Effect of silica-type sol–gel carrier’s structure and morphology on a supported Ziegler–Natta catalyst for ethylene polymerization

Silica xerogels with different structures and morphology, synthesized using a sol–gel procedure, were used as a carrier of vanadium catalysts (VOCl3/AlEt2Cl) for ethylene polymerization. Two techniques of catalyst synthesis were applied: slurry impregnation and gas-phase adsorption and the relevant polymerization methods were then employed. The effect of the carrier structure and morphology on the vanadium loading in the catalysts, the catalyst’s activity and kinetic stability were investigated.