Patents by Inventor Kathy S. Clear

Kathy S. Clear has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11220564
    Abstract: A method of preparing a catalyst comprising a) contacting a non-aqueous solvent, a carboxylic acid, and a chromium-containing compound to form an acidic mixture; b) contacting a titanium-containing compound with the acidic mixture to form a titanium treatment solution; c) contacting a pre-formed silica-support comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % water with the titanium treatment solution to form a pre-catalyst; and d) thermally treating the pre-catalyst to form the catalyst. A method of preparing a catalyst comprising a) contacting a non-aqueous solvent and a carboxylic acid to form an acidic mixture; b) contacting a titanium-containing compound with the acidic mixture to form a titanium treatment solution; c) contacting a pre-formed chrominated silica-support comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % water with the titanium treatment solution to form a pre-catalyst; and d) thermally treating the pre-catalyst to form the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Jeremy M. Praetorius
  • Publication number: 20220002449
    Abstract: Silica composites and supported chromium catalysts having a bulk density of 0.08 to 0.4 g/mL, a total pore volume of 0.4 to 2.5 mL/g, a BET surface area of 175 to 375 m2/g, and a peak pore diameter of 10 to 80 nm are disclosed herein. These silica composites and supported chromium catalysts can be formed by combining two silica components. The first silica component can be irregularly shaped, such as fumed silica, and the second silica component can be a colloidal silica or a silicon-containing compound, and the second silica component can act as a glue to bind the silica composite together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Carlton E. Ash, Stephen L. Kelly, Amanda B. Allemand
  • Publication number: 20210403616
    Abstract: A pre-catalyst composition comprising: a) a silica support comprising silica wherein an amount of silica is in a range of from about 70 wt. % to about 95 wt. % based upon a total weight of the silica support; b) a titanium-containing compound wherein an amount of titanium is in a range of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based upon the total weight of the silica support; c) a chromium-containing compound wherein an amount of chromium is in a range of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based upon the total weight of the silica support; d) a surfactant wherein the surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, or a combination thereof, e) a carboxylate wherein the carboxylate comprises a multi carboxylate, an alpha-hydroxy carboxylate, or a combination thereof, and f) a solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Max P. MCDANIEL, Kathy S. CLEAR, William C. ELLIS, Deloris R. GAGAN
  • Publication number: 20210402383
    Abstract: Catalyst preparation systems and methods for preparing reduced chromium catalysts are disclosed, and can comprise irradiating a supported chromium catalyst containing hexavalent chromium with a light beam having a wavelength within the UV-visible light spectrum. Such reduced chromium catalysts have improved catalytic activity compared to chromium catalysts reduced by other means. The use of the reduced chromium catalyst in polymerization reactor systems and olefin polymerization processes also is disclosed, resulting in polymers with a higher melt index.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Kathy S. Clear, Max P. McDaniel, William C. Ellis, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Deloris R. Gagan, Carlos A. Cruz, Masud M. Monwar
  • Patent number: 11208514
    Abstract: Silica-coated alumina activator-supports, and catalyst compositions containing these activator-supports, are disclosed. Methods also are provided for preparing silica-coated alumina activator-supports, for preparing catalyst compositions, and for using the catalyst compositions to polymerize olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Qing Yang, Randy S. Muninger, Elizabeth A. Benham, Kathy S. Clear
  • Publication number: 20210387172
    Abstract: A method comprising a) contacting a solvent, a carboxylic acid, and a peroxide-containing compound to form an acidic mixture wherein a weight ratio of solvent to carboxylic acid in the acidic mixture is from about 1:1 to about 100:1; b) contacting a titanium-containing compound and the acidic mixture to form a solubilized titanium mixture wherein an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to carboxylic acid in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:4 and an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to peroxide-containing compound in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:20; and c) contacting a chromium-silica support comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % water and the solubilized titanium mixture to form an addition product and drying the addition product by heating to a temperature in a range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C. and maintaining the temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Jeremy M. Praetorius, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Mitchell D. Refvik, Mark L. Hlavinka
  • Publication number: 20210380511
    Abstract: Processes for converting an olefin reactant into a diol compound are disclosed, and these processes include the steps of contacting the olefin reactant and a supported chromium catalyst comprising chromium in a hexavalent oxidation state to reduce at least a portion of the supported chromium catalyst to form a reduced chromium catalyst, and hydrolyzing the reduced chromium catalyst to form a reaction product comprising the diol compound. While being contacted, the olefin reactant and the supported chromium catalyst can be irradiated with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum. Optionally, these processes can further comprise a step of calcining at least a portion of the reduced chromium catalyst to regenerate the supported chromium catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Jared L. Barr, Carlos A. Cruz, Masud M. Monwar, Kathy S. Clear, Max P. McDaniel
  • Publication number: 20210370281
    Abstract: A method comprising a) contacting a solvent, a carboxylic acid, and a peroxide-containing compound to form an acidic mixture wherein a weight ratio of solvent to carboxylic acid in the acidic mixture is from about 1:1 to about 100:1; b) contacting a titanium-containing compound and the acidic mixture to form a solubilized titanium mixture wherein an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to carboxylic acid in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:4 and an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to peroxide-containing compound in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:20; and c) contacting a chromium-silica support comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % water and the solubilized titanium mixture to form an addition product and drying the addition product by heating to a temperature in a range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C. and maintaining the temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Jeremy M. Praetorius, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Mitchell D. Refvik, Mark L. Hlavinka
  • Patent number: 11186656
    Abstract: Silica composites and supported chromium catalysts having a bulk density of 0.08 to 0.4 g/mL, a total pore volume of 0.4 to 2.5 mL/g, a BET surface area of 175 to 375 m2/g, and a peak pore diameter of 10 to 80 nm are disclosed herein. These silica composites and supported chromium catalysts can be formed by combining two silica components. The first silica component can be irregularly shaped, such as fumed silica, and the second silica component can be a colloidal silica or a silicon-containing compound, and the second silica component can act as a glue to bind the silica composite together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Carlton E. Ash, Stephen L. Kelly, Amanda B. Allemand
  • Patent number: 11180435
    Abstract: Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed, and these processes include the steps of forming a supported chromium catalyst comprising chromium in a hexavalent oxidation state, irradiating the hydrocarbon reactant and the supported chromium catalyst with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum to reduce at least a portion of the supported chromium catalyst to form a reduced chromium catalyst, and hydrolyzing the reduced chromium catalyst to form a reaction product comprising the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. The supported chromium catalyst can be formed by heat treating a supported chromium precursor, contacting a chromium precursor with a solid support while heat treating, or heat treating a solid support and then contacting a chromium precursor with the solid support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP
    Inventors: Carlos A. Cruz, Masud M. Monwar, Max P. McDaniel, Jared L. Barr, Kathy S. Clear, William C. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20210355311
    Abstract: Methods for synthesizing a water-soluble titanium-silicon complex by partial hydrolysis are disclosed herein. The titanium-silicon complex can be utilized to produce titanated solid oxide supports and titanated chromium supported catalysts. The titanated chromium supported catalysts subsequently can be used to polymerize olefins to produce, for example, ethylene based homopolymer L and copolymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Zachary Wing, Mark Angier, Max MCDANIEL, Kathy S. CLEAR, SCHWERDTFEGER Eric, Jeremy PRAETORIUS
  • Patent number: 11173475
    Abstract: Catalyst preparation systems and methods for preparing reduced chromium catalysts are disclosed, and can comprise irradiating a supported chromium catalyst containing hexavalent chromium with a light beam having a wavelength within the UV-visible light spectrum. Such reduced chromium catalysts have improved catalytic activity compared to chromium catalysts reduced by other means. The use of the reduced chromium catalyst in polymerization reactor systems and olefin polymerization processes also is disclosed, resulting in polymers with a higher melt index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Kathy S. Clear, Max P. McDaniel, William C. Ellis, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Deloris R. Gagan, Carlos A. Cruz, Masud M. Monwar
  • Patent number: 11149098
    Abstract: Processes for activating chromium polymerization catalysts, which can use lower maximum activation temperatures and shorter activation times than conventional activation methods, and provide polyethylenes with high melt indices, broader molecular weight distributions, and lower long chain branching content. The activation process can comprise heating a supported chromium catalyst in an inert atmosphere to a first temperature (T1) for a first hold time (tH1), followed by allowing the chromium catalyst to attain a second temperature (T2) in the inert atmosphere, then contacting the chromium catalyst with an oxidative atmosphere for a second hold time (tH2), in which T2 can be less than or equal to T1. Additional activation treatments and conditioning steps are disclosed which can be used to enhance the melt index potential of Phillips (Cr/silica) catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, William C. Ellis, Deloris R. Gagan, Ted H. Cymbaluk
  • Patent number: 11142491
    Abstract: Processes for converting an olefin reactant into a diol compound are disclosed, and these processes include the steps of contacting the olefin reactant and a supported chromium catalyst comprising chromium in a hexavalent oxidation state to reduce at least a portion of the supported chromium catalyst to form a reduced chromium catalyst, and hydrolyzing the reduced chromium catalyst to form a reaction product comprising the diol compound. While being contacted, the olefin reactant and the supported chromium catalyst can be irradiated with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum. Optionally, these processes can further comprise a step of calcining at least a portion of the reduced chromium catalyst to regenerate the supported chromium catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP
    Inventors: Jared L. Barr, Carlos A. Cruz, Masud M. Monwar, Kathy S. Clear, Max P. McDaniel
  • Publication number: 20210292446
    Abstract: A method comprising contacting a silica support with a titanium-containing solution to form a titanated silica support, wherein the titanium-containing solution comprises a titanium compound, a solvent, and an amino acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Max P. MCDANIEL, Kathy S. CLEAR, William C. ELLIS, Deloris R. GAGAN
  • Patent number: 11124586
    Abstract: Catalyst compositions containing a metallocene compound, a solid activator, and a co-catalyst, in which the solid activator or the supported metallocene catalyst has a d50 average particle size of 15 to 50 ?m and a particle size distribution of 0.5 to 1.5, can be contacted with an olefin in a loop slurry reactor to produce an olefin polymer. A representative ethylene-based polymer produced using the catalyst composition has excellent dart impact strength and low gels, and can be characterized by a HLMI from 4 to 10 g/10 min, a density from 0.944 to 0.955 g/cm3, a higher molecular weight component with a Mn from 280,000 to 440,000 g/mol, and a lower molecular weight component with a Mw from 30,000 to 45,000 g/mol and a ratio of Mz/Mw ranging from 2.3 to 3.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Carlton E. Ash, Kathy S. Clear, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Carlos A. Cruz, Jeremy M. Praetorius, Youlu Yu
  • Patent number: 11117122
    Abstract: A method comprising a) contacting a solvent, a carboxylic acid, and a peroxide-containing compound to form an acidic mixture wherein a weight ratio of solvent to carboxylic acid in the acidic mixture is from about 1:1 to about 100:1; b) contacting a titanium-containing compound and the acidic mixture to form a solubilized titanium mixture wherein an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to carboxylic acid in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:4 and an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to peroxide-containing compound in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:20; and c) contacting a chromium-silica support comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % water and the solubilized titanium mixture to form an addition product and drying the addition product by heating to a temperature in a range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C. and maintaining the temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Jeremy M. Praetorius, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Mitchell D. Refvik, Mark L. Hlavinka
  • Patent number: 11110443
    Abstract: A method comprising a) contacting a solvent, a carboxylic acid, and a peroxide-containing compound to form an acidic mixture wherein a weight ratio of solvent to carboxylic acid in the acidic mixture is from about 1:1 to about 100:1; b) contacting a titanium-containing compound and the acidic mixture to form a solubilized titanium mixture wherein an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to carboxylic acid in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:4 and an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to peroxide-containing compound in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:20; and c) contacting a chromium-silica support comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % water and the solubilized titanium mixture to form an addition product and drying the addition product by heating to a temperature in a range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C. and maintaining the temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Jeremy M. Praetorius, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Mitchell D. Refvik, Mark L. Hlavinka
  • Patent number: 10988557
    Abstract: A method of preparing a catalyst comprising a) contacting a titanium-containing compound, a solvating agent, and a solvent to form a solution; b) contacting the solution with a chrominated silica-support to form a pre-catalyst; and c) thermally treating the pre-catalyst by heating to a temperature of from about 400° C. to about 1000° C. for a time period of from about 1 minute to about 24 hours to form the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Jeremy M. Praetorius
  • Publication number: 20210114009
    Abstract: A method comprising a) contacting a solvent, a carboxylic acid, and a peroxide-containing compound to form an acidic mixture wherein a weight ratio of solvent to carboxylic acid in the acidic mixture is from about 1:1 to about 100:1; b) contacting a titanium-containing compound and the acidic mixture to form a solubilized titanium mixture wherein an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to carboxylic acid in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:4 and an equivalent molar ratio of titanium-containing compound to peroxide-containing compound in the solubilized titanium mixture is from about 1:1 to about 1:20; and c) contacting a chromium-silica support comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % water and the solubilized titanium mixture to form an addition product and drying the addition product by heating to a temperature in a range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C. and maintaining the temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 150° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Max P. McDaniel, Kathy S. Clear, Jeremy M. Praetorius, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Mitchell D. Refvik, Mark L. Hlavinka