The effect of various alkylaluminium compounds and their mixtures on ethylene polymerization catalyzed with a tridentate bis(imino)pyridinyliron catalyst is studied. Triethylaluminium and trihexylaluminium are good cocatalysts but yield polyethylenes with broad molar mass distribution (MMD) whereas triisobutylaluminium, a less efficient activator, gives polyethylenes with unimodal and narrow MMD. Specific mixtures of branched and linear alkylaluminium compounds yield highly active catalytic systems and polyethylenes with unimodal and tunable MMD.
SEC traces of PE prepared with iron catalyst and (1) TEA, (2) TiBA, and (3) THA (Al/Fe = 250) as cocatalysts.
