Ziegler-Natta polymerization comonomer distributions

APAOs has limited their utility in a number of applications. The broad MWD produces poor machining and spraying, and the low cohesive strength causes bond failures at temperatures well below the softening point when minimal stress is applied. To address these deficiencies, metallocene-polymerized materials have been developed [17,18]. These materials have much narrower MWDs than Ziegler-Natta polymerized materials and a more uniform comonomer distribution (see Table 3). Materials available commercially to date are better suited to compete with conventional EVA and EnBA polymers, against which their potential benefits have yet to be realized in practice. 

Since the discovery of olefin polymerization using the Ziegler-Natta eatalyst, polyolefin has become one of the most important polymers produeed industrially. In particular, polyethylene, polypropylene and ethylene-propylene copolymers have been widely used as commercial products. High resolution solution NMR has become the most powerful analytieal method used to investigate the microstructures of these polymers. It is well known that the tacticity and comonomer sequence distribution are important factors for determining the mechanical properties of these copolymers. Furthermore, information on polymer microstructures from the analysis of solution NMR has added to an understanding of the mechanism of polymerization. 

In contrast to multisite heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta systems, metallocenes and other SSCs allow a precise control of the polymerization reaction resulting in narrow distribution of all molecular characteristics, including molecular weight distribution, comonomer distribution and architecture, and content of branches. 

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