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.

Abstract: Sulfated bentonite compositions are characterized by a total pore volume from 0.4 to 1 mL/g, a total BET surface area from 200 to 400 m2/g, and an average pore diameter from 55 to 100 Angstroms. The sulfated bentonite compositions also can be characterized by a d50 average particle size in a range from 15 to 50 ?m and a ratio of d90/d10 from 3 to 15. The sulfated bentonite compositions can contain a sulfated bentonite and from 10 to 90 wt. % of colloidal particles, or the sulfated bentonite compositions can contain a sulfated bentonite and from 0.2 to 10 mmol/g of zinc and/or phosphorus. These compositions can be utilized in metallocene catalyst systems to produce ethylene based polymers.

Abstract: Supported chromium catalysts containing a solid oxide and 0.1 to 15 wt. % chromium, in which the solid oxide or the supported chromium catalyst has a particle size span from 0.5 to 1.4, less than 3 wt. % has a particle size greater than 100 ?m, and less than 10 wt. % has a particle size less than 10 ?m, can be contacted with an olefin monomer in a loop slurry reactor to produce an olefin polymer. Representative ethylene-based polymers produced using the chromium catalysts have a HLMI of 4 to 70 g/10 min, a density from 0.93 to 0.96 g/cm3, from 150 to 680 ppm solid oxide (such as silica), from 1.5 to 6.8 ppm chromium, and a film gel count of less than 15 catalyst particle gels per ft2 of 25 micron thick film and/or a gel count of less than or equal to 50 catalyst particles of greater than 100 ?m per five grams of the ethylene polymer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for preparing fluorided solid oxides by contacting an acidic fluorine-containing compound with an inorganic base to form an aqueous mixture having a pH of at least 4, followed by contacting a solid oxide with the aqueous mixture to produce the fluorided solid oxide. Also disclosed are methods for preparing fluorided solid oxides by contacting an acidic fluorine-containing compound with a solid oxide to produce a mixture, followed by contacting the mixture with a inorganic base to produce the fluorided solid oxide at a pH of at least about 4. The fluorided solid oxide can be used as an activator component in a catalyst system for the polymerization of olefins.

Abstract: Processes for converting methane into methanol are disclosed in which methane, water, and a supported chromium (VI) catalyst are contacted with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum in an oxidizing atmosphere in a single reactor to form a reaction product comprising methanol, followed by discharging a reactor effluent containing the reaction product from the single reactor, and then separating methanol from the reaction product. Processes to produce methanol using additional reactors also are described, as well as related methanol production systems.

Abstract: Fluorided silica-coated alumina activator-supports have a bulk density from 0.15 to 0.37 g/mL, a total pore volume from 0.85 to 2 mL/g, a BET surface area from 200 to 500 m2/g, an average pore diameter from 10 to 25 nm, and from 80 to 99% of pore volume in pores with diameters of greater than 6 nm. Methods of making the fluorided silica-coated alumina activator-supports and using the fluorided silica-coated aluminas in catalyst compositions and olefin polymerization processes also are described. Representative ethylene-based polymers produced using the compositions and processes have a melt index of 0.1 to 10 g/10 min and a density of 0.91 to 0.96 g/cm3, and contain from 70 to 270 ppm solid oxide and from 2 to 18 ppm fluorine.

Abstract: Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed in which the hydrocarbon reactant and either a supported chromium (VI) catalyst or a supported chromium (II) catalyst are contacted, optionally with UV-visible light irradiation, followed by exposure to an oxidizing atmosphere and then hydrolysis to form a reaction product containing the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. The presence of oxygen significant increases the amount of alcohol/carbonyl product formed, as well as the formation of oxygenated dimers and trimers of certain hydrocarbon reactants.

Abstract: A hydrogel comprising water, and a plurality of titanium-silica-chromium nanoparticle agglomerates, wherein each titanium-silica-chromium nanoparticle agglomerate is an agglomeration of titanium-silica-chromium nanoparticles, the agglomerates having an average titanium penetration depth designated x with a coefficient of variation for the average titanium penetration depth of less than about 1.0 wherein a silica content of the hydrogel is of from about 10 wt. % to about 35 wt. % based on a total weight of the hydrogel.

Abstract: Supported chromium catalysts with an average valence less than +6 and having a hydrocarbon-containing or halogenated hydrocarbon-containing ligand attached to at least one bonding site on the chromium are disclosed, as well as ethylene-based polymers with terminal alkane, aromatic, or halogenated hydrocarbon chain ends. Another ethylene polymer characterized by at least 2 wt. % of the polymer having a molecular weight greater than 1,000,000 g/mol and at least 1.5 wt. % of the polymer having a molecular weight less than 1000 g/mol is provided, as well as an ethylene homopolymer with at least 3.5 methyl short chain branches and less than 0.6 butyl short chain branches per 1000 total carbon atoms.

Abstract: Methods for preparing a metallocene-based catalyst composition that can impact the long chain branching of ethylene homopolymers and copolymers produced using the catalyst composition are described. The catalyst composition can be prepared by contacting a metallocene compound, a hydrocarbon solvent, and a first organoaluminum compound for a first period of time to form a metallocene solution, and then contacting the metallocene solution with an activator-support and a second organoaluminum compound for a second period of time to form the catalyst composition.

Abstract: Methods for synthesizing a water-soluble titanium-silicon complex 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 and copolymers.

Abstract: Methods for making titanated silica supports, titanated chromium/silica pre-catalysts, and activated titanated chromium/silica catalysts are disclosed in which hydrogen peroxide and an alkali metal precursor are used during catalyst preparation. Resulting titanated chromium/silica pre-catalysts often contain silica, 0.1 to 5 wt. % chromium, 0.1 to 10 wt. % titanium, and less than or equal to 4 wt. % carbon, and further contain a bound alkali metal or zinc at a molar ratio of alkali metal:titanium or zinc:titanium from 0.02:1 to 3:1 and/or at an amount in a range from 0.01 to 2 mmol of alkali metal or zinc per gram of the silica. High melt index potential activated titanated chromium/silica catalysts can be used to polymerize olefins to produce, for example, ethylene based homopolymers and copolymers having HLMI values of greater than 30 g/10 min.

Abstract: Pyrolysis processes comprise contacting a waste polyolefin with a solid catalyst at a pyrolysis temperature to form a pyrolysis product containing C1-C10 hydrocarbons. In some instances, the solid catalyst can be a silica-coated alumina, a fluorided silica-coated alumina, or a sulfated alumina, while in other instances, the solid catalyst can be any suitable solid oxide or chemically-treated solid oxide that is characterized by a d50 average particle size from 5 to 12 ?m and a particle size span from 0.7 to 1.7. Hydrocarbon compositions are formed from the pyrolysis of waste polyolefins with specific amounts of methane and higher carbon number hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Fluorided silica-coated alumina activator-supports have a bulk density from 0.15 to g/mL, a total pore volume from 0.85 to 2 mL/g, a BET surface area from 200 to 500 m2/g, an average pore diameter from 10 to 25 nm, and from 80 to 99% of pore volume in pores with diameters of greater than 6 nm. Methods of making the fluorided silica-coated alumina activator-supports and using the fluorided silica-coated aluminas in catalyst compositions and olefin polymerization processes also are described. Representative ethylene-based polymers produced using the compositions and processes have a melt index of 0.1 to 10 g/10 min and a density of 0.91 to 0.96 g/cm3, and contain from 70 to 270 ppm solid oxide and from 2 to 18 ppm fluorine.

Abstract: Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed in which the hydrocarbon reactant and either a supported chromium (VI) catalyst or a supported chromium (II) catalyst are contacted, optionally with UV-visible light irradiation, followed by exposure to an oxidizing atmosphere and then hydrolysis to form a reaction product containing the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. The presence of oxygen significant increases the amount of alcohol/carbonyl product formed, as well as the formation of oxygenated dimers and trimers of certain hydrocarbon reactants.

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.

Abstract: Methods for preparing a metallocene-based catalyst composition that can impact the long chain branching of ethylene homopolymers and copolymers produced using the catalyst composition are described. The catalyst composition can be prepared by contacting a metallocene compound, a hydrocarbon solvent, and a first organoaluminum compound for a first period of time to form a metallocene solution, and then contacting the metallocene solution with an activator-support and a second organoaluminum compound for a second period of time to form the catalyst composition.

Abstract: Methods for synthesizing a water-soluble titanium-silicon complex 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 and copolymers.

Abstract: Supported chromium catalysts with an average valence less than +6 and having a hydrocarbon-containing or halogenated hydrocarbon-containing ligand attached to at least one bonding site on the chromium are disclosed, as well as ethylene-based polymers with terminal alkane, aromatic, or halogenated hydrocarbon chain ends. Another ethylene polymer characterized by at least 2 wt. % of the polymer having a molecular weight greater than 1,000,000 g/mol and at least 1.5 wt. % of the polymer having a molecular weight less than 1000 g/mol is provided, as well as an ethylene homopolymer with at least 3.5 methyl short chain branches and less than 0.6 butyl short chain branches per 1000 total carbon atoms.

Abstract: Methods for making a supported chromium catalyst are disclosed, and can comprise contacting a silica-coated alumina containing at least 30 wt. % silica with a chromium-containing compound in a liquid, drying, and calcining in an oxidizing atmosphere at a peak temperature of at least 650° C. to form the supported chromium catalyst. The supported chromium catalyst can contain from 0.01 to 20 wt. % chromium, and typically can have a pore volume from 0.5 to 2 mL/g and a BET surface area from 275 to 550 m2/g. The supported chromium catalyst subsequently can be used to polymerize olefins to produce, for example, ethylene-based homopolymers and copolymers having high molecular weights and broad molecular weight distributions.