Metallocene-catalyzed solution polymerization of ethene at elevated pressure

Full Paper: The kinetic of ethene polymerization catalyzed by ((BuCp)-Bu-n)(2)ZrCl2/(AlBu3)-Bu-i/[iMe(2)PhNH](+)[iB(C6F5)(4)](-) has been <LF>investigated at 100 and 140degreesC at pressures from 2 to 7 MPa. The initial polymerization rate R-p0 increases linearly with increasing catalyst concentration, whereas a second-order dependence of R-p0 on the ethene concentration is found the number-average molecular weight (M) over bar (n) increases with increasing ethene pressure (ethene concentration). The relation between (M) over bar (n) and ethene concentration can be explained by an equation based on a kinetic model involving a single center, two-state catalyst system.