert Maas, Aafke Tessa Ten Cate, Ralf Guillaume Jean Catharina Heijkants
  • Modifying tubular LDPE with free radical initiator
    Patent number: 8207277
    Abstract: A method of modifying a tubular low density polyethylene (LDPE) is disclosed. In the method ethylene is polymerized with a free radical initiator in a high pressure reactor to form an LDPE. The LDPE is then reacted with a free radical initiator to produce a modified polyethylene. The modified polymer has an increased long chain branching index as indicated by the increase in the gel permeation chromatography branching index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Debra L. Beran, Mark P. Mack, Anil W. Saraf
  • Functionalized polymers and improved vulcanizates therefrom
    Patent number: 8207275
    Abstract: A functionalized polymer defined by the formula ?-R1-?, where ? is a polymer chain, R1 is a bond or a divalent organic group, and ? is a sulfur-containing heterocycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Terrence E. Hogan, Christine Rademacher, William Hergenrother, David F. Lawson
  • Modified polymer, rubber composition, and tire
    Patent number: 8202944
    Abstract: The present invention provides a modified polymer, which is obtained by reacting, with an active metal bonded to a polymer, a modifier represented by the general formula (I) (where X1 to X5 each represent a hydrogen atom or a specific monovalent functional group, and at least one of those is other than a hydrogen atom, R1 to R5 each represent a single bond or a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and a plurality of aziridine rings may be bonded through any of X1 to X5 and R1 to R5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju Suzuki, Tetsuya Omura
  • Multistage process for producing ethylene polymer compositions
    Patent number: 8202936
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of producing an ethylene polymer composition in multiple stages of which the first stage is a slurry polymerization stage, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a) a solid catalyst precursor comprising a transition metal selected from titanium and vanadium; magnesium, a halide, optionally an electron donor, and a solid particulate material comprising an inorganic oxide, wherein the median particle diameter of the solid catalyst precursor based upon the total volume of solid catalyst precursor, D50, is from 1 to 13 micrometers; and b) an organoaluminium compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Patrick J. C. Schouterden, Ruddy Nicasy, Sarat Munjal, Burkhard E. Wagner, Robert J. Jorgensen
  • Rubber composition for tire and pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 8183327
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a rubber composition for a tire having favorable productivity, excellent heat aging resistance and abrasion resistance, and excellent fuel economy; and a pneumatic tire using the rubber composition. The rubber composition contains neither soluble sulfur nor insoluble sulfur, and contains diene rubber, 1-15 parts by mass of compound 1 represented by formula (1) and 0.1-5 parts by mass of compound 2 represented by formula (2), per 100 parts by mass of the diene rubber, and the amount ratio of compound 1 to compound 2 (compound 1/compound 2) is 1-8. wherein R1-R4 are the same or different, and represent C1-20 alkyl, C6-20 aryl, or C7-20 aralkyl, and n represents an integer of 1-12; wherein R5-R7 are the same or different, and represent C5-12 alkyl, x and y are the same or different, and represent an integer of 2-4, and m represents an integer of 0-10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Hochi
  • Blown films and processes of forming the same
    Patent number: 8168112
    Abstract: Blown films and processes of forming the same are described herein. The processes generally include providing a bimodal ethylene based polymer, blending the bimodal ethylene based polymer with at least about 30 ppm peroxide to form modified polyethylene and forming the modified polyethylene into a blown film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cyril Chevillard, Jay Nguyen
  • Process for fluid phase in-line blending of polymers
    Patent number: 8143352
    Abstract: A process for fluid phase in-line blending of polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Gabor Kiss, Patrick Brant, Robert Patrick Reynolds, Jr., Robert Charles Portnoy, David B. Dunaway
  • Bimodal polyethylene resins that have high stiffness and high ESCR
    Patent number: 8138264
    Abstract: A bimodal polyethylene having a high density ranging from about 0.955 to about 0.959 g/cc, an improved environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) of from about 400 to about 2500 hours, and an improved 0.4% flexural modulus of from about 180,000 to about 260,000 psi (1,200 MPa to about 1,800 MPa) may be formed using a Ziegler-Natta polymerization catalyst using two reactors in series. The bimodal polyethylene may have a high load melt index (HLMI) of from about 2 and about 30 dg/min and may be optionally made with a small amount of alpha-olefinic comonomer in the second reactor. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim J. Coffy, Gerhard Guenther, Steven D. Gray
  • Process for producing broader molecular weight distribution polymers with a reverse comonomer distribution and low levels of long chain branches
    Patent number: 8114946
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polymerization process which is conducted by contacting an olefin monomer and at least one olefin comonomer in the presence of hydrogen and a metallocene-based catalyst composition. Polymers produced from the polymerization process are also provided, and these polymers have a reverse comonomer distribution, low levels of long chain branches, and a ratio of Mw/Mn from about 3 to about 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Qing Yang, Max P. McDaniel, Joel L. Martin, Tony R. Crain, Randy S. Muninger, Jerry T. Lanier, Jeff S. Fodor, Paul J. Deslauriers, Chung C. Tso, David C. Rohlfing
  • Process for brominating butadiene/vinyl aromatic copolymers
    Patent number: 8114943
    Abstract: Butadiene copolymers are brominated in solution using bromine as the brominating agent. The bromination is conducted in the presence of an excess of an aliphatic alcohol, relative to the amount of bromine that is used. The bromination proceeds rapidly at mild conditions, and is selective in that only aliphatic carbon-carbon double bonds are brominated, and unwanted bromination at tertiary carbon atoms is largely or completely avoided. The resulting brominated polymers are characterized in having very good thermal stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Daniel J. Murray, David B. Gorman, John W. Hull, Jr., William J. Kruper, Jr., Ted A. Morgan, Bruce A. King, Ronald B. Leng
  • Hydrolytically stable maleimide-terminated polymers
    Patent number: 8106131
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to hydrolytically stabilized maleimide-functionalized water soluble polymers and to methods for making and utilizing such polymers and their precursors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Nektar Therapeutics
    Inventors: Antoni Kozlowski, Remy F. Gross, III, Samuel P. McManus
  • Modified conjugated diene polymer and process for producing thereof
    Patent number: 8106130
    Abstract: A modified conjugated diene polymer comprises a modifying group based on a low molecular weight compound having two or more tertiary amino groups and one or more alkoxysilyl groups in a molecule which bonds to a conjugated diene polymer obtained by polymerization of a conjugated diene compound or a conjugated diene polymer obtained by copolymerization of a conjugated diene compound and an aromatic vinyl compound. The process for producing the modified conjugated diene polymer comprises the steps of: polymerizing a conjugated diene compound or copolymerizing a conjugated diene compound and an aromatic vinyl compound in a hydrocarbon solvent using an alkali metal initiator and/or an alkaline earth metal initiator; and reacting active terminals of the resulting polymer with a low molecular weight compound having two or more tertiary amino groups and one or more alkoxysilyl groups in the molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoko Fukuoka, Haruo Yamada, Norifusa Ishimura
  • Multimodal polyethylene material
    Patent number: 8101687
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyethylene resin having a multimodal molecular weight distribution, said resin being further characterized in that it has a density in the range of from about 0.925 g/ccm to about 0.950 g/ccm, a melt index (I2) In the range of from about 0.05 g/10 min to about 5 g/10 min, and in that it comprises at least one high molecular weight (HMW) ethylene interpolymer and at least a low molecular weight (LMW) ethylene polymer, and a composition comprising such resin. Also provided is a shaped article comprising said resin or composition, in particular a pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Detlef Schramm, Wolfgang Quack, Julien Damen, Pak-Meng Cham
  • Polymers functionalized with protected oxime compounds
    Patent number: 8088868
    Abstract: A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of (i) polymerizing conjugated diene monomer by employing a lanthanide-based catalyst to form a reactive polymer, and (ii) reacting the reactive polymer with a protected oxime compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Luo, Yuan-Yong Yan, Jason T. Poulton, Eiju Suzuki
  • Process for production of water-absorbing resin
    Patent number: 8084544
    Abstract: Process for preparing a water-absorbent resin comprising carrying out a reversed-phase suspension polymerization in multi-steps of two or more steps. The water-absorbent resin is prepared by subjecting a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer to the reversed phase suspension polymerization. This process for preparing a water-absorbent resin involves adding an aminocarboxylic acid compound to at least one step in the second and subsequent steps to carry out the polymerization reaction. The resulting water-absorbent resin can be suitably used in a hygienic material. The water-absorbent resin has a high degree of water-retention, including a high degree of water absorption under pressure. It also has a high water absorption rate, and contains only a small amount of water-soluble substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Fukudome, Junichi Takatori, Kenya Matsuda, Yasuhiro Nawata
  • Monomer recycle process for fluid phase in-line blending of polymers
    Patent number: 8080610
    Abstract: A monomer recycle process for fluid phase in-line blending of polymers is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Gabor Kiss, Alan Anthony Galuska, James Richardson Lattner