Developing semicrystalline star polyethylenes and advanced polyethylene ionomers

本研究的总体目标是通过发现/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/架构/功能和高性能的新型增值聚乙烯材料。预计这些聚合物将构成下一代聚乙烯。本研究主要包括两个方面的内容：（1）通过多核Ni催化剂促进乙烯的“活性”聚合，设计具有可结晶线性臂的先进半结晶星星型聚乙烯;（2）通过乙烯与离子型共聚单体的直接催化聚合，合成新型聚乙烯离聚物。拟议的研究是创新的，是高度多学科的性质，并结合了不同的学科，包括聚合物化学和物理，材料科学，催化，有机金属化学和聚合物反应工程。本研究可望开发出一类新型的高性能半结晶星星聚乙烯和高附加值聚乙烯离聚物，并在工业上得到广泛的应用。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巨大价值，并可能被加拿大聚烯烃制造商利用。在这项研究中产生的基础知识也将有助于显着的聚烯烃材料的设计和合成，并拓宽聚合物的结构与性能的关系的理解。该研究还将为劳伦森大学高素质人才的培训提供极好的机会，他们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.**