Extending Alkenes’ Value Chain to Functionalized Polyolefins

Abstract

Naphtha is one of the crude oil distillation products, bringing almost the lowest value-addition to crude oil, compared to other refinery products such as liquid petroleum gas, gasoline, and diesel. However, Naphtha can be converted to one of the highest value products at the end of the value chain, i.e., polyolefins. Although the production of conventional commodity polyolefins from crude oil, is considered as one of the final products in alkenes’ value chain, there are specialty polyolefins with higher values. Specialty polyolefins are small volume, high-performance thermoplastics with high-profit margins compared to traditional commodity polyolefins. Recently, some special purpose functionalized polyolefins have been developed as efficient substituents for high-performance engineering thermoplastics. Polyolefins are exploited as cost-effective platforms to produce these functionalized thermoplastics. They are promising candidates for replacing high-performance polymers with high-cost raw materials and elaborate production processes. So, functional polyolefins have introduced a new paradigm in the production of high-performance thermoplastics, extending the alkenes’ value chain and increasing profitability. High-performance specialty polyolefins may find exceptional markets in niche applications. In this chapter, the commercial specialty and functional polyolefins’ current situation and prospects are reviewed.

Multivariate Metal–Organic Frameworks Prepared by Simultaneous Metal/Ligand Exchange for Enhanced C2–C3 Selective Recovery from Natural Gas

“…Natural gas, with methane (CH 4 ) as the primary component, is a widely used energy fuel exhibiting various advantages, including low cost, environmental friendliness, and abundance in nature. , Besides CH 4 , a considerable amount of ethane (C 2 H 6 ) and propane (C 3 H 8 ) exist in the crude stream, which are essential chemicals and can be employed to produce ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and propylene (C 3 H 6 ), the raw materials for various chemicals and polymers . Hence, to further utilize C 2 H 6 and C 3 H 8 in raw natural gas as valuable industrial feedstocks, efficient C2–C3 selective recovery from natural gas is of vital importance. , Among the industrial separation methods for light hydrocarbons, cryogenic distillation is the dominant separation technology depending on the volatility difference of each component, whereas the process consumes a significant proportion of energy .…”

Tailor-Made Functional Polyolefins of Complex Architectures: Recent Advances, Applications, and Prospects

“…Incorporating polar functional groups into the nonpolar polyolefin chains can remarkably alter the surface properties, adhesion, hydrophilicity, and compatibility of the functionalized polyolefin . Over the past 20 years, researchers have made progressive developments in synthesizing functionalized polyolefin copolymers. − Generally, ethylene–polar monomer copolymers are obtained through direct, i.e., copolymerization, and indirect, i.e., postfunctionalization approaches. Although the latter is a widely applicable approach in introducing polar groups into the polyolefins, this manuscript focuses on the direct copolymerization of olefins with fundamental or nonfundamental functional monomers.…”

A comprehensive review of the polyolefin composites and their properties

“…Polymer blending is a cheap way to innovate new materials that have the advantageous properties of more than one polymer and get materials with improved properties and cost. This process needs to utilize appropriate compatibilizers to enhance the difficult polymers’ dispersion in each other and to avoid the phase separation that occurs under stress due to their immiscibility and incompatibility [ 1 , 2 , 3 ].…”

“…Polyolefins and wood flour (WF) or fiber have poor compatibility with each other due to the non-polar hydrophobic nature of the polyolefins which interferes with the polar hydrophilic nature of the wood [ 3 ]. Therefore, a coupling agent or compatibilizer is necessary to ensure a homogeneous mixture [ 7 ].…”