Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous process for preparing polyolefins having a bimodal or multimodal molar mass distribution in suspension in at least two reactors R1, R2.x, R3.y which are connected in series and in which different reaction conditions are set. In this process, the offgases A1, A2.x, A3.y, A4 and A5 leaving all the reactors connected in series are firstly collected, the collected offgases are then compressed in a compression stage 10, the compressed offgases are subsequently cooled and the cooled material is separated into a gaseous fraction and a liquid fraction. The separated fractions are then recirculated to the polymerization process at different points. The process of the invention allows the total conversion of the polymerization, based on monomer and comonomer used, to be increased to a surprising extent.

Abstract: Gas-phase fluidized-bed reactor for polymerizing ethylenically unsaturated monomers, comprising a reactor chamber (1) in the form of a vertical tube, if desired a calming zone (2) following the upper section of the reactor chamber, a circulation gas line (3), a circulation gas compressor (4) and a cooling device (5), where, in the region of transition of the reaction gas from the circulation gas line into the reactor chamber and in the lower section of the reactor chamber itself, there is either no gas distributor plate at all or only a gas distributor plate the total surface area of whose gas orifices is more than 20% of the total surface area of said gas distributor plate.

Abstract: Catalyst for the polymerization and/or copolymerization of olefins which is obtainable by application to a finely divided inorganic support and concluding calcination at temperatures of from 350 to 1050° C. and has a chromium content of from 0.1 to 5% by weight and a zirconium content of from 0.5 to 10% by weight, in each case based on the element in the finished catalyst, with the molar ratio of zirconium to chromium being from 0.6 to 5.

Abstract: Process for preparing a supported catalyst for the polymerization and/or copolymerization of olefins which has a chromium content of from 0.01 to 5% by weight, based on the element, which comprises (a) preparing a homogeneous solution comprising an organic or inorganic chromium compound and at least one further organic or inorganic compound of elements selected from among Mg, Ca, Sr, B, Al, Si, P, Bi, Sc, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, Ta, W in a protic or aprotic polar solvent, (b) bringing the solution from a) into contact with a finely divided inorganic support to form a catalyst precursor, (c) if appropriate, removing the solvent from the catalyst precursor and (d) calcining the catalyst precursor at temperatures of from 350 to 950° C., preferably 400 to 900° C., under oxidative conditions.

Abstract: Gas-phase fluidized-bed reactor for polymerizing ethylenically unsaturated monomers, comprising a reactor chamber (1) in the form of a vertical tube, if desired a calming zone (2) following the upper section of the reactor chamber, a circulation gas line (3), a circulation gas compressor (4) and a cooling device (5), where, in the region of transition of the reaction gas from the circulation gas line into the reactor chamber and in the lower section of the reactor chamber itself, there is either no gas distributor plate at all or only a gas distributor plate the total surface area of whose gas orifices is more than 20% of the total surface area of said gas distributor plate.

Abstract: Gas-phase fluidized-bed reactor for polymerizing ethylenically unsaturated monomers, comprising a reactor chamber (1) in the form of a vertical tube, if desired a calming zone (2) following the upper section of the reactor chamber, a circulation gas line (3), a circulation gas compressor (4) and a cooling device (5), where, in the region of transition of the reaction gas from the circulation gas line into the reactor chamber and in the lower section of the reactor chamber itself, there is either no gas distributor plate at all or only a gas distributor plate the total surface area of whose gas orifices is more than 20% of the total surface area of said gas distributor plate.

Abstract: Process for polymerizing at least one olefinic monomer in a loop reactor at from 20 to 150° C., but below the melting point of the polymer to be formed, and a pressure of from 5 to 100 bar, where the polymer formed is present in a suspension in a liquid or supercritical suspension medium and this suspension is circulated by means of an axial pump, wherein the loop reactor comprises a cyclic reactor tube whose diameter varies by at least 10%, based on the predominant reactor tube diameter, and in which there is at least one widening and narrowing in a region other than that of the axial pump.

Abstract: Method of metering at least one solid, particulate catalyst into a reactor containing a fluidized bed (11) of particles in an at least partly gaseous medium, in which the catalyst is metered discontinuously at prescribed time intervals into the fluidized bed (11) at at least one metering point (10). According to the present invention, a fluid stream is firstly introduced into the reactor (5) so that a region having a reduced particle density is formed in the fluidized bed (11) around the metering point (10) and the catalyst is subsequently metered into this region. As a result of the prior introduction of a fluid stream (“preblowing”) before the actual introduction of the catalyst, the catalyst can penetrate significantly deeper into the fluidized bed from the metering point due to the reduced particle density and is dispersed better.

Abstract: Process for polymerizing at least one olefinic monomer selected from ethylene, propylene and 1-butene in a loop reactor in the presence of a polymerization catalyst at from 20 to 150° C., but below the melting point of a polymer to be formed, and a pressure of from 43 to 80 bar, where the polymer formed is present in a suspension in a liquid or supercritical suspension medium and wherein the suspension is circulated by means of an axial pump, wherein the polymerization is carried out at an average solids concentration in the reactor of more than 53% by weight, in the case of continuous product discharge, and at an average solids concentration in the reactor of more than 45% by weight, in the case of discontinuous product discharge, and wherein the polymerization is carried out at an ethylene concentration of at least 10 mol %, based on the suspension medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins, which comprises: a) preparation of a finely divided silica xerogel, b) loading of the xerogel with chromium from a solution of chromium trioxide or a chromium compound which is converted into chromium trioxide under the conditions of step c), and c) activation of the resulting product at from 400 to 1100° C. in a water-free gas stream comprising oxygen in a concentration of above 10% by volume, wherein a fluoride doping with a fluorinating agent is carried out in step b) or in step c). Furthermore, the invention relates to a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins which is obtainable by the process of the invention and to a process for the polymerization of olefins in which an olefin or an olefin mixture is polymerized in the presence of a catalyst according to the invention.

Abstract: In a process for producing Phillips catalysts in which an oxidic support material is treated in suspension with a chromium salt solution and subsequently, after removing the solvent, calcined in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at above 300° C., the oxidic support material and/or the catalyst after calcination are/is, according to the present invention, comminuted until a mean particle size of <100 &mgr;m has been reached and the proportion of particles having a size of <50 &mgr;m is at least 30%, preferably in the range from 40 to 80%. A process for preparing homopolymers or copolymers of ethene in a loop reactor at from 30 to 150° C. under a pressure in the range from 0.2 to 15 MPa in the presence of a catalyst produced by the process of the present invention is also provided.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a supported catalyst system, an inorganic carrier material being reacted with a metal compound of the formula M1(R1)r(R2)5(R3)t(R4)u  I in the presence of an inert solvent in a first step and, in a subsequent step, the suspension thus obtained being reacted with a metallocene complex and a compound forming metallocenium ions, in which process the solvent is not removed after the first step and the subsequent step is carried out without isolation of the pretreated carrier material thus obtained.

Abstract: Method for the discontinuous thermal treatment of catalyst material comprising the steps (a) introducing the catalyst material into a reactor, (b) heating the catalyst material, (c) thermally treating the catalyst material in the reactor at the reactor temperature, (d) discharging the catalyst material from the reactor and (e) cooling the catalyst material, wherein the reactor temperature is kept constant during the steps (a) to (e), step (b) is carried out during and/or after step (a), step (e) is carried out during and/or after step (d), and step (c) is carried out after step (b) and before step (e). The method is used primarily for the calcination or activation of catalysts or catalyst supports which are used in polyolefin production.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst support and to a method for the production of the catalyst support comprising the following steps: a) production of a silicic acid hydrogel having a solids content of from 10 to 25% by weight (calculated as SiO2) whose particles are substantially spherical, b) extraction of the hydrogel particles with an alcohol until at least 60% of the water present in the hydrogel has been removed, c) drying of the resultant hydrogel until the residual alcohol content is less than 10% by weight (xerogel formation) at temperatures of ≧160° C. at atmospheric pressure using an inert entraining gas, d) setting of the desired particle size of the resultant xerogel, in which the hydrogel particles have a particle size of ≧8 mm before the extraction, and to a catalyst and to a method for the production of the catalyst by loading the catalyst support with a chromium compound. The invention also relates to a method for the production of polyolefins using the catalyst.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing supported chromium catalysts for the polymerisation of olefins by loading a xerogel support with chromium by adding to the xerogel support a volume of a 0.025 to 15% by weight solution of a chromium compound or a volume of a solution comprising from 0.025 to 7.8% by weight of Cr which is essentially converted into a chromium(VI) compound on heating in a water-free stream of gas under oxidizing conditions at temperatures in the range from 300 to 1100° C. for a period of from 10 to 1000 minutes in a solvent which comprises a maximum of 20% by weight of water, and subsequently evaporating the solvent, where the volume of the chromium salt solution employed is smaller than the pore volume of the xerogel support.

Abstract: A free-flowing solid which does not self-ignite, comprising: a) at least one support component, b) at least one chemical compound which per se is self-igniting, c) at least one inert liquid and d) further components.

Abstract: A novel process for the preparation of Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems containing, as active components,a) a titanium-containing solid component which contains titanium, magnesium, halogen and a carboxylic ester and, as a cocatalyst,b) an aluminum compound andc) if required, a further electron donor is described. Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems which are obtainable by this process, the preparation of polymers of propylene with the aid of these catalyst systems, the polymers obtainable thereby and films and moldings of these polymers are also described.

Abstract: Copolymers of propylene with other 1-alkenes, obtainable by gas-phase polymerization of a mixture of propylene and another 1-alkene in the absence of a liquid reaction medium under a pressure of from 15 to 30 bar, at from 60.degree. to 90.degree. C. and with an average holdup time of the polymer of from 1 to 5 hours, with the aid of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst system which, besides a titanium-containing solid component, contains an aluminum component and an electron donor, with the temperature being chosen so that, under the preset pressure, no condensation of the monomer mixture takes place in the gas space and, moreover, the ratio of the partial pressures of propylene and the other 1-alkene is adjusted to from 5:1 to 100:1, are particularly suitable for producing sheets and shaped articles.

Abstract: Propylene polymers have a molecular weight ratio Q (M.sub.w /M.sub.n) of from 6 to 30 and are obtainable by Ziegler-Natta polymerization in the presence of hydrogen as molecular weight regulator and are particularly suitable for the production of films and moldings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins, which comprises: a) preparation of a finely divided silica xerogel, b) loading of the xerogel with chromium from a solution of chromium trioxide or a chromium compound which is converted into chromium trioxide under the conditions of step c), and c) activation of the resulting product at from 400 to 1100° C. in a water-free gas stream comprising oxygen in a concentration of above 10% by volume, wherein a fluoride doping with a fluorinating agent is carried out in step b) or in step c). Furthermore, the invention relates to a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins which is obtainable by the process of the invention and to a process for the polymerization of olefins in which an olefin or an olefin mixture is polymerized in the presence of a catalyst according to the invention.