III International Conference

PP-II-90CATALYST AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ULTRAHIGH MOLECULARWEIGHT POLYETHYLENENikitin V. 1 , Mikenas T., Zakharov V., Mozgunova N. 1 , Arkatov O. 2 , Kolkov K. 2Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia1 “Katalizator” company, Novosibirsk, Russia2 “Tomskneftechim” plant, Tomsk, RussiaE-mail: nikar@catcom.ruUltrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is polymer with molecular massmore than 1 million; due to this very high molecular weight this polymer differs greatly fromusual grades of polyethylenes. It possesses very high impact resistance and abrasionresistance, excellent sliding properties and chemical resistance and has thus been ranked asone kind of very promising engineering plastic.It is necessary to use the special modifications of the supported catalysts specified forproduction of UHMWPE by slurry ethylene polymerization. These catalysts should producethe UHMWPE as powder with optimal morphology (average particle size within the range60-200 μm, narrow particle size distribution and high bulk density, preferably not less than400 g/L), with molecular mass within the range (1÷8)x10 6 and high yield (more than 10 kgper g of solid catalyst or more than 300 kg per g of Ti).We have elaborated three modifications of the supported titanium-magnesium catalystsICT-8-20 to produce with very high yield the different grades of UHMWPE with differentaverage particle size and different molecular mass. These catalysts are produced on the pilotplant at “Katalizator” company and used for production of UHMWPE on the pilot plant in“Tomskneftechim” plant.More detail data on the catalyst and UHMWPE production will be presented anddiscussed in this report.326