Ziegler Polymerization of Ethylene: Catalyst Design and Molecular Mass Distribution

Abstract

For high density polyethylene the molecular mass distribution is one of the most important basic parameter. As the processability strongly depends on both molecular mass and molecular mass distribution, great efforts have been made to determine the origins of molecular mass distribution and, consequently, to control molecular mass distribution in technical processes. While the regulation of the molecular mass in polymerization processes is well understood today, there is no commonly accepted theory which could explain the dependence of molecular mass distribution on catalyst structure and polymerization parameters.