B(C6F5)3 grafted inorganic fillers for supported titanium-catalyzed synthesis of UHMWPE composites

Abstract

The preparation of polyolefin composites using inorganic fillers is one of the most important strategies for cost reduction and property enhancement. The use of inorganic filler-supported catalysts for in situ polymerization to prepare polyolefin composites represents an effective strategy to address the non-compatibility issue. In this contribution, we design a borane cocatalyst-supported strategy to prepare heterogeneous catalysts supported on a series of nano-fillers such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, MgO and ZnO. The in situ ethylene polymerization can produce ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composite materials with excellent mechanical properties, thermal conductivity and surface properties. These polyolefin composite materials also exhibit efficient photodegradation capability, enabling sustainable application of these composite materials.