Study of Multi-Site Nature of Supported Ziegler-Natta Catalysts in Ethylene-Hexene-1 Copolymerization

Summary: Heterogeneity of active centers (AC) of titanium-magnesium catalysts (TMC) and vanadium-magnesium catalyst (VMC) in ethylene-hexene-1 copolymerization has been studied on the base of data of polymer molecular weight distribution (MWD) deconvolution technique and copolymer fractionation onto narrow fractions. It was found that 3 and 4 Flory components (groups of active centers) are required to describe experimental MWD curves of copolymers produced over TMC with different Ti content. In the case of VMC MWD of homopolymer and copolymer are characterized by set of 5 Flory components (5 groups of AC). Different character of inter-relationship between MW and short chain branching (SCB) was found for ethylene-hexene-1 copolymers produced over different catalysts: heterogeneous type in the case of TMC and more uniform for copolymer prepared over VMC. The content of Ti affects on the slope of that profile in copolymers produced over TMC. The results indicated that TMC and VMC are different greatly on the heterogeneity of active centers to the formation of polymers with different molecular weights and to formation of copolymers with different inter-relationship between MW and short chain branching. TMC produces polymers with more narrow MWD but it contains highly heterogeneous centers regarding comonomer reactivity ratios. VMC produces polymers with broad and bimodal MWD but it contains more homogeneous centers regarding comonomer reactivity ratios.     

Ethylene Polymerization over Supported Titanium-Magnesium Catalysts: Heterogeneity of Active Centers and Effect of Catalyst Composition on the Molecular Mass Distribution of Polymer

New experimental approach was used for analysis of molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polymers produced over titanium-magnesium catalysts (TMC). Polymers were fractionated on to fractions with narrow MWD (polydispersity (PD) values Mw/Mn ≤ 2). Then some of these fractions were combined to get the minimal quantity of fractions with PD values close to 2 (Flory components). It was found that three fractions corresponding to three groups of active centers are sufficient for proper fitting experimental MWD curve for PE obtained over TMC with different Ti content and with different hydrogen concentration in polymerization.     

DEPENDENCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVE CENTERS ON MONOMER IN SUPPORTED ZIEGLER-NATTA CATALYSTS

Distribution of active centers(ACD)of ethylene or 1-hexene homopolymerization and ethylene-1-hexene copolymerization with a MgCl_2/TiCl_4 type Z-N catalyst were studied by deconvolution of the polymer molecular weight distribution into multiple Flory components.Each Flory component is thought to be formed by a certain type of active center. ACD of ethylene-1-hexene copolymer with very low 1-hexene incorporation was compared with that of ethylene homopolymer to see the effect of introducingα-olefin on eth...     

异相Ziegler-Natta催化剂的活性中心多分散性(Ⅰ)——钛催化体系聚合物分子量分布的研究

对TiCl₃及TiCl₄/MgCl₂-Al(C₂H₅)₃(或Al(i-C₄H₉)₃、Al(C₂H₅)₂Cl)催化体系合成的聚辛烯的分子量分布用SchulzeFlory"最可几分布"函数作拟合处理,将各种聚合条件下的实测分布分成了3～5个"最可几分布"的叠加,催化剂结构及聚合条件对这些"最可几分布"峰的位置、大小的影响较有规律,表明每个峰对应于一种活性中心。还测定了聚辛烯各级分的活性中心浓度。对各活性中心的差异作了分析。     

Study of the compositional heterogeneity of ethylene–hexene-1 copolymers by thermal fractionation technique by means of differential scanning calorimetry

The successive self-nucleation/annealing technique (SSA) by differential scanning calorimetry has been applied to study the heterogeneity of ethylene–hexene-1 copolymers produced with supported catalytic systems of different compositions: highly active supported Ziegler–Natta (Z–N) catalysts—a titanium–magnesium catalyst TiCl₄/MgCl₂ (TMC) and a vanadium–magnesium catalyst VCl₄/MgCl₂ (VMC), a supported zirconocene catalyst Me₂Si(Ind)₂ZrCl₂/SiO₂ (MAO), and a chromium-oxide catalyst CrO₃/SiO₂. Comparative data by SSA technique with the same temperature program were obtained for copolymers differed by MWD from narrow to very broad (Mw/Mn = 2.4–54) and short chain branching distribution from narrow (zirconocene catalyst) to very broad (TMC and chromium oxide catalysts). It is demonstrated that copolymers produced with the zirconocene catalyst have the narrowest melting range and do not contain thick lamellae. The widest lamella thickness distribution has been found for a copolymer produced with the chromium-oxide catalyst. Copolymers produced with the supported Z–N catalysts are ranked in the middle with a more narrow lamella thickness distribution for copolymer prepared with VMC as compared with the one produced with TMC. The SSA results are compared with the data on copolymer fractionation by TREF. It is shown that these methods give a good correlation for copolymers with narrow short-chain branching distribution produced with the supported zirconocene catalyst. In the case of copolymers produced with TMC, TREF yields a higher content of the high-branched fractions.     

2,6-二异丙基苯酚改性负载型Ziegler-Natta催化剂及其乙烯-1-己烯共聚反应

研究了新型的改性负载型Ziegler-Natta催化剂,以期制备出组成分布较窄的乙烯-α-烯烃共聚物.通过2,6-iPr2C6H3-OH与TiCl4/ID/MgCl2型负载型钛催化剂在室温下的反应可将芳氧基接到催化剂表面,制得一种改性的烯烃聚合催化剂M-cat.改性催化剂对乙烯聚合及乙烯-1-己烯共聚反应的催化活性与未改性催化剂相近,但共单体效应较弱.前者共聚物的1-己烯含量低于未改性催化剂的产物,但组成分布较窄,分子量较高,且共聚物的沸腾正庚烷可溶级分的序列分布较接近无规分布.三异丁基铝为助催化剂所得聚合活性高于甲基铝氧烷活化的体系.改性催化体系的活性中心分布与未改性体系相比有明显的差别.     

Modification of the(SiO_2/MgO/MgCl_2)·TiCl_x Ziegler-Natta Polyethylene Catalysts Using the Third Metal Elements

Various(SiO_2/MgO/MgCl_2)·Ti Clx Ziegler-Natta catalysts modified by the third metal elements were synthesized by the co-impregnation of water-soluble magnesium and the third metal salts. Several key factors including the electronegativity of the third metal elements, catalyst performances in ethylene homo-polymerization, ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization and hydrogen response were systematically investigated. Both the catalyst performance and the polymer properties are influenced by the introduction of the third metal elements. Compared with the unmodified(SiO_2/MgO/MgCl_2)·Ti Clx Ziegler-Natta catalyst, activity and 1-hexene incorporation are enhanced by the introduction of zirconium, vanadium, aluminum and chromium, while deteriorated by the addition of ferrum, nickel, molybdenum and tungsten. Correlations of the catalyst activities and 1-hexene incorporation ability with the electronegativity of the third metal elements are discovered. It is found that the lower electronegativity of the third metal elements leads to the catalyst with higher activity and higher α-olefin co-polymerization ability. The polyethylene produced by a nickel modified catalyst showed broad molecular weight distribution(MWD) and the lowest average molecular weight(MW), while by using a ferrum modified catalyst, the resulting polyethylene had the highest MW, reaching the ultra-high MW area. Vanadium and chromium modified catalysts demonstrated the best hydrogen response.     

EFFECTS OF EXTERNAL DONOR ON ACTIVE CENTER DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPORTED ZIEGLER-NATTA CATALYST

The composition distribution (CD) and microisotacticity distribution (ID) of propene/1-hexene copolymer synthesized by MgCl_2/DIBP/TiCl_4 (DIBP: diisobutyl phthalate) weredetermined by fractionating the copolymers according to crystallinity and characterizingthe fractions by ~(13)CNMR. The effects of two alkoxysilane donors, triethoxyphenylsilane(PTES) and dimethoxydi-tert-butylsilane (TBMS), on CD and ID of the copolymrs werecompared. Three main parts in the CD diagram of each copolymer were distinguished,which were correlated to active center distribution (ACD) based on three groupe of dif-ferent active centers. By studying the changes in 1-hexene content, microisotacticity andreactivity ratio product of three typical fractions, the effects of external donor on ACDwere better elucidated. It was found that TBMS shows much stronger effects on ACD thanPTES. In the former system, most fractions were produced on active centers with relativelylower r_1r_2, higher reactivity to 1-hexene, and higher stereospecificity as compared to thesystem without external donor. It is concluded that the observed very extensive changesin ACD are mainly resulted by the formation of new types of active centers, possibly bycoordination of external donor to certain positions on the catalyst.     

Kinetic Study of the Copolymerisation of Ethylene with a Single Site Catalyst in Propane Slurry Polymerisation

Summary: The kinetic behaviour of a supported metallocene catalyst in slurry polymerisation of ethylene with 1-hexene under industrially relevant reaction conditions has been studied. Polymerisation experiments were carried out in a 5-litre stirred tank reactor in a temperature range from 60 to 80 °C and ethylene partial pressures from 5 to 15 bar. Comonomer and hydrogen amounts were varied as well. The catalyst showed pronounced activation and slow deactivation during runtimes of about 1 hour. Strong influences of 1-hexene (“hexene effect”) and hydrogen (“hydrogen effect”) on the activity profiles were observed. Based on the experimental results, a kinetic model has been derived in order to describe and predict important polymerisation data such as activity profile, comonomer content and molecular weight distributions with respect to the reaction conditions. The presented kinetic model is able to describe the observed effects of 1-hexene and hydrogen on the activity profiles, as well as the comonomer incorporation across a broad range of polymerisation conditions. The molecular weight distributions can be simulated with good qualitative agreement to the experimental data.     

Fe-Zn双金属氰化物催化环氧丙烷开环聚合的研究

用Fe Zn双金属氰化物 (DMC)催化剂合成了数均分子量 30 0 0～ 12 0 0 0的聚氧化丙烯二元醇 .着重考察了聚合反应的温度、加料方式等对聚合物分子量及分布的影响 ,并初步探讨了Fe Zn双金属氰化物催化环氧丙烷开环聚合的反应特征 .实验发现 ,采用Fe ZnDMC催化剂 ,聚合物分子量可控 ;在较高温度下聚合所得的聚合物分子量分布呈双峰形 ,显示反应体系中至少存在两类活性中心 ,这可能与催化剂中存在两种价态的络合物有关 ,当降低聚合温度时 ,聚合物分子量分布呈单峰形 ,可能是一类活性中心没有引发 ;实验中还发现单体分批加料时聚合物分子量分布较窄 ,而一步加料法所得聚合物分子量分布则很宽     

Short Chain Branches Distribution Characterization of Ethylene/1-Hexene Copolymers by Using TREF + 13C-NMR and TREF + SC Methods

Summary: Short chain branches distribution (SCBD) is the key factor for high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe materials to achieve their excellent performance for long term (50 years) applications. However, the precise SCBD characterization of these HDPE materials with relatively low content of comonomer incorporation still remained as a challenge in this field. In this work, two characterization methods, namely temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) cross step crystallization (SC) (TREF + SC) and TREF cross ¹³C-NMR (TREF + ¹³C-NMR), have been respectively used to qualitatively and quantitatively investigate the SCBD for two HDPE pipe materials (PE-1 and PE-2 with different long term performances) with small amount of 1-hexene incorporation prepared from SiO₂-supported silyl chromate catalyst system (S-2 catalyst) during UNIPOL gas phase polymerization. The comparison of SCBD between the two samples showed that: although short chain branches of PE-2 with good performance were less than those of PE-1 with bad performance, PE-2 showed less comonomer incorporation on the low crystallinity and low molecular weight (MW) fractions keeping even higher comonomer incorporation on the high crystallinity and high MW parts compared with PE-1. This difference on the SCBD for PE-1 and PE-2 was thought to be the key factor which is responsible for their great difference on environment slow crack resistance (ESCR). Moreover, TREF + SC method further reflected the intra- and inter-molecular heterogeneities of each fraction from the two HDPE samples through the lamella thickness distribution compared with TREF + ¹³C-NMR.     

Kinetic features of ethylene polymerization over supported catalysts [2,6‐bis(imino)pyridyl iron dichloride/magnesium dichloride] with AlR3 as an activator

The effects of polymerization temperature, polymerization time, ethylene and hydrogen concentration, and effect of comonomers (hexene‐1, propylene) on the activity of supported catalyst of composition LFeCl₂/MgCl₂‐Al(i‐Bu)₃ (L = 2,6‐bis[1‐(2,6‐dimethylphenylimino)ethyl] pyridyl) and polymer characteristics (molecular weight (MW), molecular‐weight distribution (MWD), molecular structure) have been studied. Effective activation energy of ethylene polymerization over LFeCl₂/MgCl₂‐Al(i‐Bu)₃ has a value typical of supported Ziegler–Natta catalysts (11.9 kcal/mol). The polymerization reaction is of the first order with respect to monomer at the ethylene concentration >0.2 mol/L. Addition of small amounts of hydrogen (9–17%) significantly increases the activity; however, further increase in hydrogen concentration decreases the activity. The IRS and DSC analysis of PE indicates that catalyst LFeCl₂/MgCl₂‐Al(i‐Bu)₃ has a very low copolymerizing ability toward propylene and hexene‐1. MW and MWD of PE produced over these catalysts depend on the polymerization time, ethylene and hexene‐1 concentration. The activation effect of hydrogen and other kinetic features of ethylene polymerization over supported catalysts based on the Fe (II) complexes are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5057–5066, 2007     

Modification of the (SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/MgO/MgCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>)·TiCl<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> Ziegler-Natta polyethylene catalysts using the third metal elements

Various (SiO₂/MgO/MgCl₂)·TiCl _x Ziegler-Natta catalysts modified by the third metal elements were synthesized by the co-impregnation of water-soluble magnesium and the third metal salts. Several key factors including the electronegativity of the third metal elements, catalyst performances in ethylene homo-polymerization, ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization and hydrogen response were systematically investigated. Both the catalyst performance and the polymer properties are influenced by the introduction of the third metal elements. Compared with the unmodified (SiO₂/MgO/MgCl₂)·TiCl _x Ziegler-Natta catalyst, activity and 1-hexene incorporation are enhanced by the introduction of zirconium, vanadium, aluminum and chromium, while deteriorated by the addition of ferrum, nickel, molybdenum and tungsten. Correlations of the catalyst activities and 1-hexene incorporation ability with the electronegativity of the third metal elements are discovered. It is found that the lower electronegativity of the third metal elements leads to the catalyst with higher activity and higher α-olefin co-polymerization ability. The polyethylene produced by a nickel modified catalyst showed broad molecular weight distribution (MWD) and the lowest average molecular weight (MW), while by using a ferrum modified catalyst, the resulting polyethylene had the highest MW, reaching the ultra-high MW area. Vanadium and chromium modified catalysts demonstrated the best hydrogen response.     

Heterogeneous Copolymerization of Ethylene and α-olefins Using Aluminohydride-Zirconocene/SiO2/MAO by High-Throughput Screening

Copolymerizations of ethylene and α-olefins (1-hexene and 1-octene) using a supported catalyst derived from the activation of a zirconocene aluminohydride complex with PMAO and MMAO are reported. The supported (nBu-Cp₂ZrH₃AlH₂)/SiO₂/MAO system was evaluated by high-throughput techniques, in order to find approaches to the optimal copolymerization conditions. The polymerization reactions were carried out in a parallel polymerization reactors system (PPR) by Symyx Technologies, Inc. The screening of the activity of the supported system and the molecular weight (MW) of the polymers and copolymers obtained in the PPR, allowed us to optimize copolymerization conditions, like hydrogen (H₂) addition to control MW and molecular weight distribution (MWD), polymerization temperature, cocatalyst ratio, and solvent type. The copolymerization reactions were scaled-up in order to validate the performance of the catalytic system at higher polymerization scales, according to the results obtained in the combinatorial phase. The scaled-up copolymerizations of ethylene with 1-hexene and 1-octene, showed high activities and MW, and low comonomer incorporation (from 0.3 to 1.3 mol-%, determined by ¹³C NMR). However, the crystallinity (X_c), thermal properties (T_c and T_m) and densities of the polyethylenes obtained with the supported (nBu-Cp₂ZrH₃AlH₂)/SiO₂/MAO system, were significantly modified, approaching those of metallocene linear low-density polyethylenes (mLLDPE).     

Copolymerization of ethylene–1-Hexene over a thermally pretreated MgCl2/THF/TiCl4 bimetallic catalyst

MgCl₂/THF/TiCl₄ (TT-0) were thermally pretreated at 80°C for 5 min (TT-1) and 60 min (TT-2), and at 108°C for 5 min (TT-3) and 60 min (TT-4). These thermally pretreated catalysts showed comonomer enhancement effects in the ethylene-1-hexene copolymerization, while TT-0 catalyst did not. Comonomer enhancement effect of thermally pretreated catalysts could come from the generation of new active sites and change of its nature after heat treatment. 1-Hexene content in copolymer obtained with TT-1 was higher than those of TT-4 and TT-0. The morphology of homopolyethylene (PE) obtained with TT-1, 2, 3, and 4 was more regular and homogeneous than that of TT-0. This result could be due to the generation of active sites and change of its nature after thermal treatment of bimetallic catalyst. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2769–2776, 1997     

Copolymerization of ethylene α-olefin using MgCl2-ethanol adduct catalysts

The effects of the type and concentration of comonomers 1-hexene and 1-octene in the copolymerization of ethylene were investigated using pre polymerized Ziegler-Natta (catalyst a) and without pre polymerized (catalyst b) catalysts in the presence of hydrogen as a chain transfer agent. The properties of produced polymers were characterized by a set of techniques: (SEM), (EDX), (DSC), (GPC). TIBA and DEAC were used as co catalysts. The results of microscopic and SEM images showed the morphology and structure of catalysts (a) and (b) and the obtained spherical polymers. In the presence of 1-hexene, activity of catalyst (a) was at its maximum. The comonomer 1-octene at 32 mmol presented its activity (1.7 × 10³ g polymer/(g cat.h)) and after that, the activities decreased. Copolymerization of ethylene and 1-hexene by catalyst (b) showed higher activity (1.6 × 10³ g polymer/ polymer/(g cat.h)) at 40 mmol concentration of 1-hexene in comparison to catalyst (a).     

Polyethylene with bimodal molecular weight distribution synthesized by 2,6-bis(imino)pyridyl complexes of Fe(II) activated with various activators

Polyethylenes with bimodal molecular weight distribution (MWD) were synthesized by 2,6-bis(imino)pyridyl complexes of Fe(II) combined with different activators, which were prepared from alkylaluminium. It is found that the molecular weight (MW) and MWD was influenced by not only iron complexes but activators as well. The activator plays key important role in determination of the MW and MWD of final polymer and the MWD shape could be regulated by selection of various activators and polymerization conditions. The study on the variation of the MWD with the polymerization time and fitting of bimodal MWD with two Flory distributions suggests that bimodal MWD is caused by chain transfer reaction to activator or two active sites.     

异相Ziegler-Natta催化剂的活性中心多分散性(Ⅱ)——4种活性中心的聚合动力学参数

测定了络合Ⅱ型TiCl₃-Al(C₂H₅)₃催化1-辛烯聚合中不同时间的产物分子量分布,用4个Schulz-Flory“最可几”分布函数叠加,较好地拟合了实测分布,从而确定此体系有4种活性中心。从拟合及动力学测定结果确定了4种活性中心的聚合速率、浓度及链增长速率常数、链转移速率常数等,讨论了各活性中心的结构及聚合机理。     

TiCl4/XROH/MgCl2/Et3Al催化剂合成宽分子量分布乙烯/1-己烯共聚物

采用MgCl₂负载TiCl₄及1,3-二氯-2-丙醇给电子体(XROH),与三乙基铝助催化剂组成的催化剂体系,合成了1-己烯共聚率高且宽分子量分布的乙烯/1-己烯共聚物。 讨论了催化体系的组成、配比和聚合条件对乙烯/1-己烯共聚合行为,共聚物结构、分子量及分子量分布的影响。 结果表明,n(Ti)∶n(Mg)=10∶1,n(XROH)∶n(MgCl₂)=2.6∶1,n(Al)∶n(Ti)=100∶1,乙烯压力0.45 MPa,聚合温度80 ℃,聚合时间2 h,共聚单体(1-hexene)浓度0.25 mol/L时,催化效率达23.2 kg/g cat。 采用¹³C NMR、X-ray、SEM、WAXD、DSC、GPC等测试技术对催化剂、共聚物的结构进行了表征。 结果表明,在Zieglar-Natta(Z-N)催化体系中,给电子体多卤代醇与TiCl4结合,载体MgCl2的晶体结构发生了变化。 结晶度降低,有利于催化剂负载量的提高(ω(Ti)=4.8%)和催化效率增大。 催化体系产生了多种活性中心,使聚烯烃分子量分布变宽(15~20)。 多卤代醇还可增强1-己烯与乙烯的共聚能力,在共聚物中1-己烯的摩尔分数达5.1%。     

MgCl_2负载双金属复合催化剂制备宽分子量分布聚乙烯

聚乙烯的分子量和分子量分布对其熔体的流变性能和产品的力学性能有显著影响．分子量分布的变化,尤其是分子量分布末端部位的变化,都会对材料的注塑行为产生大的影响［１］．为了控制Ｚｉｅｇｌｅｒ催化剂制备的聚乙烯分子量分布而改善聚合工艺的报道很多［２～４］,工业生产中可利用多步聚合工艺来获得宽分子量分布的聚乙烯［５,６］,但这种方法工艺复杂,成本高．美国ＵＣＣ公司利用复合的ＴｉＶ和ＺｒＶ催化剂在气相法Ｕｎｉｐｏｌ工艺装置上首次成功的合成出了双峰高分子量聚乙烯产品［７,８］,由于采用Ｕｎｉｐｏｌ生产工艺…