Alpha olefin/vinyl or vinylidene aromatic interpolymer product and process for making same using multiple catalyst systems

Abstract

A process for making an interpolymer product that includes contacting at least one α-olefinic monomer and at least one vinyl or vinylidene monomer in the presence of at least a first single site catalyst and second single site catalyst in a reactor system, and effectuating the polymerization of the monomers in the reactor.

1 . An interpolymer product comprising an α-olefin interpolymerized with at least one vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer wherein the interpolymer product is characterized as having: 
 A) a melting point, as determined using differential scanning calorimetry, equal to or greater than the product of the equation: 
 melting point=128−1.3333×total weight percent interpolymerized vinyl and/or vinylidene aromatic monomer, 
 or  
 B) a glass transition temperature range or width at half peak temperature height of greater than or equal to 15° C., preferably greater than or equal to 20° C., more preferably greater than or equal to 25° C., most preferably greater than or equal to 30° C., as determined using dynamic mechanical spectroscopy (DMS) loss modulus (G″) data.  
 
     
     
         11 . A process for making an interpolymer product, comprising: 
 a) contacting at least one α-olefinic monomer and at least one vinyl or vinylidene monomer in the presence of at least a first single site catalyst and second single site catalyst in a reactor system;    b) effectuating the polymerization of the monomers in the reactor.    
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer is a hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the process further includes providing at least one hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 11 ,  12 , or  13 , wherein the at least one α-olefin further comprises ethylene and at least on additional α-olefin having from about 3 to about 8 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second catalysts have different vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer incorporation capabilities or interpolymerization reactivity rates.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the first catalyst has a first monomer sequencing characteristic and second catalyst has a second monomer sequencing characteristic and the first and second monomer sequencing characteristics are substantially similar.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the first catalyst has a first monomer sequencing characteristic and second catalyst has a second monomer sequencing characteristic and the first and second monomer sequencing characteristics are different.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the first catalyst or second catalyst is a constrained geometry catalyst.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the interpolymer product is substantially random, random, or alternating.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the interpolymer product is partially substantially random, triadic, tetradic or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the α-olefinic monomer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the reactor system comprises at least two reactors operated in series.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the reactor system comprises at least two reactors operated in parallel.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the at least a first single site catalyst or second single site catalyst follows the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein each Cp is independently, in each occurrence, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group π-bound to M; E is C or Si; M is a group IV metal; each R is independently, in each occurrence, H, hydrocarbyl, silahydrocarbyl, or hydrocarbylsilyl, containing up to about 30 carbon or silicon atoms; each R′ is independently, in each occurrence, H, halo, hydrocarbyl, hyrocarbyloxy, silahydrocarbyl, hydrocarbylsilyl containing up to about 30 carbon or silicon atoms or two R′ groups together can be a C 1-10  hydrocarbyl substituted 1,3-butadiene; m is 1 or 2;  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24  wherein the substituted cyclopentadienyl groups include those illustrated by the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein each R is independently, in each occurrence, H, hydrocarbyl, silahydrocarbyl, or hydrocarbylsilyl, containing up to about 30 carbon or silicon atoms or two R groups together form a divalent derivative of such group.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 25  wherein R independently in each occurrence is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, benzyl, phenyl or silyl or two such R groups are linked together forming a fused ring system such as indenyl, fluorenyl, tetrahydroindenyl, tetrahydrofluorenyl, or octahydrofluorenyl.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the at least first and second catalysts are selected from the group consisting of racemic-(dimethylsilanediyl)-bis-(2-methyl-4-phenylindenyl))zirconium dichloride, racemic-(dimethylsilanediyl)-bis-(2-methyl-4-phenylindenyl))zirconium 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, racemic-(dimethylsilanediyl)-bis-(2-methyl-4-phenylindenyl))zirconium di-C 1-4  alkyl, racemic-(dimethylsilanediyl)-bis-(2-methyl-4-phenylindenyl)) zirconium di-C 1-4  alkoxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 18  wherein the constrained geometry catalyst is selected from [N-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,1-dimethyl-1-[(1,2,3,4,5-η)-1,5,6,7-tetrahydro-s-indacen-1-yl]silanaminato(2-)-N]titanium dimethyl; (1-indenyl)(tert-butylamido) dimethyl-silane titanium dimethyl; ((3-tert-butyl)(1,2,3,4,5-η)-1-indenyl)(tert-butylamido) dimethylsilane titanium dimethyl; and ((3-iso-propyl)(1,2,3,4,5-η)-1-indenyl)(tert-butyl amido)dimethylsilane titanium dimethyl, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 11  wherein at least of the catalysts further includes at least one activating cocatalyst.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29  wherein the at least the first catalyst comprises titanium, [1,1′(h4-1,3-butadiene-1,4-diyl)bis[benzene]][1-[(1,2,3,3a,11b-h)-1H-cyclopenta[1]phenanthren-1-yl]-N-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,1-dimethylsilananimato(2-)-kN], the second catalyst comprises titanium, [N-(1,1-dimethyletheyl)-1,1-dimethyl-1-[(1,2,3,4,5-h)-2,3,4,5-tetramethyl-2,4-cyclopentadien-1-yl]silananimato(2-)-kN][1,2,3,4-h)-1,3-pentadiene]; and the at least one activating cocatalyst includes MMAO and B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 .