Volume no :4, Issue no: 2, October 2011

COMPARISON OF ETHYLENE/1-HEXENE COPOLYMERIZATION PERFORMANCE USING METALLOCENE CATALYSTS SUPPORTED ON BOTH SILICA AND BRAZILIAN MINERAL CLAY

Author's: MARIA DE FÁTIMA V. MARQUES and RODRIGO BERNARDES TIOSSO
Pages: [149] - [173]
Received Date: September 9, 2011
Submitted by:

Abstract

Ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization was carried out using catalyst supported on two different carriers (silica and bentonite), and compared to homogeneous copolymerization. The reactions were carried out at 50ºC and 80ºC employing different amounts of comonomer. The polymerization parameters, such as catalyst activity and copolymer thermal properties were examined. In reactions at 80ºC, the catalyst performed significantly better with the addition of comonomer when silica was used as support. However, the activity decreased when a bentonite-supported catalyst was employed. In both heterogeneous polymerizations, the amounts of comonomer incorporated in the polyethylene chains were lower than those with the homogeneous counterpart, although, the homogeneous polymer system presented higher melting temperatures.

Keywords

ethylene copolymer, supported catalyst, metallocene catalyst, silica, clay, nanocomposite.