Methods of controlling morphology for tailoring polymer properties

Due to the practical problems connected with polymer morphology, in both process viability and product processability, the morphology of the catalyst-polymer particle in a heterogeneous polymerization has been the object of great scientific effort at Montecatini and its successor since 1968. A model for the polymer growth mechanism, elaborated at the Ferrara laboratories in the late 1960s, was experimentally proven in the following years and has been adopted for the development of novel catalysts/processes/materials. More recently, thanks to the implementation of the fourth-generation catalyst system and its ''reactor granule technology'' approach, Montell has been able to produce novel polyolefin-based materials in spherical form with the broadest property ranges. In addition, the spherical-form polymers are utilizable without any pelletization operation, avoiding the related costs and improving polymer final quality. This paper describes the development and characterization of these polymers.