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Controllable preparation of branched polyethylene with different microstructures via chain transfer ethylene polymerization catalyzed by α-diimine Ni complex/methylaluminoxane/diethylzinc

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Abstract

This contribution explored the adjustment of polyethylene (PE) microstructures via chain transfer ethylene polymerization catalyzed by α-diimine Ni complex/methylaluminoxane (MAO) with diethyl zinc (ZnEt2) as the chain transfer agent (CTA). Ethylene polymerizations were conducted in the presence of varying equivalents of ZnEt2 (Zn/Ni) at 5 °C, 22 °C and 32 °C, respectively. From high temperature GPC results, it was found that the molecular weight (MW) of prepared PE decreased with the increase of Zn/Ni ratio as a whole, indicating the occurrence of chain transfer to ZnEt2. From 13C NMR spectra, the branching distributions of PE were calculated. The data indicated that the addition of ZnEt2 brought weak influences on the branching distribution of resultant PE. It is worthwhile to note that both the catalytic activity and branching degree reach their maximums at Zn/Ni = 100. As a significant factor, temperature showed a remarkable influence on ethylene polymerizations and on the PE microstructures. A probable mechanism for the influence of chain transfer to CTA on PE microstructures was proposed.

Controllable preparation of branched polyethylene with different microstructures via chain transfer ethylene polymerization catalyzed by α-diimine Ni complex/methylaluminoxane/diethylzinc

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Project of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province (No.2008C14089) and Scholarship Award for Excellent Doctoral Student granted by Ministry of Education for financial supports.

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  1. State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Yulai Zhao, Li Wang, Haojie Yu, Lei Zhang, Chao Li, Wenbing Ding & Guanghui Jing

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  1. Yulai Zhao
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Correspondence to Li Wang.

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Zhao, Y., Wang, L., Yu, H. et al. Controllable preparation of branched polyethylene with different microstructures via chain transfer ethylene polymerization catalyzed by α-diimine Ni complex/methylaluminoxane/diethylzinc. J Polym Res 20, 184 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-013-0184-7

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