Insitu preparation of a variety of polyolefin nanocomposites using Ziegler-Natta catalysts and investigations of product different properties

nsitu preparation of nanocomposites of polyethylene and polypropylene with clay, silica, nanotube, and carbon black has been performed using Zeigler-Natta catalysts supported oncorresponding nonoparticles Depend on catalyst structure, different catalyst support scheme have been adopted. Where for clay both interlayer magnesium and hydroxyl groups has been used for catalyst or cocatalyt support, for the other particles only surface hydroxyl groups has been usedto support catalyst. To have a better control on polymerization process and catalyst efficiency, magnesium etoxide has been used to produce an efficient bi-support catalyst. This bi-support catalyst could efficiently polymerize ethylene and propylene in even very high molecular weight.So, this method can be considered as an efficient method for production of UHMWPE nanocomposites which cannot be produced using conventional methods e.g. melt blending. Polymerizations of ethylene and propylene on filer particles have been done in slurry phase andhydrogen has been used for controlling molecular weight and flow ability of produced nanocomposite samples, especially for polyethylene/nanocomposites. Morphological, physical and mechanical, and barrier properties of prepared nanocomposites have been investigated. Direct morphological study by TEM and XRD and indirect analysis of nanocomposites structure by DSC and barrier measurement results show that clay must beexfoliated and appropriately distributed in nanocomposites. The mechanical investigations show remarkable increase in moulds and tensile strength of polymer even in very low concentration of non modified clay which also can be considered as other evidences for expecting exfoliatedstructure of clay. Polyethylene/nanosilica, nanotube, nanoclay, and nanocarbon black prepared in absence of hydrogen show melt flow index almost zero measuring even at above 290 0C under weight of 10 Kg. SEM and EDAX image of some samples show excellent distribution and dispersion of nonoparticles in polyolefin matrix.