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Ethylene Polymerizations Using Parallel Pressure Reactors and a Kinetic Analysis of Chain Transfer Polymerization
Published on: November 27, 2015
Assessing 1,9-Decadiene/Ethylene Copolymerization with Ziegler-Natta Catalyst to Access Long Chain-Branched
Yang Liu1,2, Yawei Qin1,2, Jin-Yong Dong1,2
1CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Abstract:
1,9-Decadiene/ethylene copolymerization is assessed as a way for Ziegler-Natta catalysts to access long chain-branched polyethylene (PE). A MgCl2/9,9-bis-(methoxymethyl)fluorine/TiCl4 catalyst with triethylaluminium as a cocatalyst is exemplified for the task. 1,9-Decadiene was found to induce a substantial comonomer effect on catalyst activity and continuing decreases of PE molecular weight. Both the double bonds of 1,9-decadiene were poorly reactive during polymerization, of which the polymer chain-attached was even much less reactive than the original one. As a consequence, at decreased feeds, 1,9-decadiene gave small amounts (<0.1 mol %) of pendant vinyl groups to PE without prompting the formation of long-chain branches. Long chain-branching was realized at increased 1,9-decadiene feeds, which was however accompanied by proportional gelation.
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