The application of domestic metallocene catalysts on the scale

The researchers of the PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemical Technology spent 16 years working hard and finally unveiled the mystery of the metallocene catalyst, one of the core technologies of the polyolefin industry. The new metallocene catalyst independently developed by the institute was successfully applied to the China Polyethylene Pilot Plant last week and will soon conduct industrial application tests. This means that China's polyolefin industry will achieve leapfrog improvement in production scale, technological level, product quality and economic benefits.

As of the end of last week, ethylene gas phase polymerization pilot test results show that the domestic new metallocene catalyst activity release is stable, the polymerization temperature during the test is easy to control; catalytic activity is high, catalytic efficiency is about twice that of imported catalyst; hydrogen sensitivity is good, and The catalyst is capable of releasing hydrogen gas itself during the catalysis of the copolymerization of ethylene with hexene-1. The catalytic system thus has the potential advantage of developing new polyolefin products. In addition, the copolymerization performance of the pilot product is good, and the hexene/ethylene ratio lower than the imported catalyst can make the polymer product reach the same density. This result shows that the domestic metallocene catalysts have met the conditions for industrial application tests, laying a solid foundation for the improvement of the economic efficiency of China Petroleum's polyolefin products and the advancement of metallocene catalyst technology.

According to experts from the Lanzhou Chemical Research Center of the Petroleum and Chemical Research Institute, metallocene catalyst technology is a decisive factor influencing the size, grade, and production technology of polyolefins. Compared with traditional Ziegler-Natta catalysts, the most notable feature of metallocene catalysts is that they have a single active center and thus can precisely control the relative molecular mass and molecular distribution, comonomer content, and distribution and crystallization on the main chain. structure. The strong copolymerization ability of the catalyst can increase the utilization of the comonomer, thereby saving the amount of comonomer, and the uniform distribution of the copolymer ** monomer, can give the polymer a unique mechanical and physical properties. In addition, it also allows the polymer to contain more terminal vinyl groups, enabling functionalization of the product, resulting in significantly improved wettability, platability, paintability, adhesion, and compatibility of the resin. .

It is understood that the metallocene catalyst technology has gradually become a research hotspot in the polyolefin industry since the 1980s. The world's major manufacturers have successively applied this technology to the production of different types of polyolefins and realized commercial applications. PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemical Technology is one of the earliest research institutes in China to carry out metallocene catalysts. It has now formed a complete set of pilot technologies including synthesis of main catalysts, MAO synthesis of cocatalysts, synthesis of carrier silica gel, and loading of catalysts. The forerunner of metal catalyst assembly technology.