Effect of Mn doped-titania on the activity of metallocene catalyst by in situ ethylene polymerization

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Volume 18, Issue 5, 25 September 2012, Pages 1836–1840
Effect of Mn doped-titania on the activity of metallocene catalyst by in situ ethylene polymerization
S.H. Abdul Kaleel a, Bijal Kottukkal Bahuleyan a, S.K. De a, Masihullah Jabarulla Khan a, Rachid Sougrat b, Mamdouh A. Al-Harthi a, c,
a Department of Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, 31261 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
b King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 23955-6900 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
c Center of Research Excellence in Nanotechnology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, 31261 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Using highly active metallocene catalysts (Cp2ZrCl2 and Cp2TiCl2) in combination with methylalumoxane, researchers conducted ethylene polymerization.  They employed titanium(IV) oxide containing 1% Mn as dopant as nanofillers.  They studied the influence of filler concentration, reaction temperature and pressure on the catalytic activity and polymer properties.
They observed a fourfold increase in the activity of zirconocene catalyst by addition of doped-titania. The morphology indicates that the doped-titania nanoparticles have a nucleus effect on the polymerization and caused a homogeneous PE shell around them.
Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1226086X12001499