THE BREAKTHROUGH IN CATALYSIS AND PROCESSES FOR OLEFIN POLYMERIZATION - INNOVATIVE STRUCTURES AND A STRATEGY IN THE MATERIALS AREA FOR THE 21ST-CENTURY

The year 2000 challenges plastic producers to prepare polymers that: (1) originate from unique, easily-recyclable base-materials, (2) cover a large application-property range, and (3) are obtained by means of environmental-friendly, catalyst systems using low-energy consuming industrial processes. In pursuing these targets for more than 30 years, Montecatini research has developed fourth-generation Ziegler-Natta superactive catalysts and advanced process technologies, emphasizing both economic production processes and environmental protection. With a combination of these advanced technologies, Montecatini is able to produce, directly from the reactor, a broad property range of polyolefinic-based polymers and alloys in spherical form, with a soft-porous morphology and a lower crystalline structure and thermal capacity in comparison with that of the hard, conventional pellet. In addition, the spherical form polymers thus obtained are utilizable without any pelletization operation, which is expensive and causes polymer overheating, often impairing the finished part quality.