SUPPORTED ZIEGLER-NATTA CATALYSTS FOR ETHYLENE SLURRY POLYMERIZATION AND CONTROL OF MOLECULAR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION OF POLYETHYLENE

The effect of chemical composition of highly active supported Ziegler-Natta catalysts with controlled morphology on the MWD of PE has been studied.It was shown the variation of transition metal compound in the MgCl_2-supported catalyst affect of MWD of PE produced in broad range:Vanadium-magnesium catalyst(VMC)produce PE with broad and bimodal MWD(M_w/M_n=14-21).MWD of PE,produced over titanium-magnesium catalyst(TMC)is narrow or medium depending on Ti content in the catalyst(M_w/M_n=3.1-4.8).The oxidati...     

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.     

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.     

Molecular weight distributions of linear polymers: Detailed analysis from GPC data

The GPC method is used widely to measure molecular weights of linear polymers. High-quality GPC data contains detailed information on many aspects of the polymer's molecular weight distribution (MWD). This information can be extracted from the data using computer analysis. Equations have been derived for the two simplest MWD functions in the GPC coordinates: the Flory function (one growing polymer chain produces one polymer molecule), and for the case when two polymer radicals combine into one polymer molecule. The equations were used to analyze MWD of two classes of polymers. The first class includes polymers with narrow MWD: polyethylene, ethylene-propylene and ethylene-hexene copolymers, syndiotactic polystyrene, and radical polystyrene. The second class includes polymers with broad MWD: ethylene copolymers and polypropylene produced with heterogeneous, Ti-based catalysts. The examples demonstrate that the resolution of complex GPC curves into their constitutents serve as an important source of information about kinetics of polymerization reactions. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Some special aspects of the copolymer synthesis with Ziegler-Natta catalysts

An approach of the special problems observed in copolymerization with Ziegler-Natta heterogeneous catalysts is given on the basis of linear low-density polyethylene synthesis in gas phase reaction. The reaction is controlled by chemistry and not by diffusion. The ethylene-l-butene copolymerization reactivity computed from the kinetic study varies with the copolymer composition, and this is due to the fact that the comonomer acts as a ligand of the active centers. The reactivities computed from NMR analysis are also not really reliable as the copolymer is a mixture of copolymers with different compositions.     

Olefin copolymerization with metallocene catalysts. I. Comparison of catalysts

A number of metallocene/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts have been compared for ethylene/propylene copolymerizations to find relationship between the polymerization activities, copolymer structures, and copolymerization reactivity ratio with the catalyst structures. Stereorigid racemic ethylene bis (indenyl) zirconium dichloride and the tetrahydro derivative exhibit very high activity of 10 ⁷ g (mol Zr h bar)^?1, giving copolymers having comonomer compositions about the same as the feed compositions, molecular weights increasing with the increase of ethylene in the feed, random incorporation of comonomers, and narrow molecular weight distribution indicative of a single catalytic species. Nonbridged bis (indenyl) zirconium behaved differently, favoring the incorporation of ethylene over propylene, producing copolymers whose molecular weight decreases with the increase of ethylene in the feed, broad molecular weight distribution, and a methanol soluble fraction. This catalyst system contains two or more active species. Simple methallocene catalysts have much lower polymerization activities. C_pTiCl₂/MAO produced copolymers with tendency toward alternation, whereas Cp₂HfCl₂/MAO gave copolymer containing short blocks of monomers.     

以二乙烯苯凝胶为核的星形高聚物的研究(Ⅰ)——星形聚苯乙烯的支化度及支化度分布

本文以二元活性共聚物的模型来处理星形高聚物结合点的二乙烯苯凝胶,参考了活性二元共聚物的统计理论,得到了活性预聚物与二乙烯苯的反应产物的分子量与支化度的分布函数。在活性聚苯乙烯、对位二乙烯苯、正丁基锂与苯的反应体系中,进行了实验验证。结果表明:在配料比不大的情况下,理论分析与实验结果基本一致。在上述理论分析基础上,结合实验数据,得到了两个分布参数以及控制支化度及支化度分布的规律。     

Multicenter nature of titanium‐based Ziegler–Natta catalysts: Comparison of ethylene and propylene polymerization reactions

This article discusses the similarities and differences between active centers in propylene and ethylene polymerization reactions over the same Ti‐based catalysts. These correlations were examined by comparing the polymerization kinetics of both monomers over two different Ti‐based catalyst systems, δ‐TiCl₃‐AlEt₃ and TiCl₄/DBP/MgCl₂‐AlEt₃/PhSi(OEt)₃, by comparing the molecular weight distributions of respective polymers, in consecutive ethylene/propylene and propylene/ethylene homopolymerization reactions, and by examining the IR spectra of “impact‐resistant” polypropylene (a mixture of isotactic polypropylene and an ethylene/propylene copolymer). The results of these experiments indicated that Ti‐based catalysts contain two families of active centers. The centers of the first family, which are relatively unstable kinetically, are capable of polymerizing and copolymerizing all olefins. This family includes from four to six populations of centers that differ in their stereospecificity, average molecular weights of polymer molecules they produce, and in the values of reactivity ratios in olefin copolymerization reactions. The centers of the second family (two populations of centers) efficiently polymerize only ethylene. They do not homopolymerize α‐olefins and, if used in ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerization reactions, incorporate α‐olefin molecules very poorly. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1745–1758, 2003     

Control of microstructural properties in emulsion polymerization systems

Control strategies for the simultaneous control of microstructural properties of copolymer latexes (copolymer composition and molecular weight distribution) are presented. For linear polymers, on-line control strategies based on calorimetric measurements allowed to produce styrene/n-butyl acrylate emulsion polymers of predefined copolymer compositions and MWDs. The strategy failed for nonlinear polymers because the polymer produced at a certain process time might later in the process become active varying its molecular weight. Alternative open-loop control policies were developed for nonlinear polymers. These strategies required a mathematical model of the process that is used in an off-line optimization to determine the trajectories of the manipulated variables (feed flow rates of monomer and CTA) that allow producing the desired copolymers. The implementation of the open-loop control allowed the production of nonlinear MMA/n-BA emulsion copolymers of well-defined copolymer composition and MWD.     

在四官能团引发剂存在下的自缩合乙烯基聚合反应制备丙烯酸酯类超支化共聚物

超支化聚合物具有特殊的结构和性能 ,可通过一步法聚合直接制得 ,具有大规模工业应用前景 .近年来 ,超支化聚合物的研究已成为高分子科学的热门课题之一[1～ 3 ] .超支化聚合物的一个主要缺点是它的分子量分布比较宽 .Ｍ櫣ｌｌｅｒ[4] 等通过理论计算指出 ,在聚合体系中加入ｆ个功能基团的分子Ｂｆ[对自缩合乙烯基聚合反应 (ＳＣＶＰ) ,Ｂｆ为ｆ个引发基的引发剂 ;对ＡＢｘ 型单体的缩聚反应 ,为有ｆ个Ｂ官能团的分子 ],可以降低超支化聚合物的分子量分布 ,这一结果已被实验证实[5～ 7] .我们用ＭｏｎｔｅＣａｒｌｏ方法模拟了在多官能团引…     

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     

Multi‐center nature of heterogeneous Ziegler–Natta catalysts: TREF confirmation

A new approach to detailed Tref analysis of ethylene/α‐olefin copolymers prepared with multi‐center polymerization catalysts is developed. It is based on resolution of complex Tref curves into elemental components described with the Lorentz distribution function. This approach was applied to the study of a series of ethylene/1‐butene copolymers prepared with a supported Ti‐based catalyst. The analysis showed that the copolymers, which, on average, contain from 6.5 to 3.5 mol % of 1‐butene, consist of seven discrete components with different compositions, ranging from a completely amorphous material with a 1‐butene content of > 15–20 mol %, to two highly crystalline components with 1‐butene contents < 1 mol %. A comparison of these Tref results with the data on the molecular weight distribution of the copolymers (based on resolution of their GPC curves) shows that Tref and GPC data provide complimentary information on the properties of active centers in the catalysts in terms of the molecular weights of the material they produce and their ability to copolymerize α‐olefins with ethylene. Tref analysis of copolymers produced at different reaction times showed that the active centers responsible for the formation of various Tref components differ in the rates of their formation and in stability. The centers that produce copolymer molecules with a high 1‐butene content are formed rapidly but decay rapidly as well whereas the centers producing copolymer molecules with a low 1‐butene content are formed more slowly but are more stable. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4351–4362, 2005     

Some Reactions of Vinyl Isocyanate and Its Copolymers∗

Linear, soluble copolymers of vinyl isocyanate with styrene and methyl methacrylate were obtained when the comonomer:vinyl isocyanate ratio in the copolymer was greater than 9:1. When the comonomer to isocyanate ratio was less than 2:1, the copolymers were insoluble. Infrared evidence indicated that spontaneous cross-linking through the isocyanate function occurred by a mechanism similar to the known reaction by which isocyanates undergo dimerization and trimerization. The soluble copolymers retained the reactive isocyanate moeity as was shown by their reactivity with n-butylamine and ethanol to produce, respectively, the corresponding polyurea and polycarbamate, and with ethylenediamine and water to produce cross-linked polymers. The intrinsic viscosity [η] for the 9:1 methyl methacrylate: vinyl isocyanate copolymer was 0.22 dl/g while that for the corresponding ethyl carbamate was 0.24 dl/g.     

Melting behavior of polyethylene/α‐olefin copolymers: Narrow composition distribution copolymers and fractions from Ziegler–Natta and single‐site catalyst products

The melting temperature and heat of fusion were measured for an extensive series of compositionally uniform copolymers of ethylene with butene‐1, hexene‐1, and octene‐1. Fractions and whole polymers that exhibited minimal interchain compositional heterogeneity were from commercial copolymers made with either Ziegler–Natta (ZN) or single‐site metallocene catalysts. The present results do not support recent claims that ZN and corresponding metallocene catalyst copolymers melt at significantly different temperatures, nor the implication that comonomer incorporation is “blocky” in ZN copolymers. In five of the six comonomer/catalyst systems the dependencies of the melting temperature on comonomer type and amount were scarcely distinguishable. This common behavior is the same as that for a model random copolymer, so we conclude that most ethylene/α‐olefin copolymers have random distributions of ethylene sequences. The exception in the present study is a metallocene ethylene/butene‐1 copolymer that melts at lower temperatures and apparently has perceptibly alternating sequence distributions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3416–3427, 2004     

Molecular weight distributions in polymerizing systems with different coexisting active centers

Polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated by organomagnesium compounds Bu₂Mg or BuMgCl leads to almost monodisperse polymers. The molecular weight distribution (MWD) of these polymers is so narrow that it cannot be measured by means of the ultracentrifuge. It remains narrow till high conversions. On the other hand, initiation by complex Bu₃Mg₂I leads to polymers with a broad MWD. From kinetic measurements we know that this reaction is free of chain termination and chain transfer. Also the initiation of chains is practically immediate. The reason for broad MWD in this particular case is the coexistence of different growing centers of polymerization. The propagation constants for these centers are obviously different. If these different active centers can periodically undergo transition from one type into the other the MWD of resulting polymer chains will broaden. A very simple semiquantitative theory for this phenomenon was developed. It shows that the fewer exchanges between the coexisting centers that occur during the reaction time, the broader will be the MWD of the polymer chains. Hence it was concluded that the broadest MWD of products must be found at low conversions. With an increase of reaction time and conversion the MWD becomes more narrow. This peculiar prediction was corroborated by experiment.     

Alkenylsilane effects on organotitanium-catalyzed ethylene polymerization. Toward simultaneous polyolefin branch and functional group introduction

The comonomer 5-hexenylsilane is introduced into organotitanium-mediated ethylene polymerizations to produce silane-terminated ethylene/5-hexenylsilane copolymers. The resulting polymers were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, GPC, and DSC. High activities (up to 107 g polymer/(mol Ti.atm ethylene.h)) and narrow polydispersities are observed in the polymerization/chain transfer process. Ethylene/5-hexenylsilane copolymer molecular weights are found to be inversely proportional to 5-hexenylsilane concentration, supporting a silanolytic chain transfer mechanism. Control experiments indicate that chain transfer mechanism by 5-hexenylsilane is significantly more efficient than that of n-hexylsilane for organotitanium-mediated ethylene polymerization. The present study represents the first case in which a functionalized comonomer is efficiently used to effect both propagation and chain transfer chemistry during olefin polymerization.     

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.     

后过渡金属催化烯烃可控/活性聚合的研究进展

烯烃活性聚合由于可以制备出预定分子量的窄分布聚合物,以及各种嵌段共聚物、末端功能化聚合物等而受到广泛关注.过渡金属催化的烯烃配位聚合反应活性高,催化剂性能可通过配体结构的修饰进行调节,聚合物微观结构易于调控,其活性聚合进一步拓展了对烯烃聚合物分子设计的手段,具有重要的意义.除了以钛、锆、钒等为金属中心的前过渡系催化剂之...     

Comonomer Distribution in Polyethylenes Analysed by DSC After Thermal Fractionation

Ethylene copolymers exhibit a broad range of comonomer distributions. Thermal fractionation was performed on different grades of copolymers in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Subsequent melting scans of fractionated polyethylenes provided a series of endothermic peaks each corresponding to a particular branch density. The DSC melting peak temperature and the area under each fraction were used to determine the branch density for each melting peak in the thermal fractionated polyethylenes. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) showed no branches whereas linear low-density polyethylenes (LLDPE) exhibited a broad range of comonomer distributions. The distributions depended on the catalyst and comonomer type and whether the polymerisation was performed in the liquid or gas phase. The DSC curves contrast the very broad range of branching in Ziegler—Natta polymers, particularly those formed in the liquid phase, with those formed by single-site catalysts. The metallocene or single-site catalysed polymers showed, as expected, a narrower distribution of branching, but broader than sometimes described. The ultra low-density polyethylenes (ULDPE) can be regarded as partially melted at room temperature thus fractionation of ULDPE should continue to sub-ambient temperatures. The thermal fractionation is shown to be useful for determining the crystallisation behaviour of polyethylene blends.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.