Ethene polymerization with a poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) beads supportedrac-Ph2Si(Ind)2ZrCl2 catalyst

Abstract

Poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) beads supported rac-Ph2Si(Ind)2ZrCl2 was prepared and tested as a catalyst for ethene polymerization using methylaluminoxane (MAO) as a cocatalyst. At a polymerization temperature below 100°C, the catalyst showed pretty high activity to give polyethene beads replicating the shape of the carrier. With increasing polymerization temperature up to 150°C, the catalyst activity increased drastically but the spherical shape of polyethene disappeared due to the melting. From the plots of apparent activity against polymerization temperature, it was suggested that the polymerization below 100°C is more or less controlled by monomer diffusion through the crystalline polyethene films.