Issue 91, 2016, Issue in Progress

Reinforcement effects of nanocarbons on catalyst behaviour and polyethylene properties through in situ polymerization

Abstract

MWCNT (multi-walled carbon nanotube), MWCNT-COOH and xGnP (exfoliated graphene nanoplatelet) were used in the in situ polymerization of ethylene in the presence of a binuclear complex (BNC4) in which triisobutylaluminum (TiBA) and methylaluminoxane (MAO) were employed as cocatalysts. Functional groups on MWCNT-COOH, MWCNT and xGnP were masked with TiBA. In comparison to BNC4 (503.3 g PE per mmol Ni per h), not only was the catalytic activity using BNC4/xGnP (1811.8 g PE per mmol Ni per h) and BNC4/MWCNT (1025.1 g PE per mmol Ni per h) improved, due to the adsorption of catalyst on the nanocarbon surface, but also the properties of the PE/nanocarbons were markedly affected. A DSC thermogram of PE/xGnP showed a peak together with a shoulder, which was broader than was observed with pure PE, whereas a narrow peak was observed for PE/MWCNT-COOH and for PE/MWCNT. Moreover, nanocarbons with a change in PE morphology were observed through SEM images. The unsaturation content and the extent of branching for polyethylene obtained using BNC4/Nanocarbons were in the range of 7.6–16.8 and 186–214., respectively. The surface electrical conductivity improved substantially (≈10−6 S cm−1), relative to pure PE (≈10−13 S cm−1).

Graphical abstract: Reinforcement effects of nanocarbons on catalyst behaviour and polyethylene properties through in situ polymerization

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 Jun 2016
Accepted
02 Sep 2016
First published
16 Sep 2016

RSC Adv., 2016,6, 88625-88632

Reinforcement effects of nanocarbons on catalyst behaviour and polyethylene properties through in situ polymerization

M. Khoshsefat, S. Ahmadjo, S. M. M. Mortazavi and G. H. Zohuri, RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 88625 DOI: 10.1039/C6RA16243F

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