Introduction
Copolymerization of ethylene and R-olefins has long
been used to synthesize polymers with controlled
amounts of crystallinity and attendant physical properties
(modulus, yield strength, fracture toughness, optical
haze, etc.). There is consensus that most short-chain
branches, which accompany enchainment of R-olefin
comonomers, are rejected from the polyethylene-like
crystals, thereby reducing both crystallinity and melting
temperature. Conventional low-pressure catalysts give
heterogeneous products, i.e., mixtures in which the
concentration of R-olefin comonomer varies appreciably
from chain to chain.1 This complexity of chemical
microstructure has impeded efforts to correlate morphology
and properties with short-chain branching. For
example, a conventional (heterogeneous) ethylenebutene
copolymer with an average of 19 ethyl branches
per 1000 carbon atoms has a melting temperature Tm
) 126 °C,2 about 20 °C higher than Tm for a homogeneous
copolymer (all chains having the same branching)
of the same comonomer composition.3 The difference in
this case is readily ascribed to the presence of thick
crystals formed by essentially unbranched chains present
in the heterogeneous system.
Although some attempts have been made to relate
branch heterogeneity to the nature of partially crystalline
copolymers,2,4 the underlying understanding of
simpler systems, with homogeneous branching, is still
qualitative at best. Alamo and Mandelkern5 have reviewed
thoroughly copolymers of ethylene and R-olefins
having uniform chemical microstructure. It is well
established that melting temperature, crystallinity, and
crystal thickness are reduced by the presence of shortchain
branched repeat units. Morphology effects are
independent of branch size (if larger than methyl,
-CH3), leading to the logical conclusion that such
comonomer units are excluded from the crystalline
regions. A number of questions remain unanswered:
Can one predict from theory the melting temperature
or crystallinity of a partially crystalline copolymer? Are
experimental results consistent with theory? How robust
is the popular two-phase model for copolymers?
These and related issues are the focus of the present
work, which is stimulated in part by the development
of metallocene catalysts that give ethylene copolymers
reported to have more homogeneous incorporation of
R-olefin comonomers.6
IntroductionCopolymerization of ethylene and R-olefins has longbeen used to synthesize polymers with controlledamounts of crystallinity and attendant physical properties(modulus, yield strength, fracture toughness, opticalhaze, etc.). There is consensus that most short-chainbranches, which accompany enchainment of R-olefincomonomers, are rejected from the polyethylene-likecrystals, thereby reducing both crystallinity and meltingtemperature. Conventional low-pressure catalysts giveheterogeneous products, i.e., mixtures in which theconcentration of R-olefin comonomer varies appreciablyfrom chain to chain.1 This complexity of chemicalmicrostructure has impeded efforts to correlate morphologyand properties with short-chain branching. Forexample, a conventional (heterogeneous) ethylenebutenecopolymer with an average of 19 ethyl branchesper 1000 carbon atoms has a melting temperature Tm) 126 °C,2 about 20 °C higher than Tm for a homogeneouscopolymer (all chains having the same branching)of the same comonomer composition.3 The difference inthis case is readily ascribed to the presence of thickcrystals formed by essentially unbranched chains presentin the heterogeneous system.Although some attempts have been made to relatebranch heterogeneity to the nature of partially crystallinecopolymers,2,4 the underlying understanding ofsimpler systems, with homogeneous branching, is stillqualitative at best. Alamo and Mandelkern5 have reviewedthoroughly copolymers of ethylene and R-olefinshaving uniform chemical microstructure. It is wellestablished that melting temperature, crystallinity, andcrystal thickness are reduced by the presence of shortchainbranched repeat units. Morphology effects areindependent of branch size (if larger than methyl,-CH3), leading to the logical conclusion that suchcomonomer units are excluded from the crystallineregions. A number of questions remain unanswered:Can one predict from theory the melting temperatureor crystallinity of a partially crystalline copolymer? Areexperimental results consistent with theory? How robustis the popular two-phase model for copolymers?These and related issues are the focus of the presentwork, which is stimulated in part by the developmentof metallocene catalysts that give ethylene copolymersreported to have more homogeneous incorporation ofR-olefin comonomers.6
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
