Characterization of Polyethylene Nascent Powders Synthesized with TpTiCl2(OR) Catalysts

Summary: Different kinds of polyethylene and ethylene-1-hexene copolymers were synthesized with TpTiCl₂(OR) (Tp = hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate; R = Et, i-Pr, n-Bu) catalysts with and without H₂. The polymers were characterized by ¹³C NMR, capillary viscosimetry or GPC, and DSC. The homopolymers showed properties characteristic of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPE) with linear structure and high density polyethylenes (HDPE) with molecular weights in the range of commercial grades under hydrogen atmosphere. The copolymers showed a 1-hexene incorporation up to 6 mol-%. Important differences in the thermal properties were observed between the first DSC (nascent powders) and the second DSC heatings (melt-crystallized samples), which evidenced the molecular weights influence on the melt-crystallized samples.