Effect of mercury impurities in ethylene feed stream on ethylene gas-phase polymerisation processes

Abstract

The effect of mercury impurities on the process of gas-phase polymerization of ethylene has been studied. The effect of the MERCURY catalytic poison on the ethylene polymerization process is twofold: the poisons interact with the active centers of the catalyst, thereby suppressing their activity, and also react with the molecule of the resulting polymer, breaking the growing chain. This results in a decrease in the activity of the catalyst due to poisoning of the active centers and a decrease in the molecular weight of the resulting polymer due to premature chain termination. At the same time, the flow index increases and the size of the obtained polymer particles decreases, the density increases, since the comonomer does not react.