ethylene-propylene copolymerization using et(ind)2zrcl2 metallocene catalyst: synthesis and microstructure analysis

Copolymerization of ethylene (e) and propylene (p) was carried out using et(ind)2zrcl2, an industrially relevant metallocene catalyst, and modified methylaluminoxane (mmao) as a co-catalyst under different conditions of varied feed ratios of monomers, co-catalyst/catalyst ratios, polymerization temperatures, and pressures. this bridged metallocene catalyst showed good propylene incorporation and with increasing total pressure and p/e ratio, p content can be increased. 60 °c is the optimum temperature for high activity and molecular weight of copolymers. at a higher p/e ratio, more alternative monomer segments in chain microstructure have appeared.