The present disclosure provides borate activators comprising cations having linear alkyl groups, catalyst systems comprising, and processes for polymerizing olefins using such activators. Specifically, the present disclosure provides polymerization activator compounds which may be prepared in, and which are soluble in aliphatic hydrocarbon and alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents.

The present disclosure provides borate or aluminate activators comprising cations having branched alkyl groups, catalyst systems comprising, and methods for polymerizing olefins using such activators. Specifically, the present disclosure provides activator compounds represented by Formula: [R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3EH].sub.d.sup.+[M.sup.k+Q.sub.n].sup.d, wherein: E is nitrogen or phosphorous; d is 1, 2 or 3; k is 1, 2, or 3; n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; nk=d; each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 is independently C.sub.1-C.sub.40 branched or linear alkyl or C.sub.5-C.sub.50-aryl, wherein each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 is independently unsubstituted or substituted with at least one of halide, C.sub.5-C.sub.50 aryl, C.sub.6-C.sub.35 arylalkyl, C.sub.6-C.sub.35 alkylaryl and, in the case of the C.sub.5-C.sub.50-aryl, C.sub.1-C.sub.50 alkyl; wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 together comprise 15 or more carbon atoms; M is an element selected from group 13 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; and each Q is independently a hydride, bridged or unbridged dialkylamido, halide, alkoxide, aryloxide, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, halocarbyl, substituted halocarbyl, or halosubstituted-hydrocarbyl radical, provided that at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 is a branched alkyl.

Disclosed herein are methods for synthesizing low valence, titanium-aluminum complexes from half-metallocene titanium compounds and alkylaluminum compounds. The titanium-aluminum complexes can be used as components in catalyst systems for the polymerization of olefins.

Improved Ziegler-Natta catalysts and methods of making the improved catalyst are described. The Ziegler-Natta catalyst is formed using a spherical MgCl.sub.2-xROH support, where R is a linear, cyclic or branched hydrocarbon unit with 1-10 carbon atoms and where ROH is an alcohol or a mixture of at least two different alcohols and where x has a range of about 1.5 to 6.0, preferably about 2.5 to 4, more preferably about 2.9 to 3.4, and even more preferably 2.95 to 3.35. The Ziegler-Natta catalyst includes a Group 4-8 transition metal and an internal donor. The catalyst has improved activity in olefin polymerization reactions as well as good stereoregularity and hydrogen sensitivity.

Molded articles comprising a polypropylene homopolymer with rather high melt flow rate, high stiffness, improved optical properties and an advantageous balance between stiffness and optical properties.

Disclosed herein are methods for synthesizing low valence, titanium-aluminum complexes from half-metallocene titanium compounds and alkylaluminum compounds. The titanium-aluminum complexes can be used as components in catalyst systems for the polymerization of olefins.

The present disclosure relates to a solid catalyst for propylene polymerization and a process for manufacture of a propylene polymer or copolymer using the solid catalyst, and provides a solid catalyst including carriers produced via a reaction between dialkoxy magnesium and metal halide, titanium halide, an organic electron donor, etc. and a process of manufacture of a propylene-based block copolymer via copolymerization of propylene--olefin using the solid catalyst. Particularly, internal electron donors including an ester group and an alkoxy group are used as two kinds of organic electron donors used in the present disclosure, and, thus, a block copolymer having high activity and excellent stereoregularity and a high rubber content via copolymerization with -olefin can be produced using a solid catalyst system suggested in the present disclosure.

A process for washing a particulate substance comprising: (i) combining a particulate substance and a first washing medium in a first vessel to form a slurry and washing the particulate substance with said washing medium; (ii) transferring the slurry to a hydrocyclone; (iii) removing a first by-product stream depleted in particulate substance and a first product stream enriched in particulate substance from the hydrocyclone; (iv) transferring the first product stream to a second vessel and in the presence of a second washing medium forming a slurry and washing the particulate substance with said second washing medium e.g. by agitation thereof; (v) transferring the slurry to a hydrocyclone; (vi) removing a second by-product stream depleted in particulate substance and a second product stream enriched in particulate substance from the hydrocyclone.

A process for washing a particulate substance comprising: (i) combining a particulate substance and a first washing medium in a first vessel to form a slurry and washing the particulate substance with said washing medium; (ii) transferring the slurry to a hydrocyclone; (iii) removing a first by-product stream depleted in particulate substance and a first product stream enriched in particulate substance from the hydrocyclone; (iv) transferring the first product stream to a second vessel and in the presence of a second washing medium forming a slurry and washing the particulate substance with said second washing medium e.g. by agitation thereof; (v) transferring the slurry to a hydrocyclone; (vi) removing a second by-product stream depleted in particulate substance and a second product stream enriched in particulate substance from the hydrocyclone.

By controlling the ratio of catalyst components or the type of activator the homogeneity of a polymer produced using a single site catalyst may be improved.