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Polypropylene Pellets by Bulk Polymerisation in Liquid Propylene
Polypropylene is propylene strung into long chains. In the bulk process the propylene itself is the liquid: kept liquid at 30–40 atm, it polymerises at 60–80 °C on a catalyst of titanium tetrachloride on magnesium chloride. Letting the pressure down boils off the unreacted propylene and leaves a powder, which is extruded into pellets. Natta found the regular (isotactic) form in 1954.
The picture: our diagram of reactor, flash and pelletiser.
Advanced
Continuous
Instructions
1
1
Polymerise in liquid propylene
Polymerise in liquid propylene
Feed propylene and the TiCl4-on-MgCl2 catalyst into the reactor. Hold it at 30–40 atm so the propylene stays liquid, at 60–80 °C.
Materials for this step:
Propylene1 tTools needed:
Pressure Reactor
Ziegler-Natta Catalyst (TiCl4 on MgCl2)
Gas Compressor2
2
Let the pressure down
Let the pressure down
Release the pressure: the unreacted propylene boils off and the polymer is left as a fine powder. Compress the propylene and return it.
Tools needed:
Gas Compressor3
3
Pelletise
Pelletise
Melt the powder in the extruder, with any additives the grade needs, and cut the strand into pellets.
Tools needed:
Plastic Extruder4
4
Pressure units
Pressure units
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Tools Required
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