Definitions of abbreviations, acronyms and terms are in context of polyethylene technology; may be different in other contexts
Abbreviation or Term
an isotope of carbon (as in carbon 13 NMR)
an isotope of hydrogen, a proton (as in proton NMR) an isotope of phosphorus (as in phosphorus 31 NMR);
used in Barron method acrylic acid
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer
another term for the metal alkyl cocatalyst in ZN catalyst systems
usually used to express "free TMAL" in methylaluminoxanes
also knowm as aluminum
generic name for hydrocarbyl groups (methyl, ethyl, isobutyl, n-butyl, etc.)
linear 1-olefins; used as comonomers in LLDPE atomic mass units
additive used to mimimize "blocking" (adhesion) of polyolefin films
additive used to minimize reaction of polyethylene with atmospheric oxygen
additive used to minimize static electricity in polyolefin films
accelerating rate calorimetry
American Society for Testing and Materials atmosphere
117
autoclave process
LDPE process wherein polymerization is conducted in a high pressure autoclave at very high T and P
n-butylethylmagnesium; also called MAGALAa BEM n-butylethylmagnesium n-butoxide
tendency of PE films to cling (or "stick") together;
problem solved by use of an anti-blocking agent n-butyl-n-octylmagnesium
see BOM boiling point butadiene rubber
bis(triphenylsilyl) chromate
usually represents a normal butyl group (CH3CH2
CH2CH2-); also abbreviated as n-Bu M-butyl chloride (C4H9C1)
Celsius (temperature measure, formerly "Centigrade") transition metal component of a ZN or single-site catalyst system
metal alkyl component of a ZN or single-site catalyst system
a vinylic compound or simple olefin other than ethylene that is incorporated into the copolymer
MAO produced by hydrolysis of TMAL
produced by copolymerization of 2 vinylic compounds.
e.g., ethylene and butene-1 or vinyl acetate cyclopentadienyl (C5H5) group; often a ligand in metallocenes or SSCs
chromium (used in silica-supported Phillips catalysts for polyethylene)
continuous stirred-tank reactor
chain transfer agents; used to control MW of polymers density
dibutylmagnesium (commercial product is complex of DNBM and DSBM)
type of monomer containing two olefinic sites, e.g., 1,3-butadiene; used in prod'n of elastomers
GLOSSARY 119
state of molecular association that involves two molecules per unit
di-n-butylmagnesium di-sec-butylmagnesium
Department of Transportation (regulates shipping containers, product classifications, etc.)
degree of polymerization; number of repeating units (including end groups) in a polymer
differential scanning calorimetry ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer
ethylaluminum sesquichloride; ((C2H5)3A12Q3) European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances
rubbery polymers; many made by copolymerization of olefins and /or dienes
ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer Environmental Protection Agency
ethylene propylene diene monomer; rubbery copolymer produced with SSC and ZN catalysts
ethylene-propylene rubber
environmental stress crack resistance European Union
ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer
ethylene copolymer with "hypothetical" comonomer vinyl alcohol
film appearance rating(s); from a standard test that measures defects in polyolefin films
Federal Drug Administration
iron (used in selected single-site catalysts) freezing point
term applied to residual TMAL (or R3A1) content of MAO and MMAOs
gram(s)
polymerization process wherein particles are suspended by circulating gas in a fluidized bed
gross domestic product
gel permeation chromatography; also called size exclusion chromatography (SEC)
RMgX (discovered by V. Grignard, usually in ether solution)
hydride ligand, as in diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H)
hydrogen as in ROOH (hydroperoxides) or ROH (alcohols) generic designation for bromide, chloride or iodide; often represented in molecular formulas by X
high density polyethylene (produced with ZN or Phillips catalysts)
HIC
household and industrial chemicals
high load MI; determined under higher weight load (21.6 kg) than MI
high molecular weight high density polyethylene see HMW-HDPE
type of polymer produced with only one monomer, i.e., without comonomer
isobutylaluminoxane
Imperial Chemical Industries inch
abbreviation for product called "isoprenylaluminum"
(see ISOPRENYL) infrared
common name for 2-methyl-l,3-butadiene
isoprenylaluminum (produced by reaction of TIBAL or DIBAL-H with isoprene)
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry joint venture
kilogram
kilotons (1 kt = 1000 metric tons = 2.2 million lb) liter
linear alpha olefins (see alpha olefins) pound
long chain branching (usually in LDPE), e.g., length of alkyl side chains
low density polyethylene (produced with peroxides) group or species bonded to a metal, e.g., alkyl, alkoxide, hydride, chloride, etc
linear low density polyethylene (produced with ZN, SSC or Phillips catalysts)
meter
methacrylic acid
magnesium-aiuminum alkyls; used as prefix for Akzo Nobel magnesium alkyls
methylaluminoxane
machine direction; term used in polyolefin film testing (perpendicular to TD)
see MDPE
medium density high density polyethylene a methyl group; CH3
products containing at least one metal-carbon σ-bond abbreviation for metal in PE catalyst activity
expressions
type of single-site catalyst derived from π-bonded organometallic compounds
GLOSSARY 121
melt flow index; similar to MI but measured under different ASTM test and used mostly with PP melt flow rate, another term for MFI; ASTM suggests MFR not be used for PE
magnesium
generic representation of a magnesium dihalide (such as magnesium chloride, MgCl2)
melt index; from an ASTM method; used as an indicator of MW of PE
10-6m
10"3 in or ~25 microns minute
melt index ratio (HLMI/MI); an indicator of the breadth of MWD of a polymer, used mostly with PE
milliliter
LLDPE produced with metallocene catalysts millimeter
generic term used by Akzo Nobel for modified methyla-luminoxanes; various types designated by suffix number average MW
megapascal
metric tons (1 mt = 2200 lb)
VLDPE produced with metallocene catalysts weight average MW
molecular weight distribution; key characteristic of polymers, also called polydispersity index
nickel (used in selected single-site catalysts) nuclear magnetic resonance
compounds that contain at least one metal-carbon bond;
may be sigma or pi bond
palladium (used in selected single-site catalysts) polydispersity index (Mw/Mn)
poly(ethylene terephthalate)
silica-supported chromium catalyst for HDPE developed by Phillips Petro. in the 1950s
phenoxyl radical
a hindered phenol (in context of discussion of antioxidants)
poly (lactic acid)
polymethylaluminoxane; a less commonly used name for MAO
polyolefin elastomer
measure of MWD of a polymer; ratio of weight average MW to number average MW
a large molecule (or mixture of large molecules) consisting of repeating units of a monomer
polymerization
process whereby small molecules (monomers) are linked together to form large molecules
polyolefin plastomer
polypropylene (produced with ZN catalysts) personal protective equipment
parts per million
polystyrene, usually produced with peroxides particle size distribution
pounds per square inch gauge polyurethane
poly(vinyl chloride)
name given an analytical method for determining "free TMAL" in methylaluminoxanes
symbol for an alkyl group (methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, etc.)
an alcohol hydroperoxide
a polymeric (long chain) alkyl group
generic representation of a dialkylmagnesium compound (such as DNBM)
generic representation of a trialkylaluminum compound (such as TMAL, TEAL, TIBAL, etc.)
phenomenon whereby polymer particles assume the shape and psd of catalyst particles
study of the deformation and flow of fluids generic formula for an alkylmagnesium halide; see Grignard reagent
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation
process in which an ester is converted to an alcohol and a carboxylic acid under basic conditions
short chain branching (usually in PE), e.g., length of side chains in LLDPE
size exclusion chromatography (for determining MW and MWD of polymers);see also GPC
silicon
oxide of silicon (Si02); often used as support for PE catalysts
highly active transition metal catalysts0; many (not all) based on metallocenes
process wherein polymerization is conducted in solvent in which polymer is insoluble
PE process wherein polymerization is conducted in
"solution" at high temperature Society of Plastics Engineers
The Society of the Plastics Industry, trade association established in 1937
GLOSSARY 123
chemistry dealing with the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms
see slurry process temperature
tert-butylaluminoxane
transverse direction; term used in polyolefin film testing (perpendicular to MD)
acronym for triethylaluminum acronym for triethylaluminum triethylborane
copolymer in which three monomers are incoporated into the polymer
polymers which can be melted repeatedly and formed into useful shapes
polymers which, once formed, cannot be melted and reshaped
titanium (most widely used metal in ZN catalysts; also used in single-site catalysts)
acronym for triisobutylaluminum
titanium trichloride ("tickle 3") prepared by reduction of TiCl4; early ZN catalyst; now largely obsolete
titanium tetrachloride ("tickle 4"); raw material for many commercial ZN catalysts
tetraisopropyl titanate
acronym for trimethylaluminum tri-n-butylaluminum
tri-n-octylaluminum
temperature rising elution fractionation
toxic substance control act (part of EPA); all chemicals are to be listed with TSCA before mfg
LDPE process wherein polymerization is conducted in a small diameter steel tube at very high
T a n d P
Union Carbide Corporation
ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene ultralow density polyethylene
trademark for gas phase polymerization technology developed by Union Carbide (now Dow)
United States of America ultraviolet
vanadium (used in ZN catalysts for polyethylene and synthetic rubber)
vinyl acetate
VLDPE very low density polyethylene
VOCl3 vanadium oxytrichloride ("vocal 3"); raw material for ZN catalysts
XLPE crosslinked polyethylene
Ziegler-Natta catalyst combination of a metal alkyl and a transition metale
compound; used in olefin polymerizations ZN catalyst Ziegler-Natta catalyst
Zr zirconium (widely used metal in single-site catalysts)
a MAGALA is used as a prefix for R2Mg from Akzo Nobel. See also MAGALA.
b Registered trademark of Akzo Nobel.
c Also called "active aluminum."
d Most often involve Zr and Ti, though Fe, Co, Ni and Pd are also used. Allow extraordinary control of polymer molecular structure; usually activated by a methylaluminoxane.
e Commercial ZN catalysts mostly involve titanium compounds; relatively small amounts of vanadium are also used.
' Registered trademark of Chemtura (nee Crompton).