New Quenching Procedure for Preservation of Initial Polymer/Catalyst Particle Morphology in Ziegler–Natta Olefin Polymerization

Preservation of initial polymer/catalyst particle morphology under air, was examined using stopped‐flow Ziegler–Natta polymerization with various quenching conditions and post‐chemical treatments. The exposure of the initial particles to air caused the fast formation of cracks on the surface, finally leading to significant reformation of the particle shape, when polymerizing particles were washed with heptane at ?65 °C under N₂ or under CO₂. On the other hand, when the particles were washed with heptane containing an appropriate amount of tetrahydrofuran under CO₂, the particle morphology under air was almost completely maintained even after 1 h exposure. The present results are useful for various ex situ characterizations of unstable initial polymer/catalyst particles.