Abstract: An improved catalyst for cyclic olefin polymerization. The catalyst includes a transition metal carbene having the following structure: Mv(OR’)c*mX(v-c*m-2)=C(R*)2 wherein Mv is a Group 5 transition metal having a valence (v) of 5 or a Group 6 transition metal having a valence (v) of 5 or 6; each R? is independently a monovalent organic moiety comprising from 8 to 40 atoms selected from Groups 14-17; c is an integer from 1 to 3; m is ?, ½, 1, 3/2, 2, 3, or 4 and c*m ? v-2; X is a halogen; and each R* is independently H or a C1 to C7 alkyl. The catalyst is particularly useful for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP).

Abstract: A rubber compound for heavy-duty truck or bus tire treads may comprise: 5 to 100 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight rubber (phr) of a long chain branched cyclopentene ring opening rubber (LCB-CPR) having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of ?120° C. to ?80° C., a g?vis of 0.50 to 0.91, and a ratio of cis-to-trans of 40:60 to 5:95; 0 phr to 95 phr of a rubber selected from a group consisting of a natural rubber (NR), a polybutadiene rubber (BR), and a combination thereof; 30 phr to 90 phr of a reinforcing filler; and 0.5 phr to 20 phr of a process oil.

Abstract: A rubber compound suitable for passenger tires may comprise: 40 to 70 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight rubber (phr) of a long chain branched cyclopentene ring-opening rubber (LCB-CPR) having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of ?120° C. to ?80° C., a g?vis of 0.50 to 0.91, and a ratio of cis to trans of 40:60 to 5:95, 30 phr to 60 phr of a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), wherein the SBR has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of ?60° C. to ?5° C., 50 phr to 110 phr of a reinforcing filler, and 20 phr to 50 phr of a process oil.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tungsten complexes, catalyst systems including tungsten complexes, and polymerization processes to produce polycycloolefin polymers such as polycyclopentene polymers and polycyclooctene polymers.

Abstract: Rubber compounds may comprise: an epoxidized polypentenamer rubber (CPR) and/or a hydrolyzed epoxidized CPR; and a filler comprising silica particles. One nonlimiting example is rubber compound comprising: phr to 90 phr of a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), a natural rubber (NR), and/or a butadiene rubber (BR); 10 phr to 50 phr of a epoxidized CPR and/or a hydrolyzed epoxidized CPR; and 10 phr to 200 phr of a filler comprising silica particles, wherein the SBR, the NR, the BR, the epoxidized CPR, and the hydrolyzed epoxidized CPR combined equal 100 parts. Rubber compounds comprising epoxidized CPR and/or a hydrolyzed epoxidized CPR; and a filler comprising silica particles may be useful in tire compositions.

Abstract: Compositions comprising one or more amphiphilic compounds formed from vinylidene olefins may comprise: a reaction product of one or more vinylidene olefins, in which the reaction product comprises a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion comprising a polar head group bonded to the hydrophobic portion. The one or more vinylidene olefins each comprise a vinylidene group that undergoes a reaction to become saturated and to produce at least part of the hydrophobic portion.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules as a proppant, methods of forming the hydrocarbon wells, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore and defines a tubular conduit. The hydrocarbon wells also include a plurality of perforations formed within the downhole tubular and a plurality of fractures formed within the subsurface region. The hydrocarbon wells further include the proppant positioned within the plurality of fractures. The proppant includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules, and each crosslinked polymer granule has a characteristic dimension of at least 100 micrometers and at most 2 millimeters.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a sulfonated reaction product or a salt thereof may be prepared from a cyclohexylbenzene compound that has been alkylated with an olefin of formula R1R2CCH2, wherein R1 is a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group, and R2 is H or a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group. Methods for sulfonating an alkylated cyclohexylbenzene compound prepared from a cyclohexylbenzene compound that has been alkylated with an olefin of formula R1R2CCH2, wherein R1 is a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group, and R2 is H or a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group may comprise contacting the alkylated cyclohexylbenzene compound with a sulfonating reagent; forming a sulfonated reaction product; and converting the sulfonated reaction product into a sulfonate salt.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules as lost circulation material and methods of drilling the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region, a drilling rig, a drilling mud supply system, a lost circulation detection structure, and a lost circulation material supply system that includes a lost circulation material. The lost circulation material includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules, and a characteristic dimension of each crosslinked polymer granule is at least 20 micrometers and at most 1 millimeter. Each crosslinked polymer granule contains a highly crosslinked polymeric material that includes a plurality of polyethylene polymer chains. The methods include rotating a drill string to extend a length of a wellbore and, during the rotating, flowing a drilling mud stream. The methods also include detecting a lost circulation event and, responsive to the detecting, providing a lost circulation material to the wellbore.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing highly crosslinked polymer particulate. The methods include positioning a granular polymeric material within a crosslinking apparatus and crosslinking the granular polymeric material with the crosslinking apparatus to form a highly crosslinked polymeric material. The methods also include forming a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules from the highly crosslinked polymeric material.

Abstract: A process for olefin oligomerization can include: contacting a feedstock comprising at least one C3 to C20 olefin/paraffin under oligomerization conditions in the presence of a Si/Al ZSM-23 catalyst having no amine treatment and a Si/Al2 molar ratio of 20 to 60 and/or a Si/Al/Ti ZSM-23 catalyst having no amine treatment, a Si/Al2 molar ratio of 20 to 60, and a Ti/Al molar ratio of 0.1 to 3; and recovering an oligomeric product comprising dimers having a branching index of less than 2.1, trimers having a branching index of less than 2.1, and tetramers having a branching index of less than 2.1.

Abstract: Copolyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene furanoate (PEF) modified with bifuran polyacids such as dimethyl-2,2?-bifuran-5,5?-dicarboxylate (BFE), 2,2?-bifuran-5,5?-dicarboxylic acid (BDA), or bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,2?-bifuran-5,5?-dicarboxylate (BHEB), and/or bifuran polyhydroxyls, may have improved properties such as glass transition temperature (Tg), tensile modulus, barrier properties, crystallinity, and/or impact strength. Polyethylene terephthalate-co-bifuranoate (PETBF) has an improved Tg. Also described are polyethylene furanoate-co-bifuranoates (PEFBF).

Abstract: Fused and unfused bicyclic rings are a convenient scaffold for synthesizing various compounds. Amphiphilic compounds constructed upon a fused or unfused bicyclic ring scaffold may exhibit surfactant properties differing from those of more conventional classes of surfactants.

Abstract: Sulfonated reaction products formed from internal vinylidene olefins may display surfactant properties differing from those of the corresponding reaction products formed from sulfonation of alpha olefins and internal olefins having a like number of carbon atoms. Methods for sulfonating internal vinylidene olefins may comprise: providing an internal vinylidene olefin comprising a vinylidene group; exposing the internal vinylidene olefin to a sulfonating reagent; and reacting the sulfonating reagent with the internal vinylidene olefin to form a sulfonated reaction product comprising at least one sulfonated compound formed from the internal vinylidene olefin. Suitable sulfonation conditions may include sulfur trioxide as a sulfonating reagent under thin film or falling film conditions.

Abstract: A process for olefin oligomerization can include contacting a feedstock comprising Cn and C2n olefins/paraffins under oligomerization conditions in the presence of an oligomerization catalyst, wherein n is 2 to 15; and recovering an oligomeric product comprising C3n oligomers having a branching index of less than 2.1. Optionally, the feedstock can further comprise C3n olefins/paraffins.

Abstract: A process for olefin oligomerization can include: contacting a feedstock comprising at least one C3 to C20 olefin/paraffin under oligomerization conditions in the presence of a Si/Al ZSM-23 catalyst having no amine treatment and a Si/Al2 molar ratio of 20 to 60 and/or a Si/Al/Ti ZSM-23 catalyst having no amine treatment, a Si/Al2 molar ratio of 20 to 60, and a Ti/Al molar ratio of 0.1 to 3; and recovering an oligomeric product comprising dimers having a branching index of less than 2.1, trimers having a branching index of less than 2.1, and tetramers having a branching index of less than 2.1.

Abstract: Semicrystalline bifuran polyesters wherein the diacid and/or diol components include bifuran units such as those derived from 2,2?-bifuran-5,5?-dicarboxylic acid (BFA), dimethyl-2,2?-bifuran-5,5?-dicarboxylate (BFE), and/or bis(hydroxyethyl) bifuranoate (BHEB) Polyethylene-BFE (PEBF) having a high ?Hf and high Tg determined by DSC on the second heating ramp is described. Polybutylene-BFE (PBBF), polyhexylene-BFE (PHBF), polypropylene-BFE (PPBF), etc., are also described. Method for making bifuran polyesters includes melt esterification or transesterification and polycondensation of one or more monomers comprising a diacid component and a diol component, wherein the one or more monomers include a bifuran monomer, such as BFA, BFE, BHEB or BFD. Also described is a method of forming a bifuran polyester prepolymer in the melt, pelletization, crystallization, and solid state polymerization.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a sulfonated reaction product or a salt thereof may be prepared from a biphenyl compound that has been alkylated with an olefin of formula R1R2CCH2, wherein R1 is a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group, and R2 is H or a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group. Methods for sulfonating an alkylated biphenyl compound prepared from a biphenyl compound that has been alkylated with an olefin of formula R1R2CCH2, wherein R1 is a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group, and R2 is H or a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl group may comprise contacting the alkylated biphenyl compound with a sulfonating reagent; forming a sulfonated reaction product; and converting the sulfonated reaction product into a sulfonate salt.

Abstract: Low molecular weight, high Tg resins, with applications including tire additives and adhesives. An oligomer is obtained by ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of a sterically encumbered cyclic monomer with an olefinic chain transfer agent. The sterically encumbered cyclic monomer and the olefinic chain transfer agent are present in the polymerization at a molar ratio of from 2:1 to about 40:1. Also, methods for making the oligomer by ROMP.

Abstract: Low molecular weight, high Tg resins, with applications including tire additives and adhesives. An oligomer is obtained by ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of a sterically encumbered cyclic monomer with an olefinic chain transfer agent. The sterically encumbered cyclic monomer and the olefinic chain transfer agent are present in the polymerization at a molar ratio of from 2:1 to about 40:1. Also, methods for making the oligomer by ROMP.