Mathematical Modeling of the Microstructure of Poly(propylene) Made with Ziegler‐Natta Catalysts in the Presence of Electron Donors

Two different modeling techniques, the method of moments and Monte Carlo simulation, were compared for propylene polymerization with coordination catalysts including a new mechanistic step, site transformation by electron donors. We used the models to show how the molecular weight and tacticity distributions of several poly(propylene) chain populations were affected by changing the concentration of hydrogen, electron donor, and propylene in the reactor, under steady‐state or dynamic operating conditions. The Monte Carlo simulation describes the molecular weight and tacticity distributions for the whole polymer and chain populations with distinct microstructural characteristics. We have also applied the Monte Carlo model to simulate the pentad sequence distributions and its equivalent ¹³C NMR spectra.

     

Synthesis of polypropylene block copolymers from brominated styrene-terminated isotactic polypropylene

Isotactic polypropylene block copolymers, isotactic-polypropylene-block-poly (methyl methacrylate) (i-PP-b-PMMA) and isotactic-polypropylene-block-polystyrene (i-PP-b-PS), were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using a brominated styrene-terminated isotactic polypropylene macroinitiator synthesized from bromination of styrene-terminated isotactic polypropylene. The styrene-terminated isotactic polypropylene can be obtained by polymerization of propylene in the presence of styrene and hydrogen chain transfer agents using a rac-Me₂Si[2-methyl-4-(1-naphyl)Ind]₂ZrCl₂ as catalyst. The molecular weights of isotactic polypropylene block copolymers were controlled by altering the amount of hydrogen used in the polymerization of propylene and the amount of monomer used in the blocking reaction. The effect of i-PP-b-PS block copolymer on PP-PS blends and that of i-PP-b-PMMA block copolymer on PP-PMMA blends were studied by scanning electron microscopy.     

氢气对氯硅烷功能化非共轭α,ω-双烯烃和丙烯共聚物链结构的影响

基于Ziegler-Natta催化剂的氯硅烷功能化非共轭α,ω-双烯烃与丙烯共聚,在水的引发下脱水缩合可有效地形成长支链结构的聚丙烯树脂.而氢气常作为丙烯聚合中的链转移剂,调控聚丙烯的分子量,基于此,研究了氢气对氯硅烷功能化非共轭α,ω-双烯烃与丙烯共聚物链结构的影响.核磁共振氢谱(~1H-NMR)测试结果表明,氢气抑制了氯硅烷功能化非共轭α,ω-双烯烃的插入,随着氢气用量的增加,共聚物分子链中端基乙烯基含量由0.12 mol%降低到0.05 mol%.熔体流变行为测试结果显示,聚合物熔体的储能模量、损耗模量和零剪切黏度均随着氢气用量增加而降低,这主要是由于相对分子质量减小和长支链密度的减少.     

Polydentate phosphine oxides as external electron donors for titanium-magnesium catalysts for propylene polymerization

The possibility of using R _n P(O)(CH₂OR′)_3—n (R = alkyl, R′ = methyl or acyl, n = 0–2) polydentate phosphine oxides as external electron donors for the titanium-magnesium catalysts for isotactic polypropylene synthesis is demonstrated for the first time. The kinetics of propylene polymerization in liquid monomer at 70°C and the isotacticity and molecular-weight characteristics of the resulting polypropylene are studied as functions of the nature of the substituents at the phosphorus atoms in the external donor and the molar ratio of the cocatalyst AlEt₃ to the external electron donor. Among the compounds examined, isoamyldi(methoxymethyl)phosphine oxide (R = iso-Am, R′ = Me, n = 1) is the most efficient. The isotacticity index of the polypropylene (PP) synthesized on the titanium-magnesium catalyst with this external donor is as high as 94–95%, and the activity of the catalyst (Cat) in the absence of hydrogen is 5.0–6.5 (kg PP) (g Cat)^?1 h^?1. With the optimum combination, the activity of this catalyst is ≈5 (kg PP) (g Cat)^?1 h^?1 and the isotacticity index is 94%. These parameters are close to those obtained for propylene polymerization in the absence of hydrogen on the same titanium-magnesium catalyst with phenyltriethoxysilane (external donor used in the industrial synthesis of PP): the activity is 5.6 (kg PP) (g Cat)^?1 h^?1, and the isotacticity index is 95%. The introduction of hydrogen into the reaction zone makes it possible to efficiently control the molecular weight of PP, increases the catalyst activity by a factor of 1.5–2.5, and somewhat decreases the isotacticity index (from 94 to 91–92%).     

以聚丙二醇二苯甲酸酯为给电子体的丙烯聚合催化剂

 采用聚丙二醇二苯甲酸酯(PPGDB)为内给电子体制备了一种新的丙烯聚合催化剂MgCl2/PPGDB/TiCl4. 该催化剂用于丙烯聚合时,除了具有与以邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯为给电子体的催化剂相当的活性和立体定向性外,其特点在于所得产物的分子量分布较宽(Mw/Mn＞8.0). 采用红外光谱研究了催化剂中PPGDB与MgCl2的作用机制,结果表明PPGDB中的酯官能团和醚官能团可同时与MgCl2配位. 这种双官能团的配位作用是所得聚合物分子量分布较宽的主要原因.     

Effect of solvent for vinyl acetate polymerization on microstructure of poly(vinyl alcohol)

The solution polymerization of vinyl acetate was carried out in several solvents at 0 to 100°C, using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. For the resulting poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), iodinecoloration, 1,2-glycol structure and tacticity were observed. The pentad tacticity of PVA was estimated from its methine carbon spectra by means of ¹³C-FTNMR spectrometer. Iodine-coloration ability of PVA varied markedly with the type of polymerization solvent and decreased in the following order: phenol > aq. phenol > methyl alcohol > ethyl acetate > DMSO, ethylene carbonate. The syndiotactic fraction in PVA also decreased with polymerization solvent in the same order as that of iodine coloration, while 1,2-glycol content of PVA was not almost affected by polymerization solvent except for phenol and aq. phenol. In solution polymerization performed, effect of polymerization temperature on tacticity was less than that of solvent.     

Liquid‐phase polymerization of propylene with a highly active Ziegler–Natta catalyst. Influence of hydrogen,cocatalyst, and electron donor on the reaction kinetics

This paper presents an experimental kinetic study of the polymerization of propylene in liquid monomer with a high activity catalyst. The influences of the concentration of hydrogen and the molar ratios of the catalyst, cocatalyst, and electron donor on the activation period, the maximum activity, the yield, and the decay behavior have been investigated at a temperature of 42°C using a relatively simple kinetic model. On the basis of the experimental data, the reaction rate has been modeled as a function of the hydrogen concentration, the molar ratio of cocatalyst and titanium, and the molar ratio of the electron donor and the cocatalyst. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 219–232, 1999     

负载型催化剂制备的聚丙烯等规度分布

负载型Ziesler－Natta催化剂中存在许多活性中心［'3，为了解其本质，需对其各自产生的聚合物进行分离，以往采用的溶剂抽提法［'－'j只能将聚合物大致分级．最近，升温淋洗分级法（TREF）已被运用于聚丙烯的分级卜，'，其原理是根据聚合物的结晶度分级D'，影响聚丙烯结晶性的主要因素是等规度，而分子量到达一定程度后其影响较小，故通过TREF分级可得到聚丙烯的等规度分布．TREF法的淋洗温度可控，故分级效果较好．该法在分级前需对样品进行等温结晶处理，以消除抽提法由于样品未必充分结晶而带来的误差．本文用TREF法对不同催化…     

丙烯聚合用TiCl_4/MgCl_2催化剂的研究——内给电子体的作用

采用相同制备工艺 ,制备分别以邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯 (DIBP)和 9,9 双 (甲氧基甲基 )芴 (BMMF)为内给电子体和不加入内给电子体 3种催化剂 .研究了它们在无外给电子体时聚合性能 ,以及合成的聚丙烯的等规度 ,分子量及其分布 .并采用CRYSTAF和1 3C NMR对聚丙烯沸腾庚烷不溶部分结晶性能和序列结构进行分析 ,结果表明内给电子体对聚丙烯分子链序列结构有很大影响 ;BMMF催化剂、DIBP催化剂和无内给电子体催化剂合成的聚丙烯规整性依次下降 .对BMMF催化剂 ,当烷基铝为Et3Al时 ,铝钛比增加 ,等规度和活性明显下降 .当烷基铝i Bu3Al时 ,铝钛比增加 ,等规度略微下降而活性增加 ;但是1 3C NMR研究发现其 (铝钛比为 3 0 0时 )庚烷不溶物的规整性与DIBP催化剂的庚烷不溶物的规整性一致 .这表明内给电子体在聚合中的作用不在于是酯还是醚 ,在于它与氯化镁的络合强度 .络合越强 ,得到的聚丙烯分子链越规整     

SUPPORTED CATALYST WITHOUT EXTERNAL ELECTRON DONOR FOR PROPYLENE POLYMERIZATION Ⅱ. TACTICITY DISTRIBUTION AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF POLYPROPYLENE*

Propylene was polymerized with a novel supported Ziegler-Natta catalystcontaining 2,2-di-iso-butyl-1,3-dimethoxy-propane (DIBDMP) as internal donor and in theabsence of external donor. The tacticity distribution of polypropylene was obtained by usingtemperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) technique and microstructure of fractionswas studied with ~(13)C-NMR. Compared with the catalyst without electron donor, this cat-alyst gives a considerably narrower tacticity distribution. Fractionation data demonstratethat DIBDMP shows better performance than aromatic diester DNBP (di-n-butyl phtha-late). Chemically inverted propylene units and less stereoblockiness are found in the firstfraction. Possible reasons for these were presented.     

Propylene polymerization by C1‐symmetric {ONNO′}‐type salan zirconium complexes

The activities of C₁‐symmetric dibenzyl zirconium complexes of Salan ligands that bear a halo‐substituted phenolate ring and an alkyl‐substituted phenolate ring in propylene polymerization with methylaluminoxane as cocatalyst were studied. These {ONNO′}ZrBn₂‐type catalysts exhibited moderate‐to‐high activities and yielded polypropylene of low molecular weight. The degree of tacticity was found to depend on the steric bulk of the substituents on both phenolate rings and ranged from practically atactic to substantially isotactic (74–78% [mmmm] for polymerizations at room temperature by Lig⁵ZrBn₂). Hemi‐isotactic polypropylene was not obtained, despite the diastereotopicity of the two positions. The pattern of stereo errors was consistent with the enantiomorphic site control of propylene insertion typically observed for C₂‐symmetric catalysts and implied a facile site‐averaging mechanism. A regular 1,2‐insertion and a β‐H transfer to an incoming monomer correspond to the main propagation and termination processes, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Polymerization of vinylpyridinium salts. III. Further studies on the interfacial and isotropic polymerization of 4-vinyl-N-methylpyridinium methylsulfate

In the present study the polymerization of 4-vinyl-N-methylpyridinium methylsulfate at liquid–liquid interfaces is investigated. Various experimental procedures that may favor the interfacial mode of polymerization over the isotropic one are discussed. The effectiveness of the methods was evaluated by physical characterization studies and particularly polymer tacticity. This last property is directly associated with the achieved organization of the monomers at interfaces. ¹³C-NMR technique was used for tacticity determination. According to tacticity, random polymers are primarily obtained that result from an isotropic polymerization in the aqueous phase, where the monomer is extremely soluble. The small predominance of the syndiotactic triad over the isotactic one is explained by the occurrence of an interfacial polymerization induced by the orientation of the monomers. A polymerization model is proposed that justifies the stereospecificity modification of polymerization.     

Fractionation and Crystallization of Isotactic Poly(propylenes) Prepared with a Heterogeneous Transition Metal Catalysts

Summary: A series of poly(propylenes) (PPs) were prepared by slurry polymerization using a MgCl₂-supported transition metal catalyst. Two different external donors (EDs) were used: diphenyl dimethoxysilane (DPDMS) and methylphenyl dimethoxysilane (MPDMS). The molecular weight (MW) of the PPs was controlled using molecular hydrogen that was used as a transfer agent. To obtain materials with differing molecular weight and similar tacticities, polymers were fractionated with prep-TREF. DSC analyses of blends of TREF fractions showed that the crystallization behaviour of the polymer blends are strongly affected by the configuration (tacticity) and MW of the PP.     

Structure–property relationship of phenoxyimine ligands/metal chloride initiating systems for controlled cationic polymerizations of alkyl vinyl ethers

The catalyst structure–property relationships of the phenoxyimine complexes in controlled cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers were investigated based on the Hammett correlation. The correlation analyses of a series of experiments using the phenoxyimine ligands/TiCl₄ initiating systems indicated that the substituents on the N‐aryl phenoxyimine ligands affected the polymerization rate and stereoselectivity. Importantly, a linear correlation was observed between the Hammett substituent constants and the polymerization rates, which indicates that the Lewis acidity of the complex is affected by the electron‐withdrawing and ‐donating effects of the substituents. The tacticity of product polymers correlated to the Hammett substituent constants. Unlike the relationship with the polymerization rates, the σ^– values, which account for the enhanced resonance effects, were more appropriate for the relationship with the tacticity than the normal σ values. In contrast, the polymerization behavior using o‐substituted ligands exhibited a trend different from those using p‐ or m‐substituted ligands. The structural change, which was caused by the rotation of the C? N bonding, most likely triggered the acceleration effect in the case of the o‐substituents. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2021–2029     

Polymerization Kinetics of Propylene with the MgCl_2-Supported Ziegler-Natta Catalysts——Active Centers with Different Tacticity and Fragmentation of the Catalyst

The catalytic activity and stereospecificity of olefin polymerization by using heterogeneous TiCl_4/MgCl_2 Ziegler-Natta(Z-N) catalysts are determined by the structure and nature of active centers, which are mysterious and fairly controversial. In this work, the propylene polymerization kinetics under different polymerization temperatures by using Z-N catalysts were investigated through monitoring the concentration of active centers [C*] with different tacticity. SEM was applied to characterize the catalyst morphologies and growing polypropylene(PP) particles. The lamellar thickness and crystallizability of PP obtained under different polymerization conditions were analyzed by DSC and SAXS. The PP fractions and active centers with different tacticity were obtained with solvent extraction fractionation method. The catalytic activity, active centers with different tacticity and propagation rate constant k_p, fragmentation of the catalyst, crystalline structure of PP are correlated with temperature and time for propylene polymerizations. The polymerization temperature and time show complex influences on the propylene polymerization. The higher polymerization temperature(60 ℃) resulted higher activity, k_p and lower [C*], and the isotactic active centers C_i* as the majority ones producing the highest isotactic polypropylene(iPP) components showed much higher k_p when compared with the active centers with lower stereoselectivity. Appropriate polymerization time provided full fragmentation of the catalyst and minimum diffusion limitation. This work aims to elucidate the formation and evolution of active centers with different tacticity under different polymerization temperature and time and its relations with the fragmentation of the PP/catalyst particles, and provide the solutions to the improvement of catalyst activity and isotacticity of PP.     

Photoinitiated grafting of maleic anhydride onto polypropylene

The photoinitiated grafting of maleic anhydride (MAH) onto polypropylene with the use of benzophenone (BP) as the initiator has been investigated. In comparison with the process of thermally initiated grafting with peroxide as the initiator, photoinitiated grafting affords a higher grafting efficiency. The efficient photografting sensitized by BP can be explained by two possible mechanistic processes: the sensitization of the formation of the excited triplet state of MAH by BP and electron transfer followed by proton transfer between MAH and the benzopinacol radical, which may operate together. In the former case, the generated MAH excited triplet state abstracts a hydrogen from the polymer substrate to initiate grafting. A rate constant of 3.6 × 10⁹ M ^?1 s ^?1 has been determined by laser flash photolysis for the process of quenching the excited triplet state of BP with ground‐state MAH. In comparison, the rate constant for the quenching of the excited triplet state of BP by hydrogen abstraction has been determined to be 4.1 × 10⁵ M ^?1 s ^?1. In a study of photografting using a model compound, 2,4‐dimethylpentane, as a small‐molecule analogue of polypropylene, the loss of BP was significantly reduced upon the addition of MAH, and this is consistent with the proposed mechanistic processes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1953–1962, 2004     

Influence of the graphite type on the synthesis of polypropylene/graphene nanocomposites

In this work, the synthesis of polypropylene (PP)/graphene nanosheet (GNS) nanocomposites by in situ polymerization using metallocene catalysts was studied. Initial reactions were performed using rac‐Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ and rac‐Me₂Si(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ catalysts to select the best one to obtain good molecular weight, thermal properties, and tacticity. Subsequently, PP nanocomposites with different loadings of GNS were obtained. GNS from two different sources [Graphite Nacional (GN) and Graphite Aldrich (GA)] have been used, and the differences between the obtained nanocomposites were evaluated. The GNS and nanocomposites were studied by scanning electronic microcopy, transmission electronic microcopy, and X‐ray diffraction. They showed that the GN nanosheets had lower crystal size and diameter than the GA nanosheets and dispersed better in the PP matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses of both types of nanocomposites showed an increase in the crystallization temperature with increasing graphite loading. The polymeric materials were also characterized by GPC, thermogravimetric analysis, and ¹³C NMR. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Effects of external donors and hydrogen concentration on oligomer formation and chain end distribution in propylene polymerization with Ziegler‐Natta catalysts

The effect of type and concentration of external donor and hydrogen concentration on oligomer formation and chain end distribution were studied. Bulk polymerization of propylene was carried out with two different Ziegler‐Natta catalysts at 70 °C, one a novel self‐supported catalyst (A) and the other a conventional MgCl₂‐supported catalyst (B) with triethyl aluminum as cocatalyst. The external donors used were dicyclopentyl dimethoxy silane (DCP) and cyclohexylmethyl dimethoxy silane (CHM). The oligomer amount was shown to be strongly dependent on the molecular weight of the polymer. Catalyst A gave approximately 50 % lower oligomer content than catalyst B due to narrower molecular weight distribution in case of catalyst A. More n‐Bu‐terminated chain ends were found for catalyst A indicating more frequent 2,1 insertions. Catalyst A also gave more vinylidene‐terminated oligomers, suggesting that chain transfer to monomer, responsible for the vinylidene chain ends, was a more important chain termination mechanism for this catalyst, especially at low hydrogen concentration. Low site selectivity, due to low external donor concentration or use of a weak external donor (CHM), was also found to increase formation of vinylidene‐terminated oligomers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 351–358, 2010     

Size- and shape-dependent activity of metal nanoparticles as hydrogen-evolution catalysts: mechanistic insights into photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The catalytic activity of Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) with different sizes and shapes was investigated in a photocatalytic hydrogen‐evolution system composed of the 9‐mesityl‐10‐methylacridinium ion (Acr⁺–Mes: photocatalyst) and dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH: electron donor), based on rates of hydrogen evolution and electron transfer from one‐electron‐reduced species of Acr⁺–Mes (Acr^.–Mes) to PtNPs. Cubic PtNPs with a diameter of (6.3±0.6) nm exhibited the maximum catalytic activity. The observed hydrogen‐evolution rate was virtually the same as the rate of electron transfer from Acr^.–Mes to PtNPs. The rate constant of electron transfer (k_et) increased linearly with increasing proton concentration. When H⁺ was replaced by D⁺, the inverse kinetic isotope effect was observed for the electron‐transfer rate constant (k_et(H)/k_et(D)=0.47). The linear dependence of k_et on proton concentration together with the observed inverse kinetic isotope effect suggests that proton‐coupled electron transfer from Acr^.–Mes to PtNPs to form the Pt? H bond is the rate‐determining step for catalytic hydrogen evolution. When FeNPs were used instead of PtNPs, hydrogen evolution was also observed, although the hydrogen‐evolution efficiency was significantly lower than that of PtNPs because of the much slower electron transfer from Acr^.–Mes to FeNPs.