Development of a Novel Super-active Ziegler-Natta Polyethylene Catalyst: Study on Structure, Performance and Application

In this research, the synthesis process of a novel super-active catalyst, named SAC-510 is investigated at experimental scale. The authors compared the analyzed data against those derived from a popular catalyst, Finix-112, and several other available alternatives. The data indicated that SAC-510 catalyst derived the optimal activity from its spherical particles. Titanium and other chemical elements were less uniformly distributed in SAC-510 than in Finix-112 samples, with the mean particle size being slightly larger than that found in Finix-112. The pores’ dispersion and sizes in SAC-510 were not as uniformly distributed as those in Finix-112 catalyst. Lastly, both SAC-510 and Finix-112 catalysts were equally adaptable for use in high-density polyethylene pipes (grade 100). Compared to other commercially available catalysts, the major advantages of SAC-510 are the economical use of hydrogen and monomers, and low purging of its valuable gases during the polymerization process. The results obtained are as follows: the increase in oxidative induction time efficiency with SAC catalyst compared to Finix catalyst by 5.8%, activity by 35.7%, hydrogen responsibility by 24.39%, 1-butene consumption by 8.38% and triethylaluminium consumption by 27.27%.