钼体系催化合成1,2－聚丁二烯的研究

本工作通过较系统地研究Ziegler-Natta型钼催化体系对丁二烯聚合的催化作用，发现一类活性很高的钼催化剂。此类催化剂以无毒，资源丰富的加氢汽油为溶剂，活性已接近工业化的Ni、Co、Ti等体系。同时，本工作又找到了大幅度调节聚合物分子量和链结构的方法，发现了具有活性聚合特点的钼催化体系，初步考察了钼体系催化丁二烯聚合的动力学行为；并利用红外光谱，~(13)C-NRM、X-射线衍射和热分析等方法研究了所得聚合物的链结构和聚集态结构，对聚合物的基本性能也进行了初步考察，发现所得聚合物的一些基本性能超过天然橡胶。此类高活性钼催化剂由MoCl_4OR和(i-Bu)_2AlOAr组成，R为C_(8-18)烷基，Ar为芳基。本催化体系在70 ℃下催化丁二烯聚合时，催化剂用量为Mo/J摩尔比等于4 * 10~(-5)时，转化率可达78％。本体系聚合物分子量可用烯丙基卤等调节，其中烯丙基碘的效果最好。在Mo/J = 8 * 10~(-5)时，烯丙基碘/Mo摩尔比为0.1时即可使聚合物分子量下降约50万；烯丙基碘/Mo摩尔比为10时，聚合物重均分子量即小于20万（不加烯丙基碘为270万）。本体系聚合物分子量分布很窄，聚合温度为30 - 70 ℃时，_W/_n为1.5-2.0；_W/_n与聚合温度呈直线关系，利用外推法估计和动力学考察，本体系在－18 ℃左右有可能引发活性聚合。本体系聚丁二烯含有85％以上1,2－链节，其1，2-链节含量也可以用某些极性添加剂来调节。利用烯丙基碘做调节剂，可制得1,2－链节含量高达98％的聚丁二烯。烯丙基碘还可以调节聚合物链节的立体构型和序列分布；随着烯丙基碘用量的增加，间同1,2－链节增多，全同和无规1,2－链节减少，序列分布的有规性增加，链结构趋于规整。根据动力学初步研究结果，本体系催化丁二烯聚合的速度对单体浓度呈一级关系，表现活化能为17.07千卡／摩卡，催化剂利用率为4％，链增长速度常数为: k_(p30℃) = 40 (升／摩尔·分，下同), k_(p40℃) = 97, k_(p50℃) = 267, k_(p60℃) = 508, k_(p70℃) = 12077。本体系聚合物在烯丙基碘/Mo摩尔比小于2时，无论静态或拉伸下均为无定型；烯丙基碘/Mo摩尔比大于2而小于8时，静态下为无定型，而拉伸时产生结晶，与天然橡胶类似；烯丙基碘／Mo摩尔比大于8时，静态下亦有一定程度的结果。

两种端乙炔基芳醚砜单体的核磁研究双端乙炔基芳醚砜溶液聚合反应和催化剂的研究非等温DSC法测双[4－（4－乙炔基苯氧基）苯基]砜（酮）的本体聚合反应动力学

本工作对下面两种端乙炔基芳醚砜单体的核磁共振谱进行了研究。通过加入位移试剂Eu（fod）_3引起共振吸收峰化学位移值的变化趋热及同核去偶，'H选择质子去偶的方法分别对其'H谱和~(13)C谱（COM）做了归属。在确认对化合物＜I＞'H谱和~(13)C谱（COM）归属的基础上，演绎出三种苯环上取代基团的'H和~(13)C化学位移取代参数。这些基团的取代参数目前在文献中尚未见报导，用这些参数来计算化的＜II＞的'H和~(13)C谱（COM）化学位移值时，与观测值有较好的吻合。本工作对双[4－（4－乙炔基苯氧基）苯基]砜的溶液聚合反就（DMSO）作溶剂、PdCl_2·2DMSO作催化剂）进行了研究。采用高压液体色谱和旋转薄层色谱分离反应的各种中间产物，通过中间产物的红外和'HNMR谱变化，演绎聚合反应的历程，还在'H核磁谱仪样品管内做了短时间反应，跟踪记录反应信息。聚合产物自始至终可分为溶于二氯甲烷和不溶于二氯甲烷两部分。在整个反应过程中，可溶性产物逐渐转变成不溶性产物，色谱分析表明可溶性产物是由未反应的单体、线型及环状低聚物、聚合度在9－10的齐聚物和少量聚合度更高的组分构成的。从称重测量不溶性产物所占比重和可溶性产物的高压液体色谱诸吸收峰峰高的变化，推算出聚合反应过程中单体、主要中间产物的变化趋势。可溶性产物的红外光谱中2920、1665－25、960－930、890，760－730 cm~(-1)吸收峰和'HNMR谱中的5.3, 3.5ppm吸收表明产物具有共轭多烯结构。'HNMR谱在芳核质子区出现7.7ppm吸收峰表明反应初期已有环化现象，这点与本体聚合反应是不同的。不溶性产物除聚合度或交联度高以外，与可溶性产物在结构上也有差异，其芳化程度高很多。从不同反应时间中间产物的红外和'HNMR谱（可溶部分）变化，显示了溶液聚合反应历程十分复杂，同时存在着几种反应。主反应是氯化钯络合物引发的配位络合聚合反应，钯络合物与单体的端乙炔基络合生成活性中心，三键在顺式位打开，生成共轭多烯增长链。链增长过程中伴随着热引起的多烯链顺－反异构化，部分反式多烯分子内环化，继而脱质于芳化生成三取代苯形式的环交联，芳化过程中可发生链的局部断裂。最终产物是共轭多烯链间通过芳环，炔烯桥交联成的体型聚合物。多烯和端乙炔基之间，多烯－多烯之间可发生Diels-Alder反应，因此溶液聚合产物再经短时间热处理，芳化程度增高，玻璃化温度大幅度提高。另外还研究了反应的溶剂效应和增加因含量对反应产率的影响，发现用氯仿和二氯甲烷作溶剂有利于共轭多烯链的顺－反异构化，固含量在2.25－11.25％范围，聚合产率变化不大。本文还对适用于双端炔基聚合反应的催化剂作了广泛的试探，首先考察了若干钯络合物，发现除PdCl_2·2DMSO外，PdCl_2·2MeCN、PdCl_2·2PhCN络合物也可作为双端炔基芳醚砜溶液聚合的催化剂。钴、镍的膦络合物[Co(PPh_3)_2]Cl_2、[Ni(PPh_3)_2]Cl_2可使双端炔基芳醚砜环化生成环状低聚物。极性溶剂四氢呋，二氧六环。氯仿和三氯甲烷可以用作Ziegler-Natta催化剂聚合双端炔基芳醚砜的溶剂。用AlEt_3-Ti(OBu)_4催化得到的聚合物以顺式多烯为主，玻璃化浊度高于250℃，热形变稳定性好。Al/Ti比在6－8时催化活性较高。用稀土体系的Ziegler-Natta催化剂AlEt_3-NdCl_3·2THF、AlEt_3－（CF_3COO）_3Nd也可得到类似的催化效果。制备了以双氰为配位基的高分子－钯络合物，在催化双端炔基单体聚合时具有与类似的低分子钯络合物PdCl_2·2MeCN相近的效果。改变高分子催化剂的N／Pd比未出现明显的活性高峰。这部分工作还有待深入，予期在进一步深入研究之后，该高分子催化剂可用于制备双端乙炔基芒醚砜增强复合材料的连续化浸渍工序，让单体的氯仿溶液流经高分子－钯络合物填充的柱子形成齐聚物后，再浸渍涂层，可缩短成型的热固化时间，具有较大的经济意义。用非等温DSC法测定了双[4-(4-乙炔基苯氧（基)苯基]砜和双[4-(4-乙炔基苯氧基)苯基]酮的本体热聚合及有PdCl_2·2DMSO存在下的催化聚合的反劝力学参数，并与文献报导的（3－乙炔基苯氧基）苯模型物和双[4－（3－乙炔基苯氧基）苯基]砜的本体热聚合反应动力学参数进行比较。经电子计算机最小二乘曲线拟合程序汞得的结果表明表现反就活化能Eap，指数前因子A均与DSC的升温速率和转化率无关。讨论了模型物端乙炔基的位置和链上砜基，羰基的存在对聚合反应的影响，还通过对DSC升温过程中试样的红外光谱跟踪，解释了DSC峰表征的化学反应。

AB，ABA型乙丙嵌段共聚物的合成、结构及作为乙丙橡胶改性聚丙烯增容剂的研究

本文试图用Solvay型的Ziegler-Natta催化剂合成PP－EPR，PP－EPR－PP嵌段共聚物，作为乙丙橡胶（EPT）和聚丙烯（PP）的增容剂，来提高聚丙烯的抗冲击强度，并从力学性能、动态力学谱和形态等方面研究增容剂的增容效果。Ziegler-Natta催化剂能否合成乙丙嵌段共聚物是一个有争议的问题。为此，我们利用改进型的Solvay δ-TiCl_3-Et_2AlCl在已烷中加压淤浆聚合丙烯，发现在120分钟之前，聚丙烯的分子量随时间迅速增加，超过120分钟则变缓慢，并趋向于平衡。这说明催化剂活性中心上的活性链最小有120分钟的时间，若在该时间内用聚合过程中换反应单体的办法，有可能合成嵌段共聚物。乙丙嵌段共聚物形成的直接证明是利用(PP－PE)_(50)。通过气相色谱检测发现，抽真空3分钟可以保证换反应气体的纯度，因而用气相聚合可以得到各段纯净的(PP－PE)_(50)多嵌段共聚物，该嵌段的~(13)c-NMR研究表明，在35.68ppm处存在以化学键相连的长乙烯和长丙烯链的特征共振峰。PGC的研究发现，其在热裂解中产生的G碎片比PP／P混物的多，GC－MS的研究表明G碎片由含7个碳的烃组成的混合物，组分之一具有嵌段共聚物的裂解特征。对PP－EPR系列产物和PP－EPR－PP（5－60－20）用扭摆法进和动态力学分析表明，这些嵌段共聚物只在－30℃左右有一个玻璃化转变。而相应的共混物则分别在－50℃和5℃出现两个玻璃化转变，且各T_g不随组成比和共混方法而变化。这是由于嵌段共聚物中各段间化学键的作用，使各段的T_g内移，从而使较靠近的两个T_g合二为一，在动态力学谱上只表现出一个T_g。粘弹谱仪测定的结果基本上同扭摆法的结果。尽管我们尚未准确地测定出乙丙嵌段共聚物中EPR段的分子量，但我们弄清了PP段的立体构型、等规度、分子量、结晶度和EPR段的乙丙比、无规乙丙共聚物的含量、含有长序列乙烯的结晶度等结构因素。用不同段长的PP－EPR作PP／EPT共混物的增容剂，发现降低PP－EPR中PP段的分子量，三元共混物的力学性能明显升高，而增加EPR段的分子量即聚合时间，其无缺口冲击强度先增加而后又降低，说明有一个EPR段最佳长度范围。根据该现象我们提出模型并进行了解释。结晶度的规律与冲击强度的规律相同，对冲击强度提高较大的增容剂，共混物中PP的结晶度降低，但抗张性能却升高，说明增容剂在两相界面起到主价的连接作用。扭摆法和粘弹谱仪测定的动态力学谱表明，增容剂的加入减小了聚丙烯结晶无序化转变，使PP的T_g突出出来。形态的研究说明，PP－EPR还起了“乳化剂”的作用，使EPT在PP连续相中均匀分散，且其微区大小适中。在PP／EPT（85／15）中加入4％的PP－EPR（5－30）嵌段共聚物，室温（20℃）的“冲击屈服强度”与PP／EPT的相同，－20℃的冲击强度为112kg·cm/cm~2，是PP／EPT的1.5倍，－40℃为72kg·cm/cm~2，是PP／EPT的1.9倍，在应力－应变实验中，三元共混物PP／EPT／PP－EPR（5－30）的σ_b*ε_b为2.97*10~5。比相应的PP／EPT（2.27*10~5）有所提高。说明PP－EPR（5－30）对PP／EPT有良好的增容效果，比文献中使用的PP－EPR（15－55）效果好。用PP－EPR－PP三嵌段共聚物作PP／EPT的增容剂，实验证明比PP－EPR二嵌段共聚物有更好的增容效果。例如，在PP／EPT（85／15）中加入4％的PP－EPR－PP（5－60－20），试样不但在20℃，而且在－20℃均未被冲断；在－20℃的“冲击屈服强度”是PP／EPT冲击强度的1.4倍，PP的9.0倍，－40℃的冲击强度是PP／EPT的2.2倍，PP的8.4倍；且其σ_b*ε_b（2.62*10~5）比PP／EPT（2.60*10~5）的有一定的提高，比PP的（2.45*10~5）也高。对PP／EPT／PP－EPR－PP（5－60－20）三元共混物的试样在－40℃冲断面的形态进行研究表明，加入增容剂的共混物断面凹凸不平，是韧性断裂的特征，且在断裂过程中EPT微区被牵拉出的EPT较多，说明PP和EPT的相界面的作用力较大，增容剂起到了主价键的连接作用。动态力学谱表明，增容剂的加入降低了PP结晶无序化转变。而液氮冷冻的脆断面的形态说明，PP－EPR－PP起到了“乳化剂”的作用，使EPT在PP连续相中大小均匀地分散开。

1. 稀土催化体系异戊二烯本体聚合动力学 2. 不同催化剂对聚异戊二烯甲苯溶液的作用

本文回顾和评述了Ziegler-Natra催化双烯定向聚合的发展，现状及展望，特别是较为详细地讨论了稀土体系的聚合催化剂，聚合机理，聚合动力学以及双烯本体聚合的有关问题。本工作的第一部分内容研究了异戊二烯在Nd(naph)_3 + Al(i-Bu)_3 + Al_2Et_3Cl_3催化体系作用下的本体聚合热效应及本休聚合动力学。指出任本实验条件，温度在-10 ℃ - +5 ℃范围内，聚合体系内温度和聚合环境温度基本一致。在此实验条件下，聚合过程可分为三阶段：聚合初期，聚合活性中心数目尚未稳定，聚合速率逐渐增大，为非稳态聚合阶段；聚合中期，聚合速率恒定，聚合呈稳态特征；聚合后期，聚合为扩散控制阶段。并得到稳太聚合阶段的聚合动力学方程 R_p = k_p[Cat]~(1.96)M. 其聚合反应表观活化能为16.7 kcal/mol。同时考究了聚合物特性粘数和分子量随聚合转化率，聚合催化剂用量，聚合温度等等变化民政部实验结果表明，该催化体系异戊二烯本体聚合仍具有活性聚合的某些特征。本工作的第二部分根据不同催化剂对聚异戊二烯甲苯溶液的作用结果，解释了TiCl_4 + Al(i-Bu)_3催化体系异戊二烯本体聚合转化率很低。聚合产物的凝胶含量较高，而NCl(naph)_3 + Al(i-Bu)_3 + Al_2Et_3Cl_3催化体系异戊二烯本体聚合转化率很容易达到80%。 聚合产物基本不含凝胶的实验事实。实验结果表明，将Ti催化剂加入异戊胶液中，有凝胶生成，且凝胶生成量随催化剂用量的增大而增大。而Nd催化剂不能使异戊胶液生成凝胶。这证实了在异戊二烯本体聚合和溶液聚合中，由于Ti催化剂的阳离子活性，可使线性聚异戊二烯中的不饱合双键发生阳离子反应，生成聚集体结构，星形结构、三维网状结构等三种可能结构的凝胶大分子。从而说明因生成结构紧密的凝胶分子将聚合活性中心紧紧地包围在其中，单体向活性能心扩散困难，致使Ti体系异戊二烯聚合转化率很难提高。根据红外及核磁谱图，Ti或Nd催化剂的加入均未改变聚合物的微观结构，更无环化结构生成。认为聚合物在两催化剂作用下，特性粘数的降低是由于聚合物链存在的不稳定位置及不饱合双键在催化剂的作用下发生了断链或断链后进一步支化所引起的。

原位聚合法制备超疏水的聚乙烯纳米复合材料

采用一种新方法将Ziegler-Natta催化剂组分TiCl4和MgCl2负载到蒙脱土(MMT)的层间,制备了TiCl4/MgCl2/MMT插层型催化剂.利用Ziegler-Natta催化剂特有的"形态复制效应",通过乙烯原位聚合制备出了表面具有花瓣状形态的聚乙烯纳米复合材料.这种聚乙烯纳米复合材料的表面与水的接触角达到(152.2±0.8)°,呈现超疏水性质.

Synthesis, structural characterization, and ethylene polymerization behavior of the vanadium(III) complexes bearing salicylaldiminato ligands

Vanadium(III) complexes bearing salicylaldiminato ligands (2a-k) [RN=CH(Ar0)]VCl2(THF)2 (Ar C61714, R = Ph, 2a; p-CF3Ph, 2b; p-CH3Ph, 2c; 2,6-Me2Ph, 2d; 2,6-iPr2Ph, 2e; cyclohexyl, 2f; Ar = C6H3tBu(2), R = Ph, 2g; 2,6-iPr2Ph, 2h; Ar = C6H2tBU2(2,4), R = Ph, 2i; 2,6-iPr2Ph, 2j; Ar = C6H2Br2, R = Ph, 2k) were prepared from VC13(THF)3 by treating with 1.0 equiv of (RN=CH)ArOH in tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the presence of excess triethylamine (TEA).

磷酸三苯酯作为内给电子体的聚丙烯催化剂研究

在各种聚丙烯催化剂中, 应用最为广泛的是Ziegler-Natta(Z-N)催化体系。而作为Z-N催化剂的重要组分之一,内给电子体是影响催化剂活性和聚合物立构规整性的重要因素,因此Z-N催化剂的发展从另一方面看就是内外给电子体的发展,调整催化剂中内给电子体组分的组成和结构是改善钛、镁为主体的Z-N聚丙烯催化剂的催化性能及聚丙烯产品性能的有效手段之一。本文以磷酸三苯酯作为内给电子体, 制备了Ziegler-Natta高效载体催化剂,通过红外光谱确定了磷酸三苯酯在催化剂中与活性中心的络合。聚合结果表明：此催化剂具有较高的聚合活性, 聚合产物聚丙烯具有较高的堆积密度和等规度,并且分子量分布较宽,此研究为制备具有良好加工性能与力学性能的聚丙烯及其共聚产品提供了新的技术支持。

Effect of Copolymerization Time on the Microstructure and Properties of Polypropylene/Poly(ethylene-co-propylene) In-Reactor Alloys

Three Polypropylene/Poly(ethylene-co-propylene) (PP/EPR) in-reactor alloys produced by a two-stage slurry/gas polymerization had different ethylene contents and mechanical properties, which were achieved by controlling the copolymerization time. The three alloys were fractionated into five fractions via temperature rising dissolution fractionation (TRDF), respectively. The chain structures of the whole samples and their fractions were analyzed using high-temperature gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (C-13 NMR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. These three in-reactor alloys mainly contained four portions: ethylenepropylene random copolymer (EPR), ethylene-propylene (EP) segmented and block copolymers, and propylene homopolymer. The increased copolymerization time caused the increased ethylene content of the sample. The weight percent of EPR, EP segmented and block copolymer also became higher.

Enhanced crystallization of the gamma-form of propylene-ethylene copolymer in its miscible blends with propylene homopolymer

BACKGROUND: How to promote the formation of the gamma-form in a certain propylene-ethylene copolymer (PPR) under atmospheric conditions is significant for theoretical considerations and practical applications. Taking the epitaxial relationship between the alpha-form and gamma-form into account, it is expected that incorporation of some extrinsic alpha-crystals, developed by propylene homopolymer (PPH), can enhance the crystallization of the gamma-form of the PPR component in PPR/PPH blends.RESULTS: The PPH component in the blends first crystallizes from the melt, and its melting point and crystal growth rate decrease with increasing PPR fraction. On the other hand, first-formed alpha-crystals of the PPH component can induce the lateral growth of PPR chains on themselves, indicated by sheaf-like crystal morphology and positive birefringence, which is in turn responsible for enhanced crystallization of the gamma-form of the PPR component.

Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Olefin Polymerization Behavior of Vanadium(III) Complexes Bearing Tridentate Schiff Base Ligands

Vanadium(III) complexes bearing tridentate salicylaldiminato ligands (2a-f) [OC6H4CH=NL]VCl2(THF) (L = CH2CH2OMe, 2a; CH2CH2NMe2, 2b; CH2C5H4N, 2c; 8-C9H6N (quinoline), 2d; 2-MeSC6H4, 2e; 2-Ph2PC6H4, 2f) and tridentate beta-enaminoketonato ligands [OC6H8CH=N-2-Ph2PC6H4]VCl2(THF) (2g) and [O(Ph)C=CHCH=N-2-Ph2PC6H4]VCl2(THF) (2h) were prepared from VCl3(THF)(3) by treating with 1.0 equiv of the deprotonated ligands in tetrahydrofuran (THF). These complexes were characterized by FTIR and mass spectrometry as well as elemental analysis. Structures of complexes 2e, 2f, and 2h were further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. These complexes were investigated as catalysts for olefin polymerization in the presence of organoaluminum compounds. On activation with Et2AlCl, complexes 2a-h exhibited high catalytic activities toward ethylene polymerization (up to 20.64 kg PE/mmol(v) center dot h center dot bar) even at high temperature, suggesting these catalysts possess high thermal stability.

Ethylene Polymerization and Ethylene/Hexene Copolymerization with Vanadium(III) Catalysts Bearing Heteroatom-Containing Salicylaldiminato Ligands

A series of novel vanadium(III) complexes hearing heteroatoill-containing group-substituted salicylaldiminato ligands [RN=CH(ArO)]VCl2(THF)(2) (Ar = C6H4, R = C3H2NS, 2a; C7H4NS, 2c; C7H5N2, 2d; Ar = C(6)H(2)tBu(2) (2,4), R = C3H2NS, 2b) have been synthesized and characterized. Structure of complex 2c was further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The complexes were investigated as the catalysts for ethylene polymerization in the presence of Et2AlCl. Complexes 2a-d exhibited high catalytic activities (up to 22.8 kg polyethylene/mmolv h bar), and affording polymer with unimodal molecular weight distributions at 25-70 degrees C in the first 5-min polymerization, whereas produced bimodal molecular weight distribution polymers at 70 degrees C when polymerization time prolonged to 30 min. The catalyst structure plays an important role in controlling the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the resultant polymers produced in 30 min polymerization. In addition, ethylene/hexene copolymerizations with catalysts 2a-d were also explored in the presence of Et2AlCl, which leads to the high molecular weight and unimodal distributions copolymers with high comonomer incorporation.

Novel vanadium(III) complexes with bidentate N,N-chelating iminopyrrolide ligands: synthesis, characterization and catalytic behaviour of ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with 10-undecen-1-ol

A series of novel vanadium(III) complexes bearing iminopyrrolide chelating ligands [2-(RN=CH)C4H3N]V(THF)(2)Cl-2 (2a: R = cyclohexyl; 2b: R = Ph; 2c: R = 2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3); 2d: R = p-CF3C6H4; 2e: R = C6F5) have been synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that complexes 2a, 2c and 2e adopt an octahedral geometry around the vanadium center. In the presence of Et2AlCl as a co-catalyst, these complexes displayed high catalytic activities up to 48.6 kg PE mmol(V)(-1) h(-1) bar(-1) for ethylene polymerization, and produced high molecular weight polymers. 2a-e/Et2AlCl catalytic systems were tolerant to elevated temperature (70 degrees C) and yielded unimodal polyethylenes, indicating the single site behaviour of these catalysts. By pre-treating with equimolar amounts of alkylaluminums, functional alpha-olefin 10-undecen-1-ol can be efficiently incorporated into polyethylene chains. 10-Undecen-1-ol incorporation can easily reach 15.8 mol% under the mild conditions.

Effect of swelling response of the support particles on ethylene polymerization

Macroporous and modified macroporous poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate-co-divinylbenzene) particles (m-PS and mm-PS) supported Cp2ZrCl2 were prepared and applied to ethylene polymerization using methylaluminoxane (MAO) as cocatalyst. The influences of the swelling response of the support particles on the catalyst loading capabilities of the supports as well as on the activities of the supported catalysts were studied. It was shown that the Zr loadings of the supports and the activities of the supported catalysts increased with the swelling extent of the support particles. The m-PS or mm-PS supported catalysts exhibited very high activities when the support particles were well swollen, whereas those catalysts devoid of swelling treatment gave much lower activities. Investigation on the distribution of the supports in the polyethylene by TEM indicated that the swelling of the support particles allowed the fragmentation of the catalyst particles. In contrast, the fragmentation of the support particles with poor swelling was hindered during ethylene polymerization.

Evolution of the interfacial tension between polydisperse "immiscible" polymers in the absence and in the presence of a compatibilizer

The interfacial tension sigma between two polyisobutylenes (PIB) of dissimilar polydispersity and two polydisperse samples of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was measured as a function of time by means of a pendent drop apparatus at different temperatures ranging from 30 to 110 degreesC. In addition to three of the four possible binary blends, the time evolution of sigma was also determined for one ternary system, where the PIB phase contained 0.03 wt % of a diblock copolymer poly(isobutylene-b-dimethylsiloxane). The pronounced decrease of sigma with advancing time, observed in all cases, is attributed to the migration of the interfacially active lower molecular weight components of the homopolymers and of the compatibilizer into the interphase. Several days are normally required until a becomes constant. These time independent values are not considered as equilibrium data, but accredited to stationary states. A kinetic model is established for sigma(t), which enables a detailed investigation of the rates of transport of the different migrating species of average molar mass of M.

Zirconocene catalyst well spaced inside modified montmorillonite for ethylene polymerization: role of pretreatment and modification of montmorillonite in tailoring polymer properties

Zirconocene catalyst was heterogenized inside an organosilane-modified montmorillonite (MMT) pretreated by calcination and acidization, for supported catalyst systems with well-spaced alpha-olefin polymerization active centers. The varied pretreatment and modification conditions of montmorillonite are efficient for supported zirconocene catalysts in control of polyethylene microstructures, in particular, molecular weight distribution. In contrast to other supported catalyst systems, Cp2ZrCl2/modified montmorillonite(MMT-7)-supported catalysts with a distinct interlayer structure catalyzed ethylene homopolymerization and copolymerization with I-octene activated by methylaluminoxane (MAO), resulting in polymers with a bimodal molecular weight distribution (MWD).