Microstructural analysis of polypropylenes produced with heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts

Abstract Microstructural analysis was carried out on five isotactic polypropylenes produced with different heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems and different polymerization processes. The samples were fractionated according to stereostructure using a direct extraction method. Pentad tacticities of unfractionated samples and selected fractions were determined by 13 C n.m.r. spectroscopy. I.r. isotacticities were also measured. Statistical analysis of the polymerization mechanism was carried out on the basis of the two-site model from the pentad tacticities, and average lengths of meso and racemic sequences were determined. In addition to atactic and isotactic materials produced at different catalytic sites, the polypropylene samples contained syndiotactic material as stereoblocks in isotactic chains. On the basis of the analysis carried out on the fractions, slight differences in the microstructure were found to exist between the samples produced by different processes and catalyst types. These differences have a significant effect on average sequence lengths.