Mesoporous Polyolefin Catalyst Carrier for Narrow MWD Polymerization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polyolefin catalysts face challenges with carriers like silica gel, requiring specific properties such as bulk density, surface area, pore structure, and abrasion strength, which are difficult to achieve, and their catalytic efficiency needs improvement.
Innovation Solution
A sphere-like super-macroporous mesoporous material with a two-dimensional hexagonal ordered channel structure, specific surface area, and controlled water and oxygen content is used as a carrier, combined with magnesium and titanium components, and a spray drying method to prepare a polyolefin catalyst.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional silica gel is used as a carrier for polyolefin catalysts, then the catalyst can be prepared with basic carrier properties, but the catalytic efficiency is insufficient and the required technical specifications (bulk density, surface area, pore structure, abrasion strength) are difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the carrier material by transitioning from conventional silica gel to a mesoporous material with specifically controlled pore diameter (10-15 nm), specific surface area (300-400 m²/g), and particle size (1-3 μm). This parameter transformation enables both high catalytic efficiency and ease of preparation, resolving the technical contradiction between productivity and manufacturing precision.
2Area of stationary object
If mesoporous material with small pore size is used to increase surface area, then the specific surface area increases, but the pore structure becomes too restrictive for catalyst component diffusion and reaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a mesoporous material with a specifically engineered pore diameter of 10-15 nm, which falls within the mesoporous range (2-50 nm). This pore size provides sufficient surface area (300-400 m²/g) while maintaining adequate pore volume and connectivity to allow diffusion of catalyst components and polymer chains, thus resolving the contradiction between surface area and operational ease.
3Productivity
If the carrier material is highly porous to improve catalytic activity, then the surface area increases, but the mechanical strength and abrasion resistance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite approach by combining mesoporous silica material with appropriate binders or structural modifiers during preparation. The resulting carrier maintains the high surface area (300-400 m²/g) and appropriate pore structure for high catalytic activity while the composite structure provides the necessary mechanical strength and abrasion resistance to prevent carrier degradation during catalyst preparation and polymerization processes.
4Ease of operation
If the particle size of the carrier is reduced to improve flowability, then the flowability increases, but the bulk density decreases and handling becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the particle size parameter to the range of 1-3 μm, which is sufficiently small to provide good flowability and uniform catalyst distribution, yet large enough to maintain adequate bulk density for practical handling. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between flowability and bulk density by finding the optimal balance point in the particle size range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The catalyst exhibits improved catalytic efficiency, reduced agglomeration, and enhanced flowability, leading to better molecular weight distribution and conversion rates in olefin polymerization.
Implementation Method 1
the mesoporous material is one that has been subjected to a thermal activation treatment
Implementation Method 2
a two-dimensional hexagonal ordered channel structure, and which has an average pore diameter of from 10 nm to 15 nm, a specific surface area of from 300 m2/g to 400 m2/g
Implementation Method 3
a spray drying method to prepare a polyolefin catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a sphere-like super-macroporous mesoporous material, a polyolefin catalyst, and a preparation method therefor and an olefin polymerization process. The sphere-like super-macroporous mesoporous material has a two-dimensional hexagonal ordered pore channel structure. The mesoporous material has an average pore size of 10 nm to 15 nm, a specific surface area of 300 m2/g to 400 m2/g, and an average particle size of 1 μm to 3 μm, based on the total mass of the mesoporous material. The mass content of water in the mesoporous material is <1 ppm. The mass content of oxygen in the mesoporous material is <1 ppm. When a polyolefin catalyst prepared with the mesoporous material as a carrier is used for an olefin polymerization reaction, a polyolefin product with a narrow molecular weight distribution and a good melt index can be obtained.