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Interplay of reversible chain transfer and comonomer incorporation reactions in coordination copolymerization of ethylene/1–hexene

Document Type : Original research

Authors

1 Department of Polymer Engineering and Color Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 Engineering Department, Catalyst Group, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran.

3 Department of Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Qom University of Technology, Qom, Iran.

4 4Institute of Physical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, D-55128 Mainz, Germany

Abstract

Coordinative chain transfer polymerization (CCTP) has opened a new path for the development of novel products like olefin block copolymers and chain-end functional polyolefins. However, conflicting results are frequently reported on the catalyst performance including activity and comonomer selectivity under CCTP conditions. Here we have selected two catalysts including rac-ethylenebis(1-η5-indenyl)zirconocene and bis(imino) pyridine iron, with drastically different comonomer affinities. The effect of diethyl zinc as the chain transfer agent (CTA) on their individual performances is evaluated at different 1–hexene concentrations, in copolymerization with ethylene. Combined thermal fractionation and GPC results confirm that not all chains experience the reversible transfer reaction. Nevertheless, the metallocene catalyst shows twice activity and about 30% lower comonomer incorporation in the presence of CTA. Conversely, the late transition metal catalyst demonstrates lower activity and remains comonomer irresponsive. It could be concluded that, in addition to establishing a reversible transfer reaction, CTA affects the nature of active centers. This finding can help designing olefin copolymers with a more defined chemical composition based on CCTP reaction.

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Polyolefins Journal
Volume 7, Issue 1 - Serial Number 13
January 2020
Pages 1-11
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History
  • Receive Date: 16 April 2019
  • Revise Date: 09 June 2019
  • Accept Date: 10 June 2019
  • First Publish Date: 11 June 2019
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