FTIR, C-13 NMR, and GPC analysis of high-propylene content co- and terpolymers with ethylene and higher alpha-olefins synthesized with EtInd(2)ZrCl(2)/MAO

This article reports the results of propylene/alpha -olefin copolymerizatio n and propylene/ethylene/alpha -olefin terpolymerization using low concentr ations (less than 5 mol %) of long alpha -olefins such as 1-octene, 1-decen e, and 1-dodecene. Kinetics data are presented and discussed. The highest a ctivity was found with the longest alpha -olefin studied (1-dodecene). A po ssible explanation is proposed for this and other characteristics of the po lymers obtained. The effect of low-ethylene contents (4 mol % in the gas ph ase) on the copolymerization of propylene/alpha -olefins was also examined. The polymers synthesized were characterized by C-13 NMR, gel permeation ch romatography, DSC, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and wide-angle X-ray scattering. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.