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Werny MJ, Meirer F, Weckhuysen BM. Visualizing the Structure, Composition and Activity of Single Catalyst Particles for Olefin Polymerization and Polyolefin Decomposition. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202306033. [PMID: 37782261 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202306033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
The structural and morphological characterization of individual catalyst particles for olefin polymerization, as well as for the reverse process of polyolefin decomposition, can provide an improved understanding for how these catalyst materials operate under relevant reaction conditions. In this review, we discuss an emerging analytical toolbox of 2D and 3D chemical imaging techniques that is suitable for investigating the chemistry and reactivity of related catalyst systems. While synchrotron-based X-ray microscopy still provides unparalleled spatial resolutions in 2D and 3D, a number of laboratory-based techniques, most notably focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy, confocal fluorescence microscopy, infrared photoinduced force microscopy and laboratory-based X-ray nano-computed tomography, have helped to significantly expand the arsenal of analytical tools available to scientists in heterogeneous catalysis and polymer science. In terms of future research, the review outlines the role and impact of in situ and operando (spectro-)microscopy experiments, involving sophisticated reactors as well as online reactant and product analysis, to obtain real-time information on the formation, decomposition, and mobility of polymer phases within single catalyst particles. Furthermore, the potential of fluorescence microscopy, X-ray microscopy and optical microscopy is highlighted for the high-throughput characterization of olefin polymerization and polyolefin decomposition catalysts. By combining these chemical imaging techniques with, for example, chemical staining methodologies, selective probe molecules as well as particle sorting approaches, representative structure-activity relationships can be derived at the level of single catalyst particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian J Werny
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P.O. Box 902, 5600, AX Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Florian Meirer
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bert M Weckhuysen
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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González RM, Maris JJE, Wagner M, Ganjkhanlou Y, Bomer JG, Werny MJ, Rabouw FT, Weckhuysen BM, Odijk M, Meirer F. Fluorescent-Probe Characterization for Pore-Space Mapping with Single-Particle Tracking. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202314528. [PMID: 38037863 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202314528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Porous solids often contain complex pore networks with pores of various sizes. Tracking individual fluorescent probes as they diffuse through porous materials can be used to characterize pore networks at tens of nanometers resolution. However, understanding the motion behavior of fluorescent probes in confinement is crucial to reliably derive pore network properties. Here, we introduce well-defined lithography-made model pores developed to study probe behavior in confinement. We investigated the influence of probe-host interactions on diffusion and trapping of confined single-emitter quantum-dot probes. Using the pH-responsiveness of the probes, we were able to largely suppress trapping at the pore walls. This enabled us to define experimental conditions for mapping of the accessible pore space of a one-dimensional pore array as well as a real-life polymerization-catalyst-support particle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Mayorga González
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - J J Erik Maris
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marita Wagner
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Yadolah Ganjkhanlou
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Johan G Bomer
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7522, ME Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Maximilian J Werny
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Freddy T Rabouw
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bert M Weckhuysen
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mathieu Odijk
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7522, ME Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Florian Meirer
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Rejman S, Vollmer I, Werny MJ, Vogt ETC, Meirer F, Weckhuysen BM. Transport limitations in polyolefin cracking at the single catalyst particle level. Chem Sci 2023; 14:10068-10080. [PMID: 37772101 PMCID: PMC10529962 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03229a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Catalytic cracking is a promising approach to chemically recycle polyolefins by converting them into smaller hydrocarbons like naphtha, and important precursors of various platform chemicals, such as aromatics. Cracking catalysts, commonly used in the modern refinery and petrochemical industry, are tailored to process gaseous or liquid feedstock. Polyolefins, however, are very large macromolecules that form highly viscous melts at the temperatures required to break their backbone C-C bonds. Therefore, mass transport is expected to limit the performance of traditional cracking catalysts when applied to the conversion of polymers. In this work, we study these effects during the cracking of polypropylene (PP) over catalysts utilized in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process. Thermogravimetric experiments using PP of varying molecular weight (Mw) and catalysts of varying accessibility showed that low Mw model polymers can be cracked below 275 °C, while PP of higher Mw required a 150 °C higher temperature. We propose that this difference is linked to different degrees of mass transport limitations and investigated this at length scales ranging from milli- to nanometers, utilizing in situ optical microscopy and electron microscopy to inspect cut open catalyst-polymer composites. We identified the main cause of transport limitations as the significantly higher melt viscosity of high Mw polymers, which prohibits efficient catalyst-polymer contact. Additionally, the high Mw polymer does not enter the inner pore system of the catalyst particles, severely limiting utilization of the active sites located there. Our results demonstrate that utilizing low Mw polymers can lead to a significant overestimation of catalyst activity, and suggest that polyolefins might need to undergo a viscosity reducing pre-treatment in order to be cracked efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Rejman
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterial Science, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Ina Vollmer
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterial Science, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Maximilian J Werny
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterial Science, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Eelco T C Vogt
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterial Science, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Florian Meirer
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterial Science, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Bert M Weckhuysen
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterial Science, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht The Netherlands
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Barranco-García R, García-Peñas A, Blázquez-Blázquez E, Ressia JA, Quinzani LM, Vallés EM, Gómez-Elvira JM, Pérez E, Cerrada ML. Polypropylene Nanocomposites Attained by In Situ Polymerization Using SBA-15 Particles as Support for Metallocene Catalysts: Effect of Molecular Weight and Tacticity on Crystalline Details, Phase Transitions and Rheological Behavior. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28114261. [PMID: 37298738 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28114261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, nanocomposites based on polypropylene are synthesized by the in situ polymerization of propene in the presence of mesoporous SBA-15 silica, which acts as a carrier of the catalytic system (zirconocene as catalyst and methylaluminoxane as cocatalyst). The protocol for the immobilization and attainment of hybrid SBA-15 particles involves a pre-stage of contact between the catalyst with cocatalyst before their final functionalization. Two zirconocene catalysts are tested in order to attain materials with different microstructural characteristics, molar masses and regioregularities of chains. Some polypropylene chains are able to be accommodated within the silica mesostructure of these composites. Thus, an endothermic event of small intensity appears during heating calorimetric experiments at approximately 105 °C. The existence of these polypropylene crystals, confined within the nanometric channels of silica, is corroborated by SAXS measurements obtained via the change in the intensity and position of the first-order diffraction of SBA-15. The incorporation of silica also has a very significant effect on the rheological response of the resultant materials, leading to important variations in various magnitudes, such as the shear storage modulus, viscosity and δ angle, when a comparison is established with the corresponding neat iPP matrices. Rheological percolation is reached, thus demonstrating the role of SBA-15 particles as filler, in addition to the supporting role that they exert during the polymerizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Barranco-García
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto García-Peñas
- Departamento de Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales e Ingeniería Química, IAAB, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganés, Spain
| | - Enrique Blázquez-Blázquez
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge A Ressia
- Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química (PLAPIQUI), UNS-CONICET, Camino La Carrindanga km. 7, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina
- Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC), La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - Lidia M Quinzani
- Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química (PLAPIQUI), UNS-CONICET, Camino La Carrindanga km. 7, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina
| | - Enrique M Vallés
- Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química (PLAPIQUI), UNS-CONICET, Camino La Carrindanga km. 7, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina
| | - José M Gómez-Elvira
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ernesto Pérez
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - María L Cerrada
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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Fragmentation-Oriented Design of Olefin Polymerization Catalysts: Support Porosity. Catalysts 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/catal13010160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of catalysts for the production of polyethylene and polypropylene is ordinarily accomplished on a trial-and-error experimentation program. From the point-of-view of the fragmentation performance, support porosity is the key property affecting the mechanical support resistance, and, therefore, it determines the fragmentation process during the early moments of polymerization. The design of the support porosity can be more accurately determined by applying the theoretical knowledge acquired from previous research, but this is not consolidated for catalyst design. This article reports a methodology to optimize the support porosity using a simple fundamental model of the fragmentation process. Using this approach, the design of fragmentation-oriented supports can be achieved for polymerization reactors.
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Werny MJ, Siebers KB, Friederichs NH, Hendriksen C, Meirer F, Weckhuysen BM. Advancing the Compositional Analysis of Olefin Polymerization Catalysts with High-Throughput Fluorescence Microscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:21287-21294. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c09159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian J. Werny
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P.O. Box 902, 5600AX Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Kirsten B. Siebers
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Coen Hendriksen
- SABIC Technology Center, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167RD Geleen, The Netherlands
| | - Florian Meirer
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bert M. Weckhuysen
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Syntheses of Silylene-Bridged Thiophene-Fused Cyclopentadienyl ansa-Metallocene Complexes for Preparing High-Performance Supported Catalyst. Catalysts 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/catal12030283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We synthesized a series of Me2Si-bridged ansa-zirconocene complexes coordinated by thiophene-fused cyclopentadienyl and fluorenyl ligands (Me2Si(2-R1-3-R2-4,5-Me2C7S)(2,7-R32C13H6))ZrMe2 (R1 = Me or H, R2 = H or Me, R3 = H, tBu, or Cl) for the subsequent preparation of supported catalysts. We determined that the fluorenyl ligand adopts an η3-binding mode in 9 (R1 = Me, R2 = H, R3 = H) by X-ray crystallography. Further, we synthesized a derivative 15 by substituting the fluorenyl ligand in 9 with a 2-methyl-4-(4-tert-butylphenyl)indenyl ligand, derivatives 20 and 23 by substituting the Me2Si bridge in 12 (R1 = Me, R2 = H, R3 = tBu) and 15 with a tBuO(CH2)6(Me)Si bridge, and the dinuclear congener 26 by connecting two complexes with a –(Me)Si(CH2)6Si(Me)– spacer. The silica-supported catalysts prepared using 12, 20, and 26 demonstrated up to two times higher productivity in ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization than that prepared with conventional (THI)ZrCl2 (21–26 vs. 12 kg-PE/g-(supported catalyst)), producing polymers with comparable molecular weight (Mw, 330–370 vs. 300 kDa), at a higher 1-hexene content (1.3 vs. 1.0 mol%) but a lower bulk density of polymer particles (0.35 vs. 0.42 g/mL).
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