The manufacture of polyolefins by metallocene catalysts represents a revolution in the polymer industry. The first patent for a metallocene catalyst was filed in 1980 but it has been the last five years that have seen a dramatic increase in the volume of research into metallocenes and the maturing of metallocene technology.

With contributions from leading experts from the U.S., Canada, Italy, Scandinavia, Germany, and Japan, this two volume set provides comprehensive coverage of all areas of metallocene technology, including catalyst structure, comonomer incorporation, polymerization, mechanisms and conditions, reactor configurations, special properties, rheological and processing behavior, comparison with conventional polyolefins, and fields of application.

From the Preface: “...Polymerization of olefin monomers with single-site metallocene catalysts allows the production of polyolefins (such as polyethylene or polypropylene) with a highly defined structure and superior properties. Furthermore, the structure of these metallocene catalysts can be varied to `tune' the properties of the polymer. Thus, for the first time it is possible to tailor carefully the properties of large-volume commodity polymers...”

Target Audience: Plastics engineers, polymer chemists, physicists, materials scientists, and other professionals working in the plastics manufacturing and processing industries.

Partial Table of Contents:

Volume 1.

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Nature of Metallocene Catalysts:

Metallocene Polymerization Catalysts: Past, Present and Future

Alkylalumoxanes: Synthesis, Structure and Reactivity

MAO-Free Metallocene Catalysts for Ethylene (Co)Polymerization

Olefin Polymerization by Monocyclopentadienyl Compounds of Titanium, Zirconium, and Hafnium

Supported Metallocene Polymerization Catalysis

Nickel- and Palladium-based Catalysts for the Insertion Polymerization of Olefins

Ethylene Polymerization:

Structure, Properties and Preparation of Polyolefins Produced by Single-site Catalyst Technology

New Developments in the Production of Metallocene LLDPE by High-pressure Polymerization

Metallocenes as Catalysts for the Copolymerization of Ethene with Propene and Dienes

Propylene Polymerization:

Synthesis of Isotactic Polypropylene by Metallocene and Related Catalysts

Synthesis and Properties of Metallocene Catalysts for Isotactic Polypropylene Production

Metallocene-catalyzed Syndiotactic Polypropylene: Preparation and Properties

Design of Ethylene-bridged ansa-Zirconocene Dichlorides for a Controlled Propene Polymerization Reaction

Index

Volume 2.

Mechanistic Aspects of Metallocene Catalysts:

Molecular Modeling Studies on Stereospecificity and Regiospecificity of Propene Polymerizations by Metallocenes

Chirotopicity of Metallocene Catalysts and Propene Polymerization

Computational Modeling of Single-site Olefin Polymerization

Cycloolefins, Dienes and Functionalized Olefin Polymerization:

Homo- and Copolymerization of Cycloolefins by Metallocene Catalysts

Metallocene Catalysts for 1,3—Diene Polymerization

New Functional Olefin Copolymers Synthesized by Metallocenes and Novel Organometallic Catalysts

Plastomers and Elastomers:

Structure, Properties and Applications of Polyolefin Elastomers

Packaging Applications Using Enhanced Polyethylenes and Polyolefin Plastomers Produced by Constrained Geometry Single-site Catalysts

Measurement, Mathematical Modeling and Control of Distribution of Molecular Weight, Chemical Composition and Long-chain Branching of Polyolefins Made with Metallocene Catalysts

Styrene Polymerization:

Structure, Properties and Applications of Ethylene—Styrene Interpolymers

Metallocene-Based Reactive Polyolefin Copolymers Containing p-Methylstyrene

Commercial Metallocene Polymerization Methods:

Multi-Catalyst Reactor Granule Technology for the Production of Metallocene Polymers

Metallocene Catalyst Technology in a Bimodal Polymerization Process

Rheology and Processing of Metallocene-Based Polymers:

Rheology Properties of Metallocene-catalyzed Polyolefins in the Melt and Solid States and Comparison with Conventional Polyolefins

Melt-rheological Characteristics of Metallocene-catalyzed Polyethylenes

Extrusion Characteristics of Metallocene-based Polyolefins

Applications of Metallocene-Based Polyolefins:

Film Applications for Metallocene-based Propylene Polymers

Medical Applications of Metallocene-catalyzed Polyolefins

Constrained Geometry-catalyzed Polyolefins in Durable and Wire and Cable Applications

Index