Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F10/00—Homopolymers and copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
  • C08F10/04—Monomers containing three or four carbon atoms
  • C08F10/06—Propene
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F4/00—Polymerisation catalysts
  • C08F4/42—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors
  • C08F4/44—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides
  • C08F4/60—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides together with refractory metals, iron group metals, platinum group metals, manganese, rhenium technetium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/62—Refractory metals or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/64—Titanium, zirconium, hafnium or compounds thereof
  • C08F4/65—Pretreating the metal or compound covered by group C08F4/64 before the final contacting with the metal or compound covered by group C08F4/44
  • C08F4/651—Pretreating with non-metals or metal-free compounds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J5/00—Manufacture of articles or shaped materials containing macromolecular substances
  • C08J5/18—Manufacture of films or sheets
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L23/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L23/02—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
  • C08L23/10—Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
  • D01F—CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
  • D01F6/00—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof
  • D01F6/02—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from homopolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • D01F6/04—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from homopolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from polyolefins
  • D01F6/06—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from homopolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from polyolefins from polypropylene
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F110/00—Homopolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
  • C08F110/04—Monomers containing three or four carbon atoms
  • C08F110/06—Propene
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F210/00—Copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
  • C08F210/04—Monomers containing three or four carbon atoms
  • C08F210/06—Propene
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
  • Y02P20/50—Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals
  • Y02P20/52—Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a process for the production of propylene homo- and copolymers suitable for the production of films and fibres, which process comprises the polymerization of the monomers in the presence of a high yield Ziegler-Natta catalyst.
• the invention further relates to polypropylene products obtainable by this process and to the use of the polypropylene products in the production of films and fibres.
• Low xylene solubles is desired, because lower XS results in good transparency of the film products.
• low XS has a desired effect on coefficient friction.
• XS is high, odour and taste problems occur. According to the invention it is now possible to achieve low stiffness and still low XS, i.e. the disadvantages of higher XS can be avoided.
• a) forming a liquid/liquid emulsion system which contains a homogenous solution of at least one catalyst component comprising a transition metal, i.e. a metal of groups 3 to 10 of the
• the catalyst component may include, in addition to said transition metal compound, any additional cocatalyst(s), e.g. additional transition metal compounds and/or activators and/or poison scavengers, and/or any reaction product(s) of a transition metal compound(s) and a cocatalyst(s).
• the solid catalyst may be formed in situ from the catalyst components in said solution without using any external supports or carriers.
• the present invention provides a process for the production of a polymer film or fibre comprising a propylene homo- or copolymer wherein said propylene homo- or copolymer is produced in a process which comprises the polymerization of propylene monomers or propylene monomers and one or more types of comonomers in the presence of a high yield Ziegler-Natta olefin polymerization catalyst, which catalyst comprises a component in the form of particles having a predetermined size range which has been produced in a process comprising
• a transition metal is defined as a metal of groups 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC) or an actinide or lanthanide.
• the final catalyst used in the process of the present invention is a catalyst which is not supported on an external carrier.
• polypropylene can be obtained which is particularly suitable for film and fibre applications. This results from the fact that the obtained product is having an optimal balance between stiffness and XS content, i.e. a decreased stiffness and, at the same time, a low XS value for both homo- and copolymer products.
• the isotactic sequence length distribution determines the lamella thickness which in turn determines the melting temperature, crystallinity, and the stiffness of the polymer. Shorter sequences give thinner lamellas, which in turn leads to lower melting points.
• the resulting even distribution of short isotactic sequences of the products obtained by the inventive process improves the stretchability of the polymer in the solid state, causes an optimised balance between low amount of xylene solubles as well as a low stiffness, and good processability for film and fibre grades. Relations between polymer chain structure and polymer properties are confirmed and disclosed in more detail in the experimental section below.
• the molecular weight distribution of the propylene homo- or copolymer used in the process according to the invention is preferably higher than 3.5, more preferably higher than 4.0, still more preferably higher than 4.5, still more preferably higher than 5.0 and most preferred higher than 6.0.
• the comonomer(s) is/are selected from the group of alpha-olefins, more preferred from the group of C 2 -C 8 alpha-olefins and still more preferred from the group of C 2 - C 4 alpha-olefins. It is particularly preferred that the comonomer is ethylene.
• the described process for polymerising propylene is carried out in a one stage or multistage process which may comprise a series of polymerization reactors of any suitable type producing propylene homo- or copolymer.
• Polymerisation is carried out in the presence of the above described, preferably unsupported, high yield Ziegler-Natta catalyst, and optionally hydrogen or another molar mass regulator.
• the process may thus comprise at least one slurry or gas phase reactor or a combination thereof.
• slurry reactors are selected from loop or continuous stirred tank reactors, most preferably the slurry reactor is a bulk-loop reactor.
• the reactor system comprises at least one loop and at least one gas phase reactor.
• the reactor system comprises at least one loop and at least one gas phase reactor.
• the polymerization temperature is typically between 50 and 110 0 C, more preferably between 60 to 90 0 C and still more preferably between 60 and 80 0 C.
• the pressure in slurry reactors is preferably between 20 to 100 bar, more preferably between 30 to 60 bar, and in gas phase reactors below 40 bar, more preferably between 10 and 40 bar.
• a turbulence minimizing agent is added to the reaction mixture before solidifying said particles of the dispersed phase. This preferred option is described in WO 03/000754 to which it is referred.
• an aluminium alkyl compound preferably of the general formula AlR 3 _ n X n wherein R stands for straight chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 20, preferably 1 to 10 and more preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms, X stands for halogen and n stands for 0, 1, 2 or 3, is added, and brought in contact with the droplets of the dispersed phase of the agitated emulsion before recovering the solidified particles of the catalyst component.
• the aluminium compound is added, in pure form or in the form of a solution, from shortly before the beginning of the emulsion formation until adding it to the washing liquid, e.g. toluene, in such an amount that the final Al content of the particles is from 0.05 to 1 %, preferably 0.1 to 0.8 % and most preferably 0.2 to 0.7 % by weight of the final catalyst particles.
• the most preferred Al content may vary depending on the type of the Al compound and on the adding step. For example, in some cases the most preferred amount may be 0.1 to 0.4 wt.-%.
• tri-(Ci-C 6 )-alkyl aluminium compounds are used, triethylaluminium being most preferred.
• the transition metal in the catalyst component is a Group 4 metal, preferably titanium.
• a compound of a transition metal can also be selected from Group 5 metals, Group 6 metals, Cu, Fe, Co, Ni and/or Pd.
• the complex of a Group 2 metal in the process is a halide, most preferably chloride.
• Group 2 metal is magnesium
• catalyst component production process as part of the process according to the invention include all preferred embodiments as described in documents WO 03/000754 and WO 03/000757.
• particularly preferred embodiments of the catalyst component production process as part of the described process for the production of propylene homo- or copolymer are described.
• a preferred embodiment of the process for producing catalysts used in the process comprises: preparing a solution of magnesium complex by reacting an alkoxy magnesium compound and an electron donor or precursor thereof in a C 6 -C 1O aromatic liquid reaction medium comprising C 6 -Ci O aromatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of C 6 -C 1O aromatic hydrocarbon and C 5 -C 9 aliphatic hydrocarbon; reacting said magnesium complex with a compound of at least one fourvalent group 4 metal at a temperature greater than 10 0 C and less than 60 0 C, to produce an emulsion of a denser, TiCl 4 /toluene- insoluble, oil dispersed phase having group 4 metal /Mg mol ratio 0.1 to 10 in an oil dispersed phase having group 4 metal/Mg mol ratio 10 to 100; maintaining the droplets of said dispersed phase within the size range 5 to 200 ⁇ m by agitation in the presence of an emulsion stabilizer while heating the emulsion to solidify said droplets and adding turbul
• the turbulence minimizing agent (TMA) or mixtures thereof are preferably polymers having linear aliphatic carbon backbone chains, which might be branched with short side chains only in order to serve for uniform flow conditions when stirring.
• Said TMA is in particular preferably selected from ⁇ -olefin polymers having a high molecular weight M w (as measured by gel permeation chromatography) of about 1 to 40 x 10 6 , or mixtures thereof.
• polymers of ⁇ -olef ⁇ n monomers with 6 to 20 carbon atoms and more preferably polyoctene, polynonene, polydecene, polyundecene or polydodecene or mixtures thereof, having the molecular weight and general backbone structure as defined before, and most preferable TMA is polydecene.
• electron donor compound to be reacted with the Group 2 metal compound is preferably an mono- or diester of an aromatic carboxylic acid or diacid, the latter being able to form a chelate-like structured complex.
• the reaction for the preparation of the Group 2 metal complex is preferably carried out at a temperature of 20° to 80 0 C, and in case that the Group 2 metal is magnesium, the preparation of the magnesium complex is carried out preferably at a temperature of 50° to 70 0 C.
• the electron donor is preferably an aromatic carboxyl acid ester, a particularly favoured ester being dioctyl phthalate.
• the donor may conveniently be formed in situ by reaction of an aromatic carboxylic acid chloride precursor with a C 2 -C 16 alkanol and/or diol.
• the liquid reaction medium preferably comprises toluene.
• the emulsion stabiliser is preferably a surfactant, of which the most preferred class is that based on acrylic polymers.
• the finally obtained catalyst component is desirably in the form of particles having an average size range of 5 to 200 ⁇ m, preferably 10 to 100, more preferably 20 to 50 ⁇ m.
• the catalyst used in the process comprises a catalyst component prepared as aforesaid, in association with an alkyl aluminium cocatalyst and external donors, and is used for the polymerization of propylene optionally with other monomers, such as C 2 to Cio-olefins.
• the alkoxy magnesium compound group is preferably selected from the group consisting of magnesium dialkoxides, complexes of a magnesium dihalide and an alcohol, and complexes of a magnesium dihalide and a magnesium dialkoxide. It may be a reaction product of an alcohol and a magnesium compound selected from the group consisting of dialkyl magnesiums, alkyl magnesium alkoxides, alkyl magnesium halides and magnesium dihalides.
• It can further be selected from the group consisting of dialkyloxy magnesiums, diaryloxy magnesiums, alkyloxy magnesium halides, aryloxy magnesium halides, alkyl magnesium alkoxides, aryl magnesium alkoxides and alkyl magnesium aryloxides.
• the magnesium dialkoxide may be the reaction product of a magnesium dihalide such as magnesium dichloride or a dialkyl magnesium of the formula R 2 Mg, wherein each one of the two Rs is a similar or different C 1 - C 2 o alkyl, preferably a similar or different C 4 -C 1O alkyl.
• Typical magnesium alkyls are ethylbutyl magnesium, dibutyl magnesium, dipropyl magnesium, propylbutyl magnesium, dipentyl magnesium, butylpentylmagnesium, butyloctyl magnesium and dioctyl magnesium.
• one R of the formula R 2 Mg is a butyl group and the other R is an octyl group, i.e. the dialkyl magnesium compound is butyl octyl magnesium.
• Typical alkyl-alkoxy magnesium compounds RMgOR when used, are ethyl magnesium butoxide, butyl magnesium pentoxide, octyl magnesium butoxide and octyl magnesium octoxide.
• Dialkyl magnesium, alkyl magnesium alkoxide or magnesium dihalide can react with a polyhydric alcohol R'(OH) m , or a mixture thereof with a monohydric alcohol R'OH.
• Typical C 2 to C 6 polyhydric alcohols may be straight-chain or branched and include ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, 1,2- butylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, 1,4-butylene glycol, 2,3-butylene glycol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,8-octanediol, pinacol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and triols such as glycerol, methylol propane and pentaerythritol.
• the polyhydric alcohol can be selected on the basis of the activity and morphology it gives the catalyst component.
• the aromatic reaction medium may also contain a monohydric alcohol, which may be straight- or branched-chain.
• Typical C 1 to C 2 o monohydric alcohols are methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, iso-propanol, n-butanol, iso- butanol, sec.-butanol, tert.-butanol, n-amyl alcohol, iso-amyl alcohol, sec- amyl alcohol, tert.-amyl alcohol, diethyl carbinol, akt. amyl alcohol, se ⁇ - isoamyl alcohol, tert. -butyl carbinol.
• Typical C 6 -Ci 0 monohydric alcohols are hexanol, 2-ethyl-l-butanol, 4-methyl-2-pentanol, 1-heptanol, 2- heptanol, 4-heptanol, 2,4-dimethyl-3-pentanol, 1-octanol, 2-octanol, 2- ethyl-1 -hexanol, 1-nonanol, 5-nonanol, diisobutyl carbinol, 1-decanol and 2,7-dimethyl-2-octanol.
• Typical >C 10 monohydric alcohols are n-1- undecanol, n-1-dodecanol, n-1-tridecanol, n-1-tetradecanol, n-1- pentadecanol, 1-hexadecanol, n-1-heptadecanol and n-1-octadecanol.
• the monohydric alcohols may be unsaturated, as long as they do not act as catalyst poisons.
• Preferable monohydric alcohols are those of formula R'OH in which R' is a C 2 -Ci 6 alkyl group, most preferably a C 4 -Ci 2 alkyl group, particularly 2- ethyl-1 -hexanol.
• the aromatic carboxylic acid ester is a reaction product of a carboxylic acid halide, preferably a dicarboxylic acid dihalide, more preferably an unsaturated ⁇ , ⁇ -dicarboxylic acid dihalide, most preferably phthalic acid dichloride, with the monohydric alcohol.
• the catalyst system for polymerising propylene contains the catalyst, external donors and cocatalyst. As external donors are preferably used silane based donors and as cocatalysts aluminium alkyl compounds.
• aluminium alkyls are used as cocatalysts, i.e. for activating the catalyst.
• aluminium alkyl does not only reduce and alkylate the active metal, but it has also influence on the donor composition. It is well-known that aluminium alkyls can remove carboxylic acid esters, which are used typically as internal donors. At the same time external donors are fixed on the catalyst.
• tri-ethyl aluminium (TEA) is used as cocatalysts and silanes as external donors as is disclosed e.g. in articles Sacci, M.C.; Forlini, F.; Tritto I. And Locatelli P., Macromolecules, 1996, 29, 3341- 3345 and Sacci, M.C.; Tritto, L; Shan, C. and Mendichi, R., Macromolecules, 1991, 24, 6823-6826.
• the internal donor di-(2-ethyl hexyl phthalate) (DOP)
• DOP di-(2-ethyl hexyl phthalate)
• the extraction level is dependent on the concentration of the aluminium alkyl. The higher the concentration, the more of the internal donor can be extracted. Further, the addition of the external donor together with aluminium alkyl improves the donor exchange. The longer the reaction time is, the more external donor is bound on the catalyst.
• the catalyst surface area (measured by BET method) is well below 20 mVg, preferably below 10 m 2 /g and most preferably below 5 m 2 /g.
• the surface area does not change after the treatment with aluminium alkyl and external donors, but remains still below 20 m 2 /g, preferably below 10 m 2 /g and most preferably below 5 mVg.
• the propylene homo- and copolymer products obtained by the above-described process have a lower xylene solubles (XS) content than products obtained by conventional catalysts. This is due to more even distribution of the comonomer, preferably ethylene, in the product wherein the comonomer, preferably ethylene, is not so much concentrated into short polymer chains.
• the present invention further provides in a first embodiment a polypropylene composition which comprises a propylene homo- or ethylene copolymer with an amount of xylene solubles XS as expressed in wt.-% which complies with relation (1):
• Et denotes the amount of ethylene in the polymer in wt.-% and Et is in the range of 0 ⁇ Et ⁇ 3.5, preferably of 1 ⁇ Et ⁇ 3.5.
• the propylene homo- or copolymer suitable for the production of films and fibres products as produced by the above-described process preferably has a stiffness expressed as flexural modulus (FM) which is clearly lower than the stiffness of a polymer product with a conventional high yield Ziegler- Natta catalyst.
• FM flexural modulus
• the difference of the FM remains about the same independently of the ethylene content of polymer, being at least 100 MPa up to 200 MPa. FM decreases almost linearly with the amount of ethylene in the polymer.
• the present invention therefore provides in a second embodiment a further polypropylene composition
• Et denotes the amount of ethylene in the polymer in wt.-% and Et is in the range of 0 ⁇ Et ⁇ 3.5, preferably of 1 ⁇ Et ⁇ 3.5.
• the polypropylene composition according to the present invention combines both the features of the above described first and second embodiment.
• the molecular weight distribution of the propylene homo- or copolymer used in the compositions according to the invention is higher than 3.5, more preferably higher than 4.0, still more preferably higher than 4.5, still more preferably higher than 5.0 and most preferred higher than 6.0.
• the melting point (MP) of the compositions of the invention is slightly lower than that of a polymer produced with a conventional high yield Ziegler-Natta catalyst. This is due to shorter sequences in the produced product which give thinner lamellas which, in turn, give a lower melting point.
• the propylene homo- or copolymer suitable for the production of films and fibres has a melting point of 165 0 C or below.
• the melting point is in the range of 160 to 165 0 C and that the XS content is below 3 wt-%.
• the melting point preferably also always is 165 0 C or below.
• the more preferred value may still be lower depending on the comonomer content, e.g. for a polypropylene with an ethylene content of about 3.5 wt.-% the melting point is preferably in the range of 140 to 145 0 C, i.e. the higher amount of comonomer the lower the more preferred values for the melting point.
• the propylene homo- or ethylene copolymer of the compositions according to the invention is produced in a process in which a high yield Ziegler-Natta catalyst comprising a component as described above is used.
• the present invention furthermore relates to the use of a polymer composition comprising a propylene homo- or copolymer for the production of a polymer film or fibre, wherein the propylene homo- or copolymer has been produced in a process which comprises the polymerization of propylene monomers or propylene monomers and one or more types of comonomers in the presence of a high yield Ziegler-Natta olefin polymerization catalyst, which catalyst comprises a component as described above.
• Fig. 1 shows the fraction of molten polymer as a function of the sequence length of the propylene units for the polymers produced according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1.
• Fig. 2 shows the fraction of molten polymer as a function of the sequence length of the propylene units for the polymers produced according to Example 2 and Comparative Example 2.
• Fig. 3 shows the fraction of molten polymer as a function of the sequence length of the propylene units for the polymers produced according to Example 4 and Comparative Example 5.
• Fig. 4 shows the xylene solubles contents as a function of the ethylene contents for Examples 2, 3 and 4 and Comparative Examples 2, 4 and 5.
• Fig. 5 shows the melting point as a function of the ethylene contents for Examples 2, 3 and 4 and Comparative Examples 2, 4 and 5.
• Fig. 6 shows the flexural modulus as a function of the ethylene contents for Examples 2, 3 and 4 and Comparative Examples 2, 4 and 5.
• SIST Stepwise Isothermal Segregation Technique fractionates the material according to chain regularity (the average length of isotactic PP sequences between the defects).
• chain regularity the average length of isotactic PP sequences between the defects.
• the distribution of defects influences the average length of the crystallisable (fully isotactic) sequences.
• the isothermal crystallization for SIST analysis was performed in a Mettler TA820 DSC on 3 ⁇ 0.5 mg samples at decreasing temperatures between 145 0 C and 105 0 C.
• the samples were melted at 225 0 C for 5 min., then cooled at 80 °C/min to 145 0 C for 2 hours, then cooled to the next crystallization temperature.
• Each of the 5 temperature ramps took 2 hours and the step was 10 0 C.
• the sample was cooled down to ambient temperature, and the melting curve was obtained by heating the cooled sample at a heating rate of 10 °C/min. up to 200 0 C. All measurements were performed in a nitrogen atmosphere.
• the melting curve of the material crystallized this way can be used for calculating the lamella thickness distribution according to Thomas-Gibbs equation:
• T 0 457 K
• ⁇ H 0 184 x 106 J/m 3
• ⁇ 0.049.6 J/m 2
• L is the lamella thickness
• the average isotactic sequence length distributions were calculated from lamella thickness using a fibre length of 6.5 A for 31 helices.
• the melting curve was subdivided in areas with a temperature interval of 10 deg and converted into sequence length distributions.
• xylene solubles fraction For the determination of the xylene solubles fraction, 2.0 g of polymer is dissolved in 250 ml p-xylene at 135 0 C under agitation. After 30 ⁇ 2 min the solution is allowed to cool for 15 min at ambient temperature and then allowed to settle for 30 min at 25 ⁇ 0.5 0 C. The solution is filtered with filter paper into two 100 ml flasks. The solution from the first 100 ml vessel is evaporated in nitrogen flow and the residue is dried under vacuum at 90 0 C until constant weight is reached. The xylene soluble fraction is calculated using the following equation:
• MFR 2 of the polymers was measured in g/10min in accordance with ISO 1133 at a temperature of 230 0 C and a load of 2.16 kg.
• the flexural modulus (FM) was determined according to ISO 178.
• Isotacticity is determined from the adsorption peak at ⁇ 998 cm “1 using as internal reference peak at ⁇ 973 cm '1 . Calibration is done by samples measured 13 C NMR-spectroscopy.
• the molecular weight distribution was measured using Gel permeation chromatography (GPC).
• Example 1 All raw materials were essentially free from water and air and all material additions to the reactor and the different steps were done under inert conditions in nitrogen atmosphere. The water content in propylene was less than 55 ppm.
• the polymerization was done in a 5 liter reactor which was heated, vacuumed and purged with nitrogen before taken into use.
• 381 ⁇ l TEA triethylaluminium from Witco used as received
• 64 ⁇ l donor D dicyclo pentyldimethoxysilane from Wacker, dried with molecular sieves
• 30 ml pentane dried with molecular sieves and purged with nitrogen
• ZN catalyst highly active and stereospecific Ziegler-Natta catalyst
• the solid was washed with 200 ml of toluene at 90 0 C for 35 min. Then, the washings were continued with two timed 150 ml heptane a 10 min. Then, the catalyst was taken out from the reactor to a separate drying vessel as a slurry with 100 ml of heptane. Finally, the solid catalyst was dried at 60 0 C by purging nitrogen through the catalyst bed.
• the catalyst had a Ti content of 2.84 wt.%. After about 10 minutes, the ZN catalyst/TEA/donor D/pentane mixture was added to the reactor. The Al/Ti molar ratio was 250 and the Al/Do molar ratio was 10.
• Comparative Example 1 This comparative example was carried out in accordance with Example 1, with the exception that the catalyst was a typical catalyst for producing high stiffness polypropylene products. This catalyst was prepared in accordance with Finish patent No. 88047. The catalyst is a transesterified Ziegler-Natta catalyst, having a Ti content of 2.1 wt.% and was supported on spray crystallized MgCl 2 . The MFR 2 of the product was 18. The details and results are shown in Table 1.
• Example 2 This example was carried out using the same procedure as Example 1, with the exception that during catalyst preparation after addition of Viscoplex 1-254, a solution of triethylaluminium in toluene was added.
• a magnesium complex solution was prepared by adding, with stirring, 55.8 kg of a 20 % solution in toluene of BOMAG A to 19.4 kg 2-ethylhexanol in a 150 1 steel reactor. During the addition, the reactor contents were maintained below 2O 0 C. The temperature of the reaction mixture was then raised by 6O 0 C and held at that level for 30 minutes with stirring, at which time reaction was complete. 5.5 kg 1,2-phthaloyl dichloride was then added and stirring of the reaction mixture at 60 0 C was continued for another 30 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, a yellow solution was obtained.
• the temperature of the reaction mixture was then slowly raised to 90 0 C over a period of 20 minutes and held at that level for 30 minutes with stirring. After settling and syphoning the solids underwent washing with 100 ml toluene at 90 0 C for 30 minutes, 60 ml heptane for 20 minutes at 9O 0 C and 60 ml pentane for 10 minutes at 25°C. Finally, the solids were dried at 60 0 C by nitrogen purge, to yield a yellow, air-sensitive powder. The Ti content in this catalyst was 3.7 wt.%. The MFR 2 of the product was 8. The details and results are shown in Table 1.
• Comparative Example 2 The comparative example was carried out in accordance with Comparative Example 1, with the exception that a lower hydrogen amount was used.
• the MFR 2 of the product was 5. The details and results are shown in Table 1.
• the catalyst used in the process of this invention gives shorter isotactic sequence lengths, i.e. thinner lamellas, than the comparative catalyst. This is clearly seen in Table 2 and Figures 1 and 2, where the sequence lengths of the products are disclosed. Accordingly, the catalyst used in the process of this invention gives a smaller fraction of very thick lamellas.
• Example 3 This example was carried out in accordance with Example 2, with the exception that ethylene was added continuously during the polymerization. The ethylene content in the final polymer was 1.2 wt.%. The details and results are shown in Table 3.
• Example 4 This example was carried out in accordance with Example 3, with the exception that more ethylene was added during the polymerization.
• the ethylene content in the final polymer was 3.1 wt.%.
• the details and results are shown in Table 3.
• Comparative Example 3 This example was carried out in accordance with Comparative Example 1 with the exception that ethylene was added continuously during the polymerization. The ethylene content in the final polymer was 0.6 wt.%. The details and results are shown in Table 3.
• Comparative Example 4 This example was carried out in accordance with Comparative Example 3, with the exception that more ethylene was added during the polymerization. The ethylene content in the final polymer was 1.5 wt.%. The details and results are shown in Table 3.
• Comparative Example 5 This example was carried out in accordance with Comparative Example 4, with the exception that more ethylene was added during the polymerization. The ethylene content in the final polymer was 2.9 wt.%. The details and results are shown in Table 3.
• the carbon- 13 NMR spectroscopy was done with a 400 MHz equipment from Chemmagnetics, CMX 400 Infinity NMR spectrometer, using 5 mm NMR tubes. 80 mg polymer was dissolved in 1 ,2,4-trichlorobenzene- /deutero-benzene mixture 90:10 by volume. A completely decoupled carbon- 13 NMR spectrum with NOE (WALTS decoupling) were run using the following parameters:
• the spectra was processed with 2 Hz line broadening, zero filing once and baseline correction.
• the methyl region is deconvulated because of overlapping signals. This procedure gives better accuracy than the normal integration.
• Average isotactic sequence length (propene units) was calculated from:

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