Synthesis and properties of polyethylene/TiO₂ nanocomposites using a vanadium catalyst

In this study, a vanadium (III) complex bearing a salicylaldiminato ligand of the general formula [RN=CH(2,4-^tBu₂C₆H₂O)]VCl₂(THF)₂, where R=2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃, was used as a catalyst. Titanium dioxide doped with iron nanofillers was synthesized by a sol-gel process and used to investigate the effect of nanofillers on ethylene homopolymer and ethylene/propylene copolymer properties. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time titanium dioxide doped with iron has been used as a nanofiller in ethylene polymerization and ethylene/propylene copolymerization using a vanadium complex with methyl aluminum dichloride as a cocatalyst. Besides catalyst activity, the molecular mass (M_w) of the obtained polymer, molecular mass distribution, copolymer composition, crystallinity, and thermal characteristics of polyethylene and polyethylene/polypropylene nanocomposites were investigated.