Quarterpolymerizations of Ethene/Propene/Hexene/ Ethylidenenorbornene and Ethene/Propene/Octene/ Ethylidenenorbornene with [Me2C(3-MeCp)(Flu)]ZrCl2 / MAO

Summary

Quarterpolymerizations of ethene/propene/hexene/ethylidenenorbornene and ethene/propene/octene/ethylidenenorbornene were carried out using the catalytic system [Me₂C(3-MeCp)(Flu)]ZrCl₂ / MAO to determine whether it is possible to lower the glass transition temperature of an EPDM. The influence of the quartermonomer on the polymerization activity and on the product properties, such as the incorporation rates of the three other monomers, the molar mass and molar mass distribution of the polymer were looked at. It was found that the activity is decreased using 1-hexene on the one hand and 1-octene on the other hand as quartermonomer with the effect being more distinct using the former. Both 1-hexene and 1-octene are incorporated to the detriment of propene and ENB, the reduction of the ENB content being more distinct. The molar masses of the polymers are not affected by the substitution of these two monomers by the quartermonomer. The glass transition temperature, however, using 1-hexene or 1-octene, was reduced - in the case of the latter by more than 10 °C from −50 to −62 °C.