Compositions that can produce polymers

Abstract

This invention provides compositions that are useful for polymerizing at least one monomer into at least one polymer.

1 - 25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . A polymer produced using a polymerization process comprising contacting, under polymerization conditions, at least one monomer and a catalyst composition, 
 wherein the catalyst composition is produced by a process comprising contacting at least one organometal compound, at least one organoaluminum compound and at least one solid mixed oxide compound,    wherein the organometal compound has the following general formula      (X 1 )(X 2 )(X 3 )(X 4 )M 1 ,    wherein    M 1  is selected from titanium, zirconium, or hafnium;    (X 1 ) is a cyclopentadienyl, an indenyl, a fluorenyl, a substituted cyclopentadienyl, a substituted indenyl, or a substituted fluorenyl;    (X 3 ) and (X 4 ) are independently a halide, an aliphatic group, a cyclic group, a combination of aliphatic and cyclic groups, or an organometallic group;    (X 2 ) is a cyclopentadienyl, an indenyl, a flourenyl, a substituted cyclopentadienyl, a substituted indenyl, a substituted fluorenyl, a halide, an aliphatic group, a cyclic group, a combination of aliphatic and cyclic groups, or an organometallic group;    (X 1 ) and (X 2 ) are optionally joined by an aliphatic bridging group, a cyclic bridging group, a combination of aliphatic and cyclic bridging groups, or an organometallic bridging group; and    the substituents on the substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls and substituted fluorenyls are independently an aliphatic group, a cyclic group, a combination of aliphatic and cyclic groups, an organometallic group, or hydrogen;    wherein the organoaluminum compound has the following general formula      AL(X 5 ) n (X 6 ) 3  n,    wherein    (X 5 ) is a hydrocarbyl having from 1-20 carbon atoms;    (X 6 ) is a halide, hydride, or alkoxide; and    “n” is a number from 1 to 3 inclusive;    wherein the solid mixed oxide compound comprises a mixed oxide of at least two elements of group 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 of the periodic table, including lanthanides and actinides; and    wherein there is a substantial absence of aluminoxanes and borate compounds.    
     
     
         27 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the catalyst composition is characterized by an ethylene polymerization activity of greater than 150 gP/(gS·hr) when measured under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, at a polymerization temperature of about 90° C., and at an ethylene pressure of about 550 psig.  
     
     
         28 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the organometal compound is: 
 bis(cyclopentadienyl)hafnium dichloride;    bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride;    [ethyl(indenyl) 2 ]hafnium dichloride;    [ethyl(indenyl) 2 ]zirconium dichloride;    [ethyl(tetrahydroindenyl) 2 ]hafnium dichloride;    [ethyl(tetrahydroindenyl) 2 ]zirconium dichloride;    bis(n-butylcyclopentadienyl)hafnium dichloride;    bis(n-butylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride;    ((dimethyl)(diindenyl)silane)zirconium dichloride;    ((dimethyl)(diindenyl)silane)hafnium dichloride;    ((dimethyl)(ditetrahydroindenyl)silane)zirconium dichloride;    ((dimethyl)(di(2-methyl indenyl)silane)zirconium dichloride;    bis(fluorenyl)zirconium dichloride; or    any combination thereof.    
     
     
         29 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the organoaluminum compound is: 
 trimethylaluminum;    triethylaluminum;    tripropylaluminum;    diethylaluminum ethoxide;    tributylaluminum;    triisobutylaluminum;    diethylaluminum chloride; or    any combination thereof.    
     
     
         30 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound comprises a mixed oxide of at least two of Al 2 O 3 , B 2 O 3 , BeO, Bi 2 O 3 , CdO, CO 3 O 4 , Cr 2 O 3 , CuO, Fe 2 O 3 , Ga 2 O 3 , La 2 O 3 , Mn 2 O 3 , MoO 3 , NiO, P 2 O 5 , Sb 2 O 5 , SiO 2 , SnO 2 , SrO, ThO 2 , TiO 2 , V 2 O 5 , WO 3 , Y 2 O 3 , ZnO, or ZrO 2 .  
     
     
         31 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound comprises a mixed oxide of at least two elements from Al, B, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, La, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Si, Sn, Sr, Th, Ti, V, W, P, Y, Zn, or Zr.  
     
     
         32 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound comprises a mixed oxide of zirconium, boron, and aluminum.  
     
     
         33 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound is calcined from about 300° C. to about 900° C. from about 1 minute to about 100 hours.  
     
     
         34 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the catalyst composition is characterized by a substantial absence of organochromium compounds or MgCl 2 .  
     
     
         35 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound has a pore volume greater than about 0.01 cc/g.  
     
     
         36 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound has a surface area great than about 1 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         37 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the organometal compound comprises bis(n-butylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride, the organoaluminum compound comprises triethylaluminum, and the solid mixed oxide compound comprises a mixed oxide of zirconium, boron, and aluminum.  
     
     
         38 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the polymerization conditions comprise slurry polymerization conditions, gas phase polymerization conditions, or solution polymerization conditions.  
     
     
         39 . The polymer of  claim 38 , wherein the slurry polymerization is conducted in a loop reactor.  
     
     
         40 . The polymer of  claim 39 , wherein the monomer and catalyst system are contacted in the presence of a diluent that comprises isobutane.  
     
     
         41 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound has a size in the range of about 10 to about 1000 microns.  
     
     
         42 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the solid mixed oxide compound has a size in the range of about 50 to 200 microns.  
     
     
         43 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the monomer is ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 1-pentene, 3-methyl-1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, 3-ethyl-1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-nonene, 1-decene, or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         44 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein at least one monomer is ethylene.  
     
     
         45 . The polymer of  claim 26 , wherein the monomer is ethylene and an aliphatic 1-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule.