Isothermal crystallization of propylene-1-decene copolymers

The isothermal crystallization and subsequent melting behavior of one propylene homopolymer and three propylene-1-decene copolymers with different comonomer contents prepared by metallocene catalyst were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is found that the Avrami exponent of the propylene copolymers decreases gradually with the increase of comonomer content, from 3.0 for the propylene homopolymer to 1.4 for the copolymer with 7.83 mol% 1-decene units. Higher comonomer content also weakens the dependence of crystallization rate constant and crystallization halftime on temperature. Double melting peaks, which correspond to α and γ crystal phases, respectively, are observed for all copolymers under isothermal crystallization. The result shows that higher crystallization temperature is favorable to the segregation of α and γ crystal phases, resulting in higher proportion of γ crystal phase. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Raman Structural Study of Copolymers of Propylene with Ethylene and High Olefins

Nascent form of random copolymers of propylene with ethylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, and 4-methyl-1-pentene was studied by Raman spectroscopy. The most significant spectral alterations with a change in propylene content were observed in two lines at 809 and 841 cm⁻¹. The first line corresponds to vibrations of polypropylene helical chains in the crystalline phase, while the second one is associated with vibrations of polypropylene helical chains having isomeric defects. Raman data confirm that conformational composition and phase state of copolymer macromolecules strongly depend on the comonomer content as well as on the size of the comonomer units.     

Copolymerization of propylene with 1-butene and 1-pentene with the isospecific catalytic system rac-Me2Si(4-Ph-2-MeInd)2ZrCl2-MAO

The copolymerization of propylene with 1-butene and 1-pentene at 60°C in the propylene bulk in the presence of the homogeneous isospecific metallocene catalyst of the C₂ symmetry rac-Me₂Si(4-Ph-2-MeInd)₂ZrCl₂ activated by polymethylaluminoxane is studied. Copolymers containing up to 30 mol % 1-butene and up to 10 mol % 1-pentene are synthesized. For the copolymerization of the above monomers, reactivity ratios are estimated to be equal to unity, thereby indicating the azeotropic character of the process. It is found that the distribution of comonomer units in the copolymers is close to statistical. For both comonomers, the comonomer effect is observed: an increase in the rate of propylene polymerization after addition of a small amount of a less reactive comonomer. The addition of 1-butene and 1-pentene to polypropylene shows a weak effect on the stereoregularity of chains but causes a marked reduction in the molecular mass of the polymer and changes its thermophysical characteristics and mechanical properties. An X-ray diffraction study of the copolymers is performed.     

Polymer reactions—Part VII: Thermal pyrolysis of polypropylene

Polypropylene has been pyrolysed in a carrier stream of helium from 388° to 900°C in both the programmed heating and flash pyrolysis modes. The products were on-line identified and quantitatively analysed by an interfaced GC peak identification system. The first order rate constants for pyrolysis are 3·7 × 10^?4 sec^?1 and 4·0 × 10^?4 sec^?1, respectively, for atactic and isotactic polypropylene at 388°C; the corresponding overall activation energies are 56 ± 6 and 51 ± 5 kcal mole^?1. The main products in decreasing yields are 2,4-dimethyl-1-heptene, 2-pentene, propylene, 2 methyl-1-pentene and 2,4,6-trimethyl-1-nonene. Also isolated, but in much smaller quantities, are: ethane, isobutylene, 4,6-dimethyl-2-nonene, 2,4,6-trimethyl-1-heptene, 3-methyl-3,5-hexadiene and methane. Propylene is the product of an unzipping reaction. Most of the other products can be accounted for by a mechanism involving first, random scission of carbon-carbon bonds to produce methyl, primary and secondary alkyl radicals, followed by intramolecular hydrogen transfer processes. Methane and ethane are formed from the methyl radicals. All the products found in high yields are derived from the secondary alkyl radicals.     

CRYSTALLIZATION KINETICS OF ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE COPOLYMERS PREPARED BY LIVING COORDINATION POLYMERIZATION

In this paper,crystallization kinetics of a series of ethylene-propylene copolymers prepared by living polymerization coordination catalyzed by a fluorinated bis(phenoxyimine)Ti catalyst(FI-EP copolymers)was studied,and was compared with that of ethylene-propylene copolymers prepared by a conventional Ziegler-Natta catalyst(ZN-EP copolymers).It is found that,the Avrami exponent and the crystallization rate constant of the FI-EP and ZN-EP copolymer show similar dependence on crystallization temperature,bu...     

Ethylene copolymers with Fischer-Tropsch olefins

The properties of ethylene copolymers, terpolymers and multipolymers prepared with even and uneven carbon number linear and branched α-olefins were compared. The most likely microstructures of ethylene/linear α-olefin copolymers was assigned by considering co-unit bulkiness, average crystallizable sequence lengths and thermal properties. The higher α-olefins were found to be more effective at decreasing density, but peak melting temperatures were higher. In terpolymers where lower α-olefins such as 1-butene and 1-pentene were used as comonomers, density was decreased more than the mathematical average expected from the ratio of comonomers in the terpolymers. Peak melting temperatures were also lower. Based on NMR evidence and the microstructures of the different copolymers the rationale for this occurrence could be ascribed to decreased clustering for these terpolymers. Branched α-olefins produced ethylene co- and terpolymers with significantly decreased densities as compared to the linear α-olefins. Impact strength of these polymers was also substantially higher, even at low comonomer content. Thermal evidence indicates that the microstructure of the co- and terpolymers containing branched α-olefins are very similar to that of the copolymers prepared with linear α-olefins of the same carbon number.     

本体共聚合制备丙烯/1-丁烯合金及表征

以球形高效负载的TiCl₄/MgCl₂/邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯(DIBP)为催化剂, 采用本体聚合方法进行丙烯与1-丁烯共聚合研究. 考察了共单体效应对共聚活性及聚合物立构规整性的影响; 表征了共聚物的结构. 结果表明, 随着1-丁烯/丙烯投料比的增加, 聚合活性呈先升高后降低的趋势, 在1-丁烯/丙烯摩尔投料比为0.26条件下聚合活性达到最高, 并随着共聚物中1-丁烯含量的增加, 共聚物的熔点明显下降, 分子量降低, 分子量分布变窄, 同时共聚物力学性能有明显提高, 透明度逐渐增加.     

Crystallization and enzymatic degradation of novel poly(ε-caprolactone-co-propylene succinate) copolymers

A series of novel poly(ε-caprolactone-co-propylene succinate) P(CL-co-PSu) copolymers having low propylene succinate content and high molecular weight were synthesized following a combinatory scheme of ring opening and polycondensation reactions, in an attempt to obtain copolymers of sufficient performance and increased biodegradation rates. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the copolymers was studied in the presence of mixture of Rhizopus delemar and Pseudomonas cepacia lipases. Much higher hydrolysis rates, comparing to neat PCL, were proved by both mass loss measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations of the degraded film surfaces. Thermodynamics of cocrystallization and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) patterns were investigated to estimate the extent of comonomer cocrystallization. Results of the study showed that comonomer inclusion may hold, though the molar fraction of the comonomer in the PCL crystals is lower than in the bulk. This means that not only the observed decrease of the degree of crystallinity from about 48% for PCL to about 29% for the P(CL-co-PSu) 75/25 favours enzymatic hydrolysis, but also the enrichment of the amorphous phase in the fast degrading propylene succinate units plays its role. The non-isothermal crystallization rates of the copolymers, like the melting points, decreased substantially when the propylene succinate content exceeded 8 mol%. The activation energy of crystallization was calculated using the isoconversional method of Friedman, over the whole range of crystallization temperatures. An increase was found in the activation energy with increasing the comonomer content in the copolymers also proving the reduced symmetry along the copolymer chains due to the presence of comonomer units.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Ethylene/Propylene Copolymers in the Whole Composition Range

Summary: The incorporation of comonomer molecules in the backbone of a homopolymer can influence the final properties of the material, decreasing its crystallinity and the melting and glass transition temperatures, and increasing its impact resistance and transparency. In the present work, ten ethylene/propylene copolymers have been synthesized using a supported metallocene catalytic system covering the whole composition range. Any desired composition was obtained by controlling the feed composition during the reaction. These synthesized copolymers have been characterized by different techniques in order to study the effect of the comonomer incorporation onto their final properties. When the comonomer content is low, the behaviour of the copolymer is similar to that of the corresponding homopolymer. Nevertheless, if the comonomer content increases, the copolymer becomes more amorphous (low crystallization temperature and soft XRD signals) and easily deformable, reaching a behaviour close to that corresponding to an elastomeric material. In order to corroborate these results the samples have been characterized by TREF and GPC-MALS. TREF analysis showed that copolymers containing less than 10% and more than 80% of ethylene are semicrystalline, with elution temperatures typical of this kind of polymers. Molecular weights are higher for homopolymers and they decrease as the comonomer concentration increases, whereas the polydispersity index keeps almost constant at the expected value for this kind of samples.     

Copolymerization of propylene with higher α‐olefins in the presence of the syndiospecific catalyst i‐Pr(Cp)(9‐Flu)ZrCl2/MAO

The catalyst system i‐Pr(Cp)(9‐Flu)ZrCl₂/methylaluminoxane was used for the synthesis of random syndiotactic copolymers of propylene with 1‐hexene, 1‐dodecene, and 1‐octadecene as comonomers. An investigation of the microstructure by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy revealed that the stereoregularity of the copolymers decreased because of an increase in skipped insertions in the presence of the higher 1‐olefin. The melting temperature of the copolymers, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), decreased linearly with increasing comonomer content independently of the comonomer nature. During the DSC heating cycle, an exothermic peak indicating a crystallization process was observed. The decrease in the crystallization temperature with higher 1‐olefin content, measured by crystallization analysis fractionation, indicated a small but significant dependence on the nature of the comonomer. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 128–140, 2002     

Targeted synthesis of homo-and copolymers of propylene in liquid propylene initiated by highly efficient homogenous metallocene catalysts

Studies devoted to the homo-and copolymerization of propylene with ethylene and higher olefins (1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-octene) in liquid propylene under the action of homogeneous metallocene catalysts of various types are surveyed in brief. The main kinetic features of the processes and the properties of the polymers are discussed. The optimal conditions for the highly efficient syntheses of isotactic, syndiotactic, hemiisotactic, and stereoblock PPs are described. It is shown that the combined cocatalyst—polymethylaluminoxane coupled with (i-Bu)₃Al—shows promise for the processes under consideration. Depending on the type of catalyst used, the copolymerization of propylene with ethylene yields copolymers with a block, random, or close to alternating distribution of comonomer units in a polymer chain. The copolymerization of propylene with higher olefins in the monomer bulk initiated by highly active sterically hindered isospecific catalytic systems shows an ideal character, and the reactivity ratios are r ₁ ≈ r ₂ ≈ 1; that is, the composition of the copolymer is equal to the composition of the monomer mixture at all comonomer ratios. It is demonstrated that the synthesis of homo-and copolymers of propylene in the monomer bulk in the presence of modern homogeneous catalysts is promising for highly efficient production of both traditional and new polymer materials with a unique combination of mechanical and thermal properties.     

Copolymerization of propylene with various higher α‐olefins using silica‐supported rac‐Me2Si(Ind)2ZrCl2

The copolymerization of propylene with 1‐hexene, 1‐octene, 1‐decene, and 1‐dodecene was carried out with silica‐supported rac‐Me₂Si(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ as a catalyst. The copolymerization activities of the homogeneous and supported catalysts and the microstructures of the resulting copolymers were compared. The activity of the supported catalyst was only one‐half to one‐eighth of that of the homogeneous catalyst, depending on the comonomer type. The supported catalyst copolymerized more comonomer into the polymer chain than the homogeneous catalyst at the same monomer feed ratio. Data of reactivity ratios showed that the depression in the activity of propylene instead of an enhancement in the activity of olefinic comonomer was responsible for this phenomenon. We also found that copolymerization with α‐olefins and supporting the metallocene on a carrier improved the stereoregularity and regioregularity of the copolymers. The melting temperature of all the copolymers decreased linearly with growing comonomer content, regardless of the comonomer type and catalyst system. Low mobility of the propagation chain in the supported catalyst was suggested as the reason for the different polymerization behaviors of the supported catalyst with the homogeneous system. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3294–3303, 2001     

Costereosymmetric α-olefin copolymers

Copolymerization of propylene and 1-butene with highly stereospecific three-component coordination catalysts produced multiblock crystalline copolymers having stereo-regular sequences of both propylene and 1-butene. Copolymers containing from 3 to about 80% 1-butene had two DTA melting points which were attributable to polypropylene and poly-1-butene crystallinity. Those containing from 18 to about 70% 1-butene had x-ray diffraction patterns showing peaks characteristic of polypropylene and form I poly-1-butene, but form II poly-1-butene crystallinity was never observed. The multiblock copolymer structure observed is also supported by the fact that the product of the reactivity ratios is greater than unity. The composition distributions of low-conversion and continuously prepared copolymers were similar and relatively broad. For example, copolymers containing an average of 12% 1-butene had species containing from 5–30% 1-butene. High-conversion copolymers had an even broader composition distribution due to the gradual increase of the 1-butene concentration in the comonomer mixture as the copolymerization proceeded. The absence of homopolymers was demonstrated by fractionation. The ability to detect homopolymers was proved by the fact that a mixture of stereoregular polypropylene and poly-1-butene were readily separated. Increasing the amount of 1-butene tended to decrease those properties dependent upon crystallinity such as hardness, tensile strength, stiffness, density, and melting point, but tended to improve significantly the impact strength, low temperature properties, and clarity of molded objects. These duocrystalline copolymers retained a much higher level of properties than that observed for random copolymers prepared with less stereospecific coordination catalysts.     

丙烯/1-丁烯和丙烯/乙烯无规共聚物的表征及性能研究

采用摩尔含量接近的两个单体乙烯和1-丁烯分别无规共聚聚丙烯样品,用三氯苯进行室温可溶物和不溶物的分离,采用凝胶渗透色谱、13C核磁共振波谱及热分析等方法对两种共聚聚合物及其分离物进行表征,探讨了乙烯和1-丁烯作为共聚单体对聚丙烯树脂结构和性能的影响.结果表明,与乙烯相比,1-丁烯更趋向于共聚在较长的聚丙烯分子链上,其结果导致丙烯/1-丁烯无规共聚聚丙烯的可溶物含量更低.同时,对两种无规共聚物结晶性能的差异以及对光学性能和动态力学性能的影响研究表明,如果共聚单体含量接近,丙烯/1-丁烯无规共聚物结晶度更高;透明制品雾度相同时,丙烯/1-丁烯无规共聚物的刚性更高.     

锆茂均相催化剂对乙烯／丙烯和乙烯／1－丁烯共聚合研究

锆茂均相催化剂对乙烯／丙烯和乙烯／１－丁烯共聚合研究姚晖，肖士镜，陆宏兰（中国科学院化学研究所北京１０００８０）关键词共聚合，乙烯，丙烯，丁烯，锆茂，甲基铝氧烷金属茂均相催化剂中过渡金属的性质，及其周围配位体的结构对催化剂性能有很大影响［１，２］．金...     

锆茂均相催化剂对乙烯／丙烯和乙烯／1－丁烯共聚合研究

锆茂均相催化剂对乙烯／丙烯和乙烯／１－丁烯共聚合研究姚晖，肖士镜，陆宏兰（中国科学院化学研究所北京１０００８０）关键词共聚合，乙烯，丙烯，丁烯，锆茂，甲基铝氧烷金属茂均相催化剂中过渡金属的性质，及其周围配位体的结构对催化剂性能有很大影响［１，２］．金...     

Synthesis and characterization of novel poly(propylene terephthalate-co-adipate) biodegradable random copolyesters

Novel aromatic/aliphatic poly(propylene terephthalate-co-adipate) (PPTAd) random copolymers were synthesized. Copolymer composition varied over the whole range from that of neat poly(propylene terephthalate) (PPT) to that of neat poly(propylene adipate) (PPAd). Interestingly, the copolymers showed that they can degrade via hydrolysis, especially in presence of enzymes, even for a terephthalate content as high as 66 mol%. Thermal behaviour and solid state as well as mechanical properties were studied. In contrast to hydrolysis rates, mechanical properties increase with terephthalate content. WAXD patterns indicate some extent of co-crystallization of both comonomers, especially for intermediate compositions. The thermodynamic analysis of the melting point depression showed that some portion of the adipate comonomer units participate in the formation of crystals, although the major portion of them is rejected from crystals and remain in the amorphous phase. WAXD patterns showed that even for a 60 mol% or more adipate content, the copolymers form PPT like crystals. Thus, the amorphous phase is enriched in adipate units, as is also shown by a lowering of the glass transition temperature of the crystallized copolymer samples, compared to glassy ones. Finally, multiple melting behaviour of the melt crystallized copolymer samples, as well as, banded spherulitic morphology was observed.     

Structure-properties relationships in some random copolymers of propylene

Correlations have been investigated between the content of short isotactic segments and thermal properties in some propylene/olefin random copolymers. Polypropylene copolymers modified by ethylene show variations different from those for copolymers modified by ethylene and butene. However, in both cases, the weldability temperature decreases on increasing the comonomer concentration.     

Hafnocene catalysts for selective propylene oligomerization: efficient synthesis of 4-methyl-1-pentene by beta-methyl transfer

A series of hafnocene complexes (eta5-C5Me4R1)(eta5-C5Me4R2)HfCl2 with [R1, R2] = [H, H] (1), [Me, H] (2), [Me, Me] (3), [Et, Me] (4), [(i)Pr, Me] (5), [SiMe(3), Me] (6), [(t)Bu, Me] (7), [(n)Bu, Me] (8), [(i)Bu, Me] (9), [Et, Et] (10), [(n)Bu, (n)Bu] (11), [(i)Bu, (i)Bu] (12) was tested as catalyst precursors for propylene oligomerization. Upon activation with methylaluminoxane or [Ph(3)C][B(C(6)F(5))(4)]/Al(i)Bu(3), complexes 2-4 and 8-12 catalyzed the dimerization of propylene to produce 4-methyl-1-pentene with selectivities ranging from 23.9 to 61.6 wt % in the product mixture. The selectivity was dependent on the nature of the substituents R(1) and R(2), with the highest value found for (eta5-C5Me4(i)Bu)2HfCl2 (12). Rapid deactivation was observed for 5-7, whereas (eta5-C5Me4H)2HfCl2 (1) polymerized propylene. 4-Methyl-1-pentene is proposed to form by repeated 1,2-insertion of propylene into the hafnocene methyl cation, followed by selective beta-methyl elimination. Detailed analysis of the byproduct distribution (isobutene, 1-pentene, 2-methyl-1-pentene, 2,4-dimethyl-1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-heptene, 4,6-dimethyl-1-heptene), determined by gas chromatography, was performed with the aid of a stochastic simulation involving rate constants for the propagation by insertion, beta-hydride elimination, and beta-methyl elimination. The rate of termination is dependent on the structure of the growing chain of the active species as well as on the bulkiness of the cyclopentadienyl ligands. The selectivity highly depends on the reaction conditions (pressure, temperature, concentration of methylaluminoxane). The rates of beta-methyl elimination leading to 4-methyl-1-pentene were proportional to propylene pressure for 2-4 and 8-10 but practically independent from propylene pressure for the sterically bulkier derivatives 11-12.     

Mechanical and thermal properties of ternary alternating copolymers of carbon monoxide with olefins

Thermal properties and the deformational behavior of ternary alternating copolymers of carbon monoxide with ethylene and other olefins (propylene, 1-butene, styrene) with molecular masses of M _n = 1000–35000 and molar fraction of the third comonomer in the polymer chain from 0.02 to 0.70 were investigated. Temperatures of melting and glass transition are significantly affected by the composition of the products. Varying the nature of the third comonomer or the content of its units in the polymer chain and the molecular masses of terpolymers makes it possible to obtain materials with Young’s moduli of 0.003–3.090 GPa and elongations at break of 5–2000%.