Catalytic Polymerization of Ethylene in Aqueous Emulsion with a Simple in Situ Catalyst

• Published in: Macromolecules Vol. 36; no. 18; pp. 6711 - 6715
• Main Authors: Bauers, Florian M, Chowdhry, Mubarik M, Mecking, Stefan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 09.09.2003
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Polyethylene; Olefin copolymer; Emulsion copolymerization; Tertiary phosphine; Benzoquinone derivatives; Butylene derivative copolymer; Complex catalyst polymerization; Complex catalyst; Experimental study; Complex catalyst copolymerization; Emulsion polymerization; Ethylene copolymer; Olefin polymer; Nickel complex; Catalyst activity
• ISSN: 0024-9297; 1520-5835
• DOI: 10.1021/ma034164m

Catalytic polymerization of ethylene in aqueous emulsion by in situ catalysts based entirely on compounds commercially available from standard chemicals suppliers, namely a chlorinated derivative of 1,4-benzoquinone, triphenylphosphine, and bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel, is reported. Using miniemulsions of catalyst solutions in a small amount of hydrocarbon solvent for polymerization, stable dispersions of linear semicrystalline polyethylene are obtained. With 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone as the quinone component, polyethylenes with molecular weights (M n up to 3 × 103 g mol-1) clearly exceeding the entanglement limit are accessible. The catalyst is stable in water for hours with productivities of up to 2 × 103 mol(ethylene) mol(Ni)-1 h-1. Productivities and molecular weights are in the same range for conventional polymerization in organic solvents. Polyethylene dispersions with solids contents of up to 28% are obtained. Aqueous dispersions of ethylene/1-butene copolymers with comonomer incorporations of up to 3 mol % (6 wt %) were prepared.