High density polyethylene modelling

Gas phase olefin polymerizations are becoming important as manufacturing processes for high density polyethylene (HOPE) and polypropylene (PP). An understanding of the kinetics of these gas-powder polymerization reactions using a highly active TiCi s catalyst is vital to the careful operation of these processes. Well-proven models for both the hexane slurry process and the bulk process have been published. This article describes an extension of these models to gas phase polymerization in semibatch and continuous backmix reactors. 

Fig. 11.2 Structural model of the composite of hydroxyapatite particles and high density polyethylene.

In order to illustrate the utility of model parameter interpretation, a data set containing NIR transmission spectra of a series of polymer films will be used [85]. In this example, films were extruded from seven different polymer blends, each of which was formulated using a different ratio of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) where the blend compositions were 0, 2.5, 5,10, 25, 50 and 100% HDPE. NIR spectra were then obtained for four or five replicate film samples at each blend composition. Figure 12.18 shows the NIR spectra that were obtained. 

Figure 12.22 The regression coefficient spectrum for the PCR model of high-density polyethylene content in the polyethylene blend films.

Model investigations undertaken using high-density polyethylene pipe dosed with particulate aluminum flaws of known size showed that resistance to stress rupture increased significantly after removal of larger stress raising particles by melt filtration [164]. 

Composite formulations were prepared as follows The straw samples as received from INEEL were ground to 0.69 mm in a hammer mill and oven dried to 1.1% moisture. The dried straw samples were then blended with various amounts of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), lubricants, and maleated polyethylene blends (MAPE) (see Table 2). The mixed formulations were then extruded with a 35-mm Cincinnati Milacron Model CMT 35 counterrotating conical twin screw extruder (Cincinnati Milacron, Batavia, OH), which produced a 9.525 x 38.1 mm2 solid cross-section. Flexural strength, density, and water sorption were measured for the extruded samples according to ASTM Standard Methods (13,14). 

It is shown that the applicability of fractal model of anomalous diffusion for quantitative description of thermogravimetric analysis results in case of high density polyethylene modified by high disperse mixture Fe/FeO (Z). It is shown the influence of diffusion type on the value of sample 5%-th mass loss temperature and was offered structural analysis of this effect. The critical content Z it is determined, at which degradation will be elapse so, as in inert gas atmosphere. 

Numerous industrial applications of applied thermodynamics have been reported in the literature for engineering analysis of wide varieties of chemical systems and processes. For example, Chen and Mathias reported examples of physical property modeling for the high-density polyethylene process and for sulfuric acid plants. Here, we present two recent examples that are illustrative of numerous applications of applied thermodynamics models in the industry for various process and product development studies. 

The chromatograms of three samples of high density polyethylene were analysed according to the procedures outlined In the previous sections. The parameters calculated for each model are listed on the respective graphs. 

S.J. Park and R.G. Larson. Modeling the linear viscoelastic properties of metallocene-catalyzed high density polyethylenes with long-chain branching. J. Rheol. 2005, 49, 523-536. 

High-density polyethylene, 200 units, without branching in a crystalline structure (ball-and-stick model to the left and space-filling model on the right. Only carbon atoms are shown.)... 

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