Molecular weight distribution of metallocene polymerization with long chain branching using a binary catalyst system

In metallocene polymerization, termination by β-hydride elimination generates polymer chains containing unsaturated vinyl groups at their chain ends. Further polymerization of these macromonomers produces branched polymers. Material properties of the branched polymers not only depend on molecular weight and branching density, but also on chain structure. This work presents analytical expressions to predict the bivariate distribution of molecular weight and branching density for polymer chains having dendritic and comb structures. It is shown that when a single metallocene catalyst is used the formation of dendritic polymers is favored with only a very small fraction of highly branched chains assuming comb structure. The use of a binary catalyst system is therefore proposed to obtain high content of comb polymers. One catalyst generates macromonomers and the other yields in-situ branching. It is found that the comb polymers give much narrower molecular weight distributions than dendritic polymers with same branching densities.     

Controlling molecular weight distributions of polyethylene by combining soluble metallocene/MAO catalysts

A critical look at the possibility of controlling the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polyolefins by combining metallocene/methylalumoxane (MAO) catalysts is offered. Catalysts investigated were bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride (Cp₂ZrCl₂), its titanium and hafnium analogues (Cp₂TiCl₂ and Cp₂HfCl₂), as well as rac-ethylenebis(indenyl)zirconium dichloride (Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂). As observed by other researchers, the MWD of polyethylene can be manipulated by combining soluble catalysts, which on their own produce polymer with narrow MWD but with different average molecular weights. Combined in slurry polymerization reactors, the catalysts in consideration produce ethylene homopolymer just as they would independently. Unimodal or bimodal MWDs can be obtained. This effect can be mimicked by blending polymers produced by the individual catalysts. We demonstrate how a variability in catalyst activity translates into a variability in MWD when mixing soluble catalysts in polymerization. Such a variability in MWD must be considered when setting goals for MWD control. We introduce a more quantitative approach to controlling the MWD using this method. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 831–840, 1998     

Influence of molecular weight distribution and long chain branching on the glass transition temperature of polycarbonate

Molecular weight distribution and long chain branching were taken into account for the glass transition temperature (Tg)-molecular weight (M) relationships for bisphenol-A polycarbonate. A new form of the four-variable equation for Tg is proposed for polydisperse branched polymers. The extended equations were compared with the experimental results on Tg and M averages; they were also applied for characterization of branched polymer by the combined GPC/V and DSC methods.     

Intramolecular branching distributions in metallocene short‐chain branched polyethylenes examined by crystallization and annealing at high pressure

Uniform branched polyethylenes produced by metallocene catalysts can be subjected to a limited degree of intramolecular fractionation by crystallization or annealing at pressures of 495 MPa. Longer stem lengths in lamellae are more achievable by this process than by treatments at atmospheric pressure. Although the intervention of the hexagonal phase allows greater lamellar stem lengths to be achieved, the small proportion of longer methylene sequence lengths in the melt imposes limitations on the degree of isothermal thickening achievable. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1986–1996, 2005     

Evaluation of long chain branching of polyphenylene sulfide using gel permeation chromatography with triple detection

The increasing polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) world demand due to its unique mechanical and chemical properties has augmented the pressure on development of analytical methods to evaluate its molecular weight distribution and structure. This article presents gel permeation chromatography with triple detection (GPC3D) performed in chloronaphthalene at 210°C on a commercially available instrument as a possible method to elucidate the structure properties of linear and branched PPS. The procedure allows measurement in a single run of the true molecular weight distributions and intrinsic viscosities, the Mark-Houwink parameters, and the number of long chain branches.     

Synthesis of polyolefins with unique properties by using metallocene-type catalysts

Copolymerization of ethylene and 1,5-hexadiene (HD) by zirconocene catalysts proceeded via cyclization-addition mechanism to form 1,3-didsubstituted cyclopentane structure in the polyethylene chain. The 1,3-cyclopentane structure was found to be taken in the crystalline structure of polyethylene (isomorphism) by partially chainging the trans zigzag chain into gauche conformation, thereby, inducing a transformation of orthorhombic crystal to pseudohexagonal crystal. Copolymerization of ethylene and cyclopentene (CPE) by zirconocene catalysts yielded copolymers having 1,2-disubstituted cyclopentane structure in the polyethylene chain. The 1,2-cyclopentane structure was not taken into the crystalline structure of polyethylene. The melting point (T_m) and the crystallinity (X_c) of polyethylene decreased by copolymerization of HD or CPE, and the T_m- and X_c-decreasing effect of CPE was stronger than HD. For copolymers of propylene and HD or CPE obtained with isospecific zirconocene catalyst, the isomorphism was not ovserved.     

Determination of molecular weight dependences and characterization of molecular weight distributions

Molecular weight dependences of the square of the radius of gyration as well as of the coefficients of diffusion and friction of monodisperse polystyrenes in toluene at 20°C are determined experimentally. For this purpose, the z-averages of these quantities and $\text{M}$_w as determined by light scattering were subjected to the polydispersity correction procedures as described previously. In addition, a method is suggested for the checking of known data with respect to molecular weight distribution, using measured values in conjunction with the polydispersity correction procedures.     

Polymerization of propylene by mixed Ziegler–Natta and metallocene catalysts

The polymerization of propylene using a mixture of racemic metallocenes and Ziegler–Natta catalysts was investigated. The polypropylene was obtained as a mixture of a fine powder and beads, with the powder being absorbed partially on the beads. The relative amount of the powder can be controlled by the concentration of the metallocene. The compatibility between the components of the mixed catalytic systems and the effect of the components on the rate of polymerization and on the properties of the new polymers were studied. The metallocene system dramatically affects the melt viscosity, isotacticity and molecular weight of the polymers. The two catalytic systems are able to act jointly, producing different polymers, for which separate melting and crystallization temperatures are obtained. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of oxazoline functionalized polypropene using metallocene catalysts

Using two different zirconocene/MAO catalyst systems, propene was copolymerized with the comonomers 2‐(9‐decene‐1‐yl)‐1,3‐oxazoline and 2‐(4‐(10‐undecene‐1‐oxo)phenyl)‐1,3‐oxazoline, respectively. The catalysts used were rac‐Et[Ind]₂ZrCl₂ and rac‐Me₂Si[2‐Me‐4, 5‐BenzInd]₂ZrCl₂. Up to 0.53 mol‐% oxazoline could be incorporated into polypropene. Oxazoline content, molecular weight, degree of isotacticity and melting behavior were dependent on the catalyst system, comonomer structure and comonomer concentration in the feed.     

Combined metallocene catalysts: an efficient technique to manipulate long-chain branching frequency of polyethylene

The solution polymerization of ethylene in Isopar E in a semi-batch reactor using combined CGC-Ti and Et[Ind]₂ZrCl₂ catalysts was studied. Methylaluminoxane (MAO) and tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane were used as co-catalysts. Samples were analyzed by ¹³C NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) for their branching content and molecular weight distribution. It was shown that there was an optimum ratio of CGC-Ti/Et[Ind]₂ZrCl₂ that maximizes the number of long-chain branches of the formed polyethylene.     

Stereospecific oligo- and polymerization with metallocene catalysts

The regio- and stereo-selectivity of metallocene/methylaluminoxane catalysts was shown to be significantly and rapidly enhanced by substitution of the indenyl ligands and by heterogenization of the zirconocenes. By oligomerization of 1-butene with optically active metallocenes, it could be shown that there is a small influence from the growing polymer chain on the isotacticity, the overriding factor in every case being the existence of a chiral active centre. Each insertion step increased the stereospecificity, until the maximum value was achieved.     

Electrochemical preparation of polymers with multinodal molecular weight distributions

A direct electrochemical preparation of polybutadiene to a predetermined molecular weight distribution has been achieved. Butadiene is a good model compound, inasmuch as the rate of electrochemical initiation is high relative to the rate of propagation. Rate constants for the temperature interval of interest and for systems of comparable composition were reported and permitted a priori prediction of the weight fractions and the number average molecular weight of each fraction. Polymer was formed by a series of pulses which successively initiated polymerization, permitted growth in the absence of current, and electrochemically terminated polymerization. The polymers produced showed excellent agreement with calculated composition and distribution in the range of molecular weights 10,000 to 50,000.     

Characterization of polymer molecular weight distributions by ratios of molecular weight averages

The molecular weight (MW) distribution of a polymer is characterized by a hierarchy of average MWs and their appropriate combinations. For example, the ratio of the weight-average to the number-average MW is the most frequently used measure of the polydispersity of a polymer. As is well known the lower bound to this ratio is unity, and it has been shown that the upper bound is (m + 1)²/4m, where m = M_max/M_min is the ratio of the highest to the lowest MW of the MW species present in a given polymer. This upper bound corresponds to an extremely bimodal MW distribution of one half weight fraction with M_min and the other half with M_max. The behavior of the upper bound for two special unimodal distributions is investigated: one is the triangular distribution, the other the quadrilateral. The results suggest that the upper bound for all possible unimodal distributions is considerably less than the corresponding general case, especially for large values of m. For example, the maximum ratios for the quadrilateral distribution and the general upper bound are 1.04 and 1.125 for m = 2; 1.43 and 3.205 for m = 10; 2.56 and 25.5 for m = 100; 3.99 and 250.5 for m = 1000, respectively.     

Simulation of gel permeation chromatography measurement for long chain branched metallocene polyethylene

The research about the polymerization reaction mechanism of long chain branched polymer provides a method to simulate the generation of LCB mPE (long chain branched metallocene polyethylene).^[1-3] In this work, after simulating the generation of one million LCB mPE molecules, we calculate the sizes (i.e. radii of gyration) of molecules in good solvents to obtain the molecular size distributions. Then we simulate the fractionation in GPC (gel permeation chromatography) measurement and the different GPC detector responses to obtain simulated GPC MWDs (molecular weight distributions). The simulated MWDs are compared to the real GPC results provided by the Dow Chemical Company.     

Relative quantification of long chain branching in essentially linear polyethylenes

The aim of this work is to describe a method whereby low levels of long chain branching, LCB, can be quantified on a relative basis for whole, unfractionated, and essentially linear ethylene/α-olefin copolymers. The method is based on a well established, relatively fast and robust experiment, namely the measurement of the linear viscoelastic properties by a single, isothermal, small amplitude oscillatory shear experiment. The analysis of the data is predicated on the use of the so-called van Gurp-Palmen plots (the phase angle, δ (=tan⁻¹(G″/G′)), plotted against the absolute value of the dynamic complex modulus, |G∗| = (G′²+G″²)^1/2). From this plot, the value of δ at |G∗| = 10 kPa is recorded, and it is demonstrated that the amount of LCB inversely correlates with such value of the phase angle, δ. Depending on the desired frequency range, the experiment duration varies between 15 and 60 min rendering this technique well suited for high throughput parallel testing. Its applicability is critically examined with a wide variety of commercial ethylene/α-olefin copolymers. Moreover, we have improved on the long chain branching index (LCBI) proposed by Shroff and Mavridis [Shroff RN, Mavridis H. Long-chain-branching index for essentially linear polyethylenes. Macromolecules 1999;32:8454-64] by basing it on data of truly linear polyethylenes (hydrogenated anionically synthesized polybutadienes) instead of apparently linear commercial polyethylenes.     

Renewable chain transfer agents for metallocene polymerizations: The effects of chiral monoterpenes on the polyolefin molecular weight and isotacticity

Monoterpenes were used as renewable chain transfer agents and polymerization solvents for metallocene/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysis. The polymerization of 1‐hexene, ethylene, and propylene in d‐limonene, hydrogenated d‐limonene and α‐pinene is reported. As detected by ¹H NMR analysis of the alkene region, chain transfer to d‐limonene yielded a higher percentage of trisubstituted alkenes. Size exclusion chromatography detected a decrease in molecular weight values resulting from chain transfer to d‐limonene. The [mmmm] pentads for isotactic polypropylene were characterized by ¹³C NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Propylene polymerizations with the Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂/MAO and Me₂Si(Ind)₂ZrCl₂/MAO catalyst systems in d‐limonene gave [mmmm] pentad values as high as 0.97. For the Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂/MAO catalyst system at 0 °C, the mol fraction of [mmmm] pentads increased from 0.86 to 0.94 upon switching the solvent from toluene to d‐limonene. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3150–3165, 2007