The Influence of Ziegler-Natta and Metallocene Catalysts on Polyolefin Structure, Properties, and Processing Ability.

50 years ago, Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta were awarded the Nobel Prize for their discovery of the catalytic polymerization of ethylene and propylene using titanium compounds and aluminum-alkyls as co-catalysts. Polyolefins have grown to become one of the biggest of all produced polymers. New metallocene/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts open the possibility to synthesize polymers with highly defined microstructure, tacticity, and steroregularity, as well as long-chain branched, or blocky copolymers with excellent properties.

Metallocene Based Polyolefin Nanocomposites.

One of the most efficient and versatile ways to synthesize polyolefin nanocomposites is the polymerization of olefins in the presence of nano particles by metallocene catalysts. Metallocene/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts are soluble in hydrocarbons and therefore they can be absorbed perfectly in solution onto the surface of particles or fibers and after addition of ethene or propene they can then catalyze a polyolefin film on the surface. Metallocene/MAO and other single site catalysts allow the synthesis of polymers with a precisely defined microstructure, tacticity, and stereoregularity as well as new copolymers with superior properties such as film clarity, high tensile strength and lower content of extractables.

Development of a bioprocess to convert PET derived terephthalic acid and biodiesel derived glycerol to medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoate.

Sodium terephthalate (TA) produced from a PET pyrolysis product and waste glycerol (WG) from biodiesel manufacture were supplied to Pseudomonas putida GO16 in a fed-batch bioreactor. Six feeding strategies were employed by altering the sequence of TA and WG feeding. P.

New application for metallocene catalysts in olefin polymerization.

Metallocenes and other transition metal complexes, activated by methylaluminoxane allow the synthesis of polyolefins with a highly defined microstructure, tacticity, and stereoregularity. New copolymers, long chain branched polymers, and polyolefin nanocomposites are produced by these highly active catalysts. A better understanding of the structure of active sites for the olefin polymerization will lead to findings of new and simpler co-catalysts.

Up-cycling of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) to the biodegradable plastic PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate).

The conversion of the petrochemical polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to a biodegradable plastic polyhydroxyal-kanoate (PHA) is described here. PET was pyrolised at 450 degrees C resulting in the production of a solid, liquid, and gaseous fraction. The liquid and gaseous fractions were burnt for energy recovery, whereas the solid fraction terephthalic acid (TA) was used as the feedstock for bacterial production of PHA.

A two step chemo-biotechnological conversion of polystyrene to a biodegradable thermoplastic.

A novel approach to the recycling of polystyrene is reported here; polystyrene is converted to a biodegradable plastic, namely polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). This unique combinatorial approach involves the pyrolysis of polystyrene to styrene oil, followed by the bacterial conversion of the styrene oil to PHA by Pseudomonas putida CA-3 (NCIMB 41162). The pyrolysis (520 degrees C) of polystyrene in a fluidized bed reactor (Quartz sand (0.

Ethene/norbornene copolymerization with palladium(II) alpha-diimine catalysts: from ligand screening to discrete catalyst species.

Sixteen palladium(II) alpha-diimine catalysts were investigated in a screening-like procedure for the copolymerization of ethene with norbornene. The resulting copolymers were characterized by (13)C NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, gel permeation chromatography, and viscosimetry. The degree of incorporation of norbornene in the polymer chain is very high for most of the catalysts.

Ethene/norbornene copolymerization by [MeSi(3-(tert)BuCp) (N(tert)Bu)]TiCl2/MAO-catalyst.

Ethene/norbornene copolymerization by the catalyst system [Me2Si(3-(tert)BuCp) (N(tertBu)]TiCl2/ MAO was investigated in detail at 30 degrees C, 60 degrees C, and 90 degrees C. A mass flow controller was used in this work to obtain kinetic data and investigate temperature's effects on activity, norbornene incorporation, copolymerization parameter, microstructure, glass transition temperature, and molar masses were described. High copolymerization values r(E) and high alternation are determined.