Surface Coordination Polymerization of Ethylene by Hydrozirconation-Immobilized Metallocene

Hydrozirconation on vinyl-terminated substrates (silicon wafer and nanosilica sphere) is employed as an efficient way for immobilization of zirconocene catalyst through Zr-C bonds, which is applied in surface coordination ethylene polymerization producing surface-tethered polyethylene (PE). The formation of Zr-C sigma bond induced by hydrozirconation provides an initiator precursor for growing a layer of PE covalently linked onto substrates. The results from SEM, AFM, and TEM show that the surface polymerization is controlled by hydrozirconation. Surface pattern or core-shell structure with crystalline PE coating can be formed, when silicon wafer is selectively functionalized with vinyl-groups or vinyl-modified nanosilica is applied. It is believed that hydrozirconation for the synthesis of zirconocene initiator can be a versatile route to prepare polyolefin hybrid materials.