Direct Route to Colloidal UHMWPE by Including LLDPE in Solution during Homogeneous Polymerization of Ethylene

作者：Ronca S^*; Forte G; Ailianou A; Kornfield J A; Rastogi S

来源：ACS Macro Letters, 2012, 1(9): 1116-1120.

DOI：10.1021/mz300369x

The usual aggregation and precipitation driven by crystallization of nascent PE during homogeneous polymerization of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is inhibited by including linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) in the catalyst solution prior to addition of ethylene monomer. Co-crystallization of newly formed PE and dissolved LLDPE creates a polymer brush on the fold surfaces of the nascent crystallites. Consequently, aggregation is inhibited by steric stabilization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that individual lamellae (approximately 10-20 nm thick) typically have lateral dimensions of 0.5 mu m x 3.5 mu m and form %26quot;bowtie%26quot; shaped stacks that are approximately 200-500 nm thick. This simple method for stabilizing nascent crystals against precipitation is enabling fundamental studies of their metastable %26quot;disentangled%26quot; state and may open scalable routes to compounding UHMWPE.

• 出版日期2012-9