Abstract

The effect of ethylene pressure on the copolymerization of ethylene with 1-hexene was studied. The results show an increasing of productivities (g of polymer/nZr h) with pressure. This tendency was not observed for the activity (g of polymer/nZr h bar) that decreases when pressure is raised. When varing the pressure, the characteristics and properties of the formed copolymers are in accordance with the expectation for changes in the monomer concentration; increasing the pressure causes a decrease in comonomer incorporation. At higher ethylene pressure, the polymer is more crystalline due to less incorporation of 1-hexene and the molecular weight is higher. The density of the copolymers also decreases with comonomer incorporation into the copolymer © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.