Method for making hexene-1 containing amorphous polyalphaolefins for improved hot melt adhesives

Abstract

A method to make a hot-melt polymer formulation with from 50 wt % to 100 wt % of a propylene-co-butene-1-co-hexene-1 terpolymer or a propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer, each polymer made using a metal chloride supported Ziegler-Natta catalyst, at a process temperature between about 130 degrees Fahrenheit and about 175 degrees Fahrenheit and at a reactor pressure sufficient to maintain the propylene in a liquid phase without solvent; using 1 wt % to 20 wt % of at least one of: a metallocene polymer; a homopolymer of propylene with 0.1%-5% functionality; and a styrene block copolymer; and wherein the terpolymer or copolymer formulation is controlled by addition of a hydrogen gas as a chain transfer agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation comprising:
 a. blending 50 wt % to 80 wt % of a propylene-co-butene-1-co-hexene-1 terpolymer with a metal chloride supported Ziegler-Natta catalyst, at a process temperature between about 130 degrees Fahrenheit and about 175 degrees Fahrenheit and at a reactor pressure sufficient to maintain the propylene in a liquid phase without solvent, wherein the propylene-co-butene-1-co-hexene-1 terpolymer consists of:
 (i) from 5 wt % to 60 wt % of a hexene-1 based on the total weight percent of the terpolymer; and 
 (ii) from 2 wt % to 60 wt % of butene-1 based on the total weight of the terpolymer, wherein the propylene-co-butene-1-co-hexene-1 terpolymer has a melt viscosity at 375 degrees Fahrenheit of less than 8500 cps when controlled by addition of hydrogen gas as a chain transfer agent; 
 with 1 wt % to 20 wt % of at least one of:
 a metallocene polymer; 
 a homopolymer of propylene with 0.1%-5% functionality; and 
 a styrene block copolymer; and 
 
 wherein the propylene-co-butene-1-co-hexene-1 terpolymer has a melt viscosity at 375 degrees Fahrenheit of less than 8500 cps when controlled by addition of a hydrogen gas as a chain transfer agent, functioning as an additive. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 1 , comprising using an externally-added organosilicon donor with the propylene-co-butene-1-co-hexene-1 terpolymer. 
     
     
         3 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 1 , comprising blending in a propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer to the terpolymer, wherein the copolymer comprises 0.1 wt % to 50 wt % of the total weight of the hot melt formulation. 
     
     
         4 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 3 , comprising blending as the propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer, a propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer made with a Zeigler-Natta metal chloride supported catalyst at a process temperature between about 130 degrees Fahrenheit and about 200 degrees Fahrenheit at a reactor pressure sufficient to maintain propylene in a liquid phase in the absence of solvent. 
     
     
         5 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 4 , comprising using an externally-added organosilicon donor with the propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer. 
     
     
         6 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 1 , comprising: blending into the formulation 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % of a wax component based on the total weight of the hot melt formulation. 
     
     
         7 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 6 , wherein the wax component is a paraffinic wax or a metallocene wax. 
     
     
         8 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 1 , comprising blending into the formulation 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % a liquid plasticizer based on the total weight of the hot melt formulation. 
     
     
         9 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 8 , wherein the liquid plasticizer consists of: a napththenic oil or a paraffinic oil, or a mineral oil. 
     
     
         10 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the metal chloride supported Ziegler-Natta catalyst consists of magnesium dichloride. 
     
     
         11 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen gas concentration acts as a chain transfer agent during the manufacture, and is adjustable enabling the terpolymer melt viscosity as measured at 375 degrees Fahrenheit as less than 8500 centipoise. 
     
     
         12 . The method for making a hot-melt terpolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 3 , comprising: adding 3 wt % to 11 wt % of the styrene block copolymer based on the total weight of the hot melt formulation. 
     
     
         13 . A method for making a hot-melt copolymer adhesive formulation comprising:
 a. blending 50 wt % to 80 wt % of a propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer, a propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer made with a Zeigler-Natta metal chloride supported catalyst at a process temperature between about 130 degrees Fahrenheit and about 200 degrees Fahrenheit at a reactor pressure sufficient to maintain propylene in a liquid phase in the absence of solvent; wherein the propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer consists of:
 (i) from 5 wt % to 60 wt % of a hexene-1 based on the total weight percent of the copolymer; and 
 (ii) from 2 wt % to 60 wt % of butene-1 based on the total weight of the copolymer; 
 with 1 wt % to 20 wt % of at least one of:
 a metallocene polymer; 
 a homopolymer of propylene with 0.1%-5% functionality; and 
 a styrene block copolymer; and 
 
 wherein the propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer functionality is controlled by addition of a hydrogen gas as a chain transfer agent, the hydrogen functioning as an additive. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method for making a hot-melt copolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 13 , comprising using an externally-added organosilicon donor with the propylene-co-hexene-1 copolymer 
     
     
         15 . The method for making a hot-melt copolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 13 , comprising: blending into the formulation 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % of a wax component based on the total weight of the hot melt formulation. 
     
     
         16 . The method for making a hot-melt copolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the wax component is a paraffinic wax or a metallocene wax. 
     
     
         17 . The method for making a hot-melt copolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 13 , comprising blending into the formulation 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % a liquid plasticizer based on the total weight of the hot melt formulation. 
     
     
         18 . The method for making a hot-melt copolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 17 , wherein the liquid plasticizer consists of: a napththenic oil or a paraffinic oil, or a mineral oil. 
     
     
         19 . The method for making a hot-melt copolymer adhesive formulation of  claim 13 , wherein the metal chloride supported Ziegler-Natta catalyst consists of magnesium dichloride.