Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing a polymerization catalyst, the method comprising: (a) providing a catalyst support material comprising a magnesium component bound or complexed to a metal oxide component, the magnesium component being either a magnesium(Y) component wherein Y is an alkoxide group or amido group, or an alcohol-adducted magnesium halide component; (b) reacting the magnesium component with one or more silane halide compounds to provide a modified catalyst support material containing in situ-generated alkoxysilane or amidosilane electron donor compounds; (c) combining the modified catalyst support material with one or more catalytically active transition metal compounds to provide a catalyst precursor; and d) combining the catalyst precursor with one or more catalytically active main group metal compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to supports comprising inorganic oxide nanoparticles coated with magnesium chloride and a method for making them. The inorganic oxide has a mean particle diameter of less than 5 microns and is used as a seed to crystallize magnesium chloride from solution. The magnesium chloride-coated inorganic oxide is useful for supporting transition metal compounds; the supported transition metal compounds are used as catalysts for polymerizing olefins.

Abstract: A method for making a Ziegler-Natta catalyst support includes the steps of contacting a fumed silica with a surface modifying agent such as a compound having the formula RMgX MgR?R? wherein R, R? and R? are each individually a moiety selected from an alkyl group, cycloalkyl, aryl or alkaryl group, and X is a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine, to provide a pretreated silica seeding agent. The pretreated silica seeding agent is then dispersed in a non-aqueous liquid magnesium halide/alkanol complex, and the magnesium halide is crystallized onto the silica particles to form-catalyst support particles especially suitable for Ziegler-Natta catalysts.

Abstract: A method for making magnesium-halide supports of a specified particle shape, average diameter and particle diameter distribution comprises providing a non-aqueous solution of a magnesium-halide containing silica particles dispersed therein, and crystallizing the magnesium-halide about the silica particles to provide the magnesium-halide support, wherein the magnesium-halide support has an approximately spherical shape, an average particle diameter from about 2 to about 120 microns, and a particle diameter distribution from about 1 to about 200, are provided. The invention further provides methods for making catalysts and using same in polymerization reactions. Catalyst supports and catalysts are also provided.

Abstract: A catalyst system is produced by first forming a chromium catalyst on a predominantly silica support, activating in an oxygen-containing ambient and thereafter subjecting the thus activated composition to carbon monoxide reduction. The resulting reduced supported chromium catalyst composition is then precontacted with a cocatalyst selected from trialkyl boron compounds and dialkyl aluminum alkoxide compounds, preferably triethyl borane and thereafer contacted with ethylene. This results in a catalyst system which produces comonomer in situ so as to give tough, flexible ethylene copolymers from an essentially pure ethylene feed.

Abstract: The catalyst system is produced by first forming a chromium catalyst on a predominantly silica support, activating in an oxygen-containing ambient and thereafter subjecting the thus activated composition to carbon monoxide reduction. The resulting reduced supported chromium catalyst composition is then precontacted with a cocatalyst selected from trialkyl boron compounds and dialkyl aluminum alkoxide compounds, preferably triethyl borane and thereafter contacted with ethylene. This results in a catalyst system which produces comonomer in situ so as to give tough, flexible ethylene copolymers from an essentially pure ethylene feed.