LAUSR

Abstract Ethylene polymerization with heterogeneous nickel (II) α-diimine complex, covalently attached to silica, under various conditions revealed effective control over polymer structure and activity. NMR, WAXD, thermal and mechanical characterization techniques provide the relationship between crystallinity and elastic properties and polymer microstructure. Catalytic activation with high ethylaluminium sesquichloride (EASC) amount (Al/Ni = 1500 and 2000) can improve productivity and induce long-chain branch formation. Increasing temperature, changes polyethylene behavior from properties characteristics of thermoplastics toward elastomers by only ethylene polymerization. Moreover, uniaxial stretching at melting, crystallization and onset of crystallization temperatures showed to have significant impact on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties enhancement. In particular, drawing at Tc resulted in formation of interlamellar crystallites followed by improving stress-at-break up to 200% and crystalline index to 80%.