Modification effect of spherical zirconia with SiCl4 as a support of methylaluminoxane for heterogeneous single-site catalyst

Unmodified and SiCl4-modified spherical zirconia-supported methylaluminoxane were used as cocatalyst for propylene polymerization as well as ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization in combined with Me2Si(η3-C13H8)(η1-NtBu)TiMe2 (1) at 0 °C. The modification with SiCl4 improved the catalytic activity. The improvement was clearer in ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization than in propylene polymerization. The number average molecular weight (Mn) of polypropylenes increased linearly against the polymerization time regardless the cocatalyst used to give polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn < 1.32), indicating the living nature of the catalytic systems. Thus, propagation rate constant (kp) and the number of active centers (C*) were evaluated from Mn and the number of polymer-chains. When the zirconia was modified with SiCl4, the kp value decreased and the C* increased. The latter effect was more significant to enhance the catalytic activity.