Fabrication and characterization of PE/MMT nanocomposites via copolymerization of ethylene and in situ formed a-olefins

An iron-based ethylene oligomerization catalyst, {[(2-ArN = C(Me))2C5H3N]FeCl2}(Ar = 2-CH3-4-OCH3(C6H4)) (Fe-Cat.) was synthesized and PE/MMT nanocomposites were prepared successfully employing the obtained catalyst supported on MMT and rac-Et(Ind)2ZrCl2 (Zr-Cat.) with ethylene as the single monomer and MAO the cocatalyst. The ironbased catalyst could oligomerize ethylene to a-olefins and they copolymerized with ethylene the same time to form PE/MMT nanocomposites in the interlayer of MMT under rac-Et(Ind)2ZrCl2. The catalytic system was of high polymeric activities towards ethylene copolymerization and produced branched PE matrix. Characterization of the resultant PE/MMT nanocomposites was performed with 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) etc. Also investigated were the mechanical properties of the resulting PE/MMT nanocomposites.