Developing semicrystalline star polyethylenes and advanced polyethylene ionomers

这项研究的总体目标是通过发现和开发新的聚合和催化剂技术，开发和设计一类具有明确链结构/结构/功能和高性能性能的新型增值聚乙烯材料。这些聚合物有望构成下一代聚乙烯。这项研究确定了两个具体的项目：(1)通过多核镍催化剂促进的活性乙烯聚合，设计具有可结晶的线臂的先进的半结晶星形聚乙烯；(2)通过乙烯与离子共聚单体的直接催化聚合合成新型聚乙烯离聚体。*建议的研究具有创新性，具有高度的多学科性质，结合了聚合物化学和物理、材料科学、催化、有机金属化学和聚合物反应工程等多个学科。预计这项研究将产生一类新型的先进的半晶型星形聚乙烯和高附加值的聚乙烯离聚体，在工业上可能会有广泛的应用。即将开发的新催化剂和聚合技术也将对加拿大的聚合物工业具有重要价值，并有可能被加拿大聚烯烃制造商利用。这项研究中产生的基础知识也将对聚烯烃材料的设计和合成做出重大贡献，并拓宽对聚合物结构-性能关系的理解。这项研究还将为劳伦斯大学培养高素质人才提供极好的机会，这些人才将构成加拿大聚合物行业的下一代高科技劳动力。

The overall objective of this proposed research is to develop and design a novel class of value-added polyethylenes materials of well-defined chain structures/architectures/ functionalities and high-performance properties through discovering/developing new polymerization and catalyst technologies. These polymers are anticipated to constitute the next generation polyethylenes. Two specific projects are defined in this proposed research: (1) designing advanced semicrystalline star polyethylenes featured with crystallizable linear arms by "living" ethylene polymerization facilitated with multinuclear Ni catalysts; (2) synthesis of novel polyethylene ionomers by direct catalytic polymerization of ethylene with ionic comonomers.***The proposed research is innovative and is highly multidisciplinary in nature and combines diverse disciplines including polymer chemistry and physics, materials science, catalysis, organometallic chemistry, and polymer reaction engineering. It is expected that this research will lead to a novel class of advanced semicrystalline star polyethylenes and value-added polyethylene ionomers and, which may find wide applications in industry. The new catalyst and polymerization technologies to be developed will also be of great value to Canada's polymer industry and can potentially be utilized by Canadian polyolefin manufacturers. The fundamental knowledge generated in this research will also contribute significantly to the design and synthesis of polyolefin materials and broaden the understanding of polymer structure-property relationships. The research will also provide excellent opportunities for the training of highly qualified personnel at Laurentian University, who will constitute the next generation high-tech work force in Canada's polymer industry.**