Kinetics of ethylene polymerization at high temperature with Ziegler–Natta catalysts

A kinetic technique is developed for the study of ethylene polymerization reaction at high temperature with Ziegler–Natta catalysts. The technique is based on the calculation of polymerization rate parameters from the data on ethylene consumption vs. time. It takes into account increase of reaction temperature at the beginning of the reaction. Kinetic data in coordinates “polymerization rate–time” are presented for several pseudohomogeneous catalysts (TiCl₄? AlEt₂Cl, Ti(OiC₃H₇)₄? AlEt₂Cl), heterogeneous catalysts (δ-TiCl₃? AlEt₃, δ-TiCl₃? AlEt₂Cl, TiCl₄/MgCl₂? AlEt₃, TiCl₄/MgCl₂? AlEt₂Cl) and solubilized catalysts (δ-TiCl₃? poly-1-hexene? AlEt₂Cl) at 180°C and reaction pressure 14.6 atm for first 10 min of the reaction. These data are useful for the selection of Ziegler–Natta catalysts for testing in ethylene polymerization reaction in continuous high pressure reactors at short residence times.