Chain branching, polyethylene

The more recently developed so-called linear low-density polyethylenes are virtually free of long chain branches but do contain short side chains as a result of copolymerising ethylene with a smaller amount of a higher alkene such as oct-1-ene. Such branching interferes with the ability of the polymer to crystallise as with the older low-density polymers and like them have low densities. The word linear in this case is used to imply the absence of long chain branches. 

Figure 2 Short chain branching distribution in polyethylenes. Source Ref. 31.

The presence of long chain branches in low density polyethylene (LDPE) accounts for the difference in properties e.g. higher melt strength, greater toughness for the same average molecular weight) between LDPE and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE, made by coordination polymerization). 

Copolymerization e.g., of 1-butene or 1-hexene with ethylene, gives short-chain branching-, e.g., the branches contain three or five carbon atoms. The random location of the side-chains lowers the crystallinity and density. Long-chain branching refers to branches that are similar in length to the polymer backbone and this type occurs in polyethylene manufactured using the... 

The predominating type of nonlinearity in polyethylene appears to consist of short chain branches three or four chain atoms in length formed by intramolecular chain transfer as follows ... 

The method outlined above for characterizing branched polymers will hereafter be referred to as the molecular weight and branching distribution (MWBD) method. In the following sections, its application to the long chain branching in polyvinyl acetate and high pressure low density polyethylene will be demonstrated. 

There are numerous variations on the basic linear structure of polymers. Returning to our example of polyethylene, we find short chain branches and long chain branches, as shown in Figs. 1.2 and 1.3, respectively. The number and type of these branches strongly influences the way that the molecules pack in the solid state, and hence affect the physical properties. Long... 

Figure 1.3 Polyethylene molecule with a long chain branch...

At the opposite end of the polyethylene spectrum are the so-called ultra low density products with a high concentration of short chain branching that inhibits crystallization. These materials are soft, flexible, and transparent we encounter these materials in applications such as medical tubing, meat packaging films, and ice bags. 

We use carbon-13 NMR spectrometry to identify the monomer units present in copolymers, their absolute concentrations, the probability that two or more monomer units occur in proximity, and long chain branching concentrations. For instance, in the case of polyethylene, we can not only distinguish and quantify ethyl, butyl, and hexyl branches, but we can also determine whether branches are present on carbon backbone atoms separated by up to four bonds. We can compare the observed adjacency of branches to a theoretical value calculated for random comonomer incorporation. By this method, we can determine whether comonomers are incorporated at random, as blocks, or in some intermediate fashion. 

We can incorporate short chain branches into polymers by copolymerizing two or more comonomers. When we apply this method to addition copolymers, the branch is derived from a monomer that contains a terminal vinyl group that can be incorporated into the growing chain. The most common family of this type is the linear low density polyethylenes, which incorporate 1-butene, 1-hexene, or 1-octene to yield ethyl, butyl, or hexyl branches, respectively. Other common examples include ethylene-vinyl acetate and ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers. Figure 5.10 shows examples of these branches. 

Figure 5.13 Example of backbiting reaction to form a long chain branch during the high pressure polymerization of polyethylene...

---