A Study of Particle-Surface Interactions During Olefin Polymerisation in Gas Phase Reactors

This work focuses on the heat exchange between a polymer particle and the reactor wall, especially for cases with low gas velocity. The role of different wall materials (or heat transfer conditions) is investigated with an eye to understanding how this influences the likelihood of particle melting, and, indirectly, wall sheeting. The main focus of this work was to simulate the temperature profiles inside growing polymer particles in the vicinity of the reactor wall when it is clean (steel) or covered with a layer of non reactive polymer. As a comparison, we have also simulated the reactor wall as being glass to represent bench scale polymerization equipment. The results from this work can help to understand how for instance wall sheeting can be accelerated if the reactor walls are not clean and how we can compare results from bench scale experiments to industrial scale units.     

Heat Transfer in Gas‐Phase Olefin Polymerisation: A Study of Particle/Surface Interactions

This work focuses on the heat exchange between a polymer particle and the reactor wall for low gas velocities. The role of different wall materials (or heat transfer conditions) is investigated with an eye to understanding how this influences the likelihood of build up of wall sheeting via melting of particles. The temperature profiles inside growing polymer particles in the vicinity of the reactor wall when it is clean (steel) or covered with a layer of non‐reactive polymer are simulated. As a comparison, we have also simulated glass reactor walls to represent bench‐scale polymerisation equipment. The results can help to understand how how we can compare results from bench‐scale experiments to industrial scale units.

     

CFD Analysis of Gas–Particle Heat Transfer in Gas‐Phase Olefin Polymerizations

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to study the gas–particle heat transfer in gas‐phase olefin polymerizations. Particularly, the effects of particle rotation on the gas–particle heat transfer coefficient and internal particle temperatures are evaluated, showing that particle rotation can exert a significant impact on observed temperature profiles, so that this effect should not be neglected during detailed CFD process simulations. As a consequence, particle rotation can lead to particle cooling and development of spherical gradient symmetry, validating the use of simpler modeling schemes that are based on reaction–diffusion in symmetrical spherical geometry.

     

受限空间下的烯烃聚合研究

近些年来,随着纳米技术的发展,出现了很多微纳米反应器,该反应器能够提供具有纳米尺寸的反应环境,使得在该环境下进行的反应受到纳米空间的影响,生成具有纳米效应或特殊结构的产物。在聚烯烃催化聚合中,也出现很多具有受限空间的微纳米反应器载体,这些载体不仅能够负载烯烃催化剂,还能为烯烃聚合反应提供受限空间环境。在纳米尺度效应的影响下,催化烯烃聚合进程发生变化,可以得到一些具有特殊结构与性能(比如高熔点、超高分子量、纤维状)的聚烯烃产物。本文总结现阶段受限空间下烯烃聚合研究的最新成果,主要根据聚合物的不同结构进行分类,分别介绍了受限空间对聚烯烃产物的形貌、反应动力学及活性、初级结构、二级结构和凝聚态结构及性能的影响,并对受限聚合研究的发展趋势进行了展望。     

Influence of Silica Support Size on the Polymerisation of Ethylene Using a Supported Metallocene Catalyst

In the current work, we will focus on the influence of support properties on the activity and molecular weights of polyethylene produced with a metallocene supported on silica treated with MAO. It is demonstrated that relatively small changes in the size of the silica particles have a profound effect on the activity of the growing particles, and that not all particles in a given batch of catalyst behave in the same manner.     

烯烃聚合中金属化合物间的链转移反应

烯烃聚合过程中, 金属化合物之间快速可逆的链转移反应是一个重要和有用的反应, 它不仅影响催化剂的活性和实现对聚合物分子量的控制, 还可以得到长链烷基金属化合物, 进而通过后续转化得到特种聚烯烃材料, 如官能团化聚烯烃和多嵌段聚烯烃共聚物. 综述了这一方面的主要发展情况.     

聚合物载体负载TiCl4/I-Bu3Al催化烯烃聚合

聚合物负载催化剂;聚合物载体负载TiCl4/I-Bu3Al催化烯烃聚合     

Applied Thermodynamics for Process Modeling in Catalytic Gas Phase Olefin Polymerization Reactors

The Sanchez–Lacombe Equation of State (SL EoS) is used to model the solubility of different industrial alkane penetrants in polyethylene to explain the importance of considering different diluents for different processes, and the impact that this choice can have on operating conditions, especially for the production of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). Extension of this approach to ternary (ethylene/penetrant/LLDPE) systems shows the effect of composition of penetrant/ethylene mixtures on the solubility of such mixtures in LLDPE and swelling of the polymer phase at conditions of industrial relevance. This analysis reveals that using a constant polymer density instead of that predicted by the SL EoS can result in erroneous calculations of the particle size distribution developments in an olefin polymerization reactor.     

Design and Implementation of a Novel Quench Flow Reactor for the Study of Nascent Olefin Polymerisation

A novel stopped flow reactor system is described in the current work, along with the underlying design philosophy. While the concept of stopped flow technology is not recent, this system is the first to be designed with the objective of studying particle morphology, and to work at extremely short (40 ms) residence times. It is shown that traditional chemical engineering principles are required to properly design and operate this type of reactor, and that when correctly design, it is a very flexible tool for the study of nascent polymerisation of olefins.

     

茂金属/硼化合物烯烃聚合催化体系研究进展

本文介绍了茂金属? 硼化合物催化体系最新研究进展, 从催化体系的活性中心、聚合机理、新的茂金属及硼化物体系、它们对烯烃及极性单体的催化聚合等方面作了较详细阐述。     

Gas‐Phase Olefin Polymerization in the Presence of Supported and Self‐Supported Ziegler‐Natta Catalysts

The RPPFM is employed to describe the gas‐phase catalytic polymerization of ethylene in the presence of supported or self‐supported Z‐N catalysts. Numerical simulations are carried out to analyze the effect of the catalyst type on the polymerization rate, particle overheating and the average molecular polymer properties of the polyolefin. It is shown that non‐porous, self‐supported Ziegler‐Natta catalysts exhibit higher particle growth rates and lower particle overheating. The average molecular weight of polyethylene produced by both catalysts is almost identical. Depending on particle size and polymer crystallinity, the average monomer solubility and the effective monomer diffusivity can significantly vary.

     

Dialkylzinc Compounds as Chain Transfer Agents in Ethylene and Propylene Polymerizations Catalyzed by Metallocene Catalysts

Dialkylzinc compounds (ZnR₂) with the alkyl groups of different steric hindrance were used as chain transfer agents in ethylene and propylene polymerizations catalyzed by two conventional metallocene catalysts including rac-Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ and rac-Me₂Si[2-Me-4-Ph-Ind]₂ZrCl₂. In general, catalyst activities for ethylene polymerizations are barely affected by chain transfer agents, regardless of the R type; however, there are significant activity reductions in propylene polymerizations when the R in ZnR₂ is less hindered, and as R becomes bulkier, catalyst activities are gradually restored. ZnR₂ and metallocene catalyst active sites tend to form a reversible and catalytically inactive complex, thus, the geometry congested ZnR₂ would reduce complex formation tendency and hence, decrease its negative effect on catalyst activities.     

[N,N]-二齿镍配合物催化烯烃聚合

烯烃聚合催化剂的设计是烯烃配位聚合领域的一个核心科学问题,通过设计合成精确结构的催化剂可以有效地调控催化聚合性能以及聚合产物的结构.后过渡金属催化剂由于其易调变性、对聚合产物支化结构的可控性及对极性单体的容忍性,在烯烃聚合领域引起了广泛的关注.本文介绍了近年来本课题组在[N,N]-二齿镍烯烃聚合催化剂设计方面的研究进展,包括四元环的中性脒基镍催化剂、五元环的-二亚胺镍催化剂、2-胺基吡啶和-胺基亚胺系列镍催化剂,以及六元环的-二亚胺和苯胺基亚胺镍催化剂在烯烃聚合的应用.通过优化后过渡金属镍催化剂结构,可成功实施烯烃活性聚合.     

高分子化铁系烯烃聚合催化剂的合成及乙烯聚合

合成了含烯丙基不对称型的“茂后”催化剂[ArN=C(Me)][Ar'N=C(Me)]C~5H~3NFeCl~2[Ar=2,6-(i-Pr)~2C~6H~3,Ar'=4-烯丙基-2,6-(i-Pr)~2C~6H~3]，通过IR，^1HNMR,EI-MS,EA对化合物进行表征。利用这个催化剂上的烯烃基团在自由基引发下与苯乙烯共聚，制备出高分子化的“茂后”催化剂。研究了高分子化前后催化剂催化乙烯聚合行为，高分子化的催化剂在常压13℃下催化乙烯聚合时，活性最高达到2.5×10^6gPE/molFe.h，高于未高分子化之前催化剂的活性。证明了高分子化是“茂后”催化剂理想的固载化方式。     

Particle Growth During the Polymerisation of Olefins on Supported Catalysts, 1 – Nascent Polymer Structures

It is shown that the relationship between the catalyst/polymer structure, process conditions and final product properties needs to be addressed in more detail. From an industrial point of view, the interest starts from the need to control the growth of the catalyst/polymer particle during the polymerisation process. This first part of a two‐part review discusses the different factors that can influence the physical properties of the nascent polymer, and how these can impact the evolution of particle morphology.

     

Metal-Free Photochemical Olefin Isomerization of Unsaturated Ketones via 1,5-Hydrogen Atom Transfer

The photochemical isomerization of α,β- to β,γ-unsaturated ketones through a 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer mechanism under mild conditions with high efficiency and selectivity is reported. The reaction is carried out in the absence of metal catalysts or other additives, and its stereoselectivity can be tuned by selecting appropriate solvent mixtures. The reaction‘s scope and tolerance towards functional groups, including light-sensitive halogens, free acids and alcohols, were studied, providing reliable access to a wide variety of β,γ-unsaturated ketones. This methodology details the deconjugation of a wide range of unsaturated ketones and, when combined with olefin metathesis, provides an efficient process for either dehomologation or one-carbon double-bond migration of terminal alkenes.     

Dialkylzinc Compounds as Chain Transfer Agents in Ethylene and Propylene Polymerizations Catalyzed by Metallocene Catalysts

Dialkylzinc compounds (ZnR₂) with the alkyl groups of different steric hindrance were used as chain transfer agents in ethylene and propylene polymerizations catalyzed by two conventional metallocene catalysts including rac-Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ and rac-Me₂Si[2-Me-4-Ph-Ind]₂ZrCl₂. In general, catalyst activities for ethylene polymerizations are barely affected by chain transfer agents, regardless of the R type; however, there are significant activity reductions in propylene polymerizations when the R in ZnR₂ is less hindered, and as R becomes bulkier, catalyst activities are gradually restored. ZnR₂ and metallocene catalyst active site tend to form a reversible and catalytically inactive complex, thus the geometry congested ZnR₂ would reduce complex formation tendency and hence decreased its negative effect on catalyst activities.     

Heterogeneously Catalysed Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Menthol in a Fixed-Bed Reactor in the Gas Phase

For the first time, the oxidative dehydrogenation of (−)-menthol to (−)-menthone and (+)-isomenthone in a marketable quality was carried out in a continuous gas phase reactor as a sustainable process using molecular oxygen as green oxidant and solid catalysts which do not contaminate the product mixture and which are easily to remove. The diastereomeric purity remained largely unchanged. Three types of catalysts were found to be very active and selective in the formation of menthone and isomenthone: AgSr/SiO₂, CuO distributed on a basic support and RuMnCe/CeO₂, where Ru, Mn and Ce exist in an oxidized state. The best overall yield of menthon/isomenthone obtained with an Ag-based catalyst was 58 % at 64 % selectivity, with a Cu-based catalyst 41 % at 51 % selectivity and with a Ru-based catalyst 68 % at 73 % selectivity. Reaction conditions were widely optimized.     

The Stronger the Better: Donor Substituents Push Catalytic Activity of Molecular Chromium Olefin Polymerization Catalysts

The donor strength of bifunctional pyridine-cyclopentadienyl ligands was altered systematically by the introduction of donating groups in the para-position of the pyridine. In the resulting chromium complexes an almost linear correlation between donor strength and the nitrogen-chromium distance as well as the electronic absorption maximum is experimentally observed. The connection of electron-donating groups in the ligand backbone leads to an efficient transfer of the electronic influences to the catalytically active metal centre without restricting it through steric effects. Therefore, catalytic olefin polymerization activity, which is already very high for the previously studied catalysts, increase considerably by attaching para-amino groups to the chelating pyridine or quinoline, respectively. Combining electron-rich indenyl ligands with para-amino substituted pyridines lead to the highest catalytic activities observed so far for this class of organo chromium olefin polymerisation catalysts. The resulting polymers are of ultra-high molecular weight and the ability of the catalysts to incorporate co-monomers is also very high.     

A Sterically Hindered Zirconocene Complex (1,2-Ph2C5H3)2ZrCl2:Synthesis, Structure and Properties as Olefin Polymerization Catalyst

SinceKaminskyeIal.discoveredthehighlyactivezirconocenedich1oride/methyl-aluminoxane(MAO)catalyticsystemforolefinpolymerization',intensiveresearchworkhasbeenfocusedondevelopingnewgroup4metal1ocenecatalystsforimprovingcatalystactivitiesandpolymerproperties"'.Inthedevelopmentofnewmetallocenecatalystsystems,liganddesignandmodificationhaveplayedanimportantrole.lthasbeenknownthatevenminormodificationofagivenligandframeworkcouldresultinsignificantchangesincatalystactivitiesandpolymerproperties'.Int…