Heterogeneity in the Fragmentation of Ziegler Catalyst Particles during Ethylene Polymerization Quantified by X-ray Nanotomography.

ABSTRACT: Ziegler-type catalysts are the grand old workhorse of the polyolefin industry, yet their hierarchically complex nature complicates polymerization activity-catalyst structure relationships. In this work, the degree of catalyst framework fragmentation of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) Ziegler-type catalyst was studied using ptychography X-ray-computed nanotomography (PXCT) in the early stages of ethylene polymerization under mild reaction conditions. An ensemble consisting of 434 fully reconstructed ethylene prepolymerized Ziegler catalyst particles prepared at a polymer yield of 3.4 g HDPE/g catalyst was imaged. This enabled a statistical route to study the heterogeneity in the degree of particle fragmentation and therefore local polymerization activity at an achieved 3-D spatial resolu

SUBMITTER: Bossers KW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8243319 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature