Ionic liquid assisted vanadium pentoxide synthesis through sol-gel method: Catalyst support for broad molecular weight distribution polyethylene synthesis

Abstract

Ionic liquid (IL) mediated vanadium pentoxide (VP) was synthesized by sol-gel method with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) and 1-octyl-3 methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([OMIM][BF4]). Synthesized nano- to micro-VP particles were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) characterization, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The VP particles morphology, surface area as well as crystallinity are found to be influenced by the type of ionic liquid used during synthesis. Synthesized VP particles were used as support for synthesis of titanium catalyst for ethylene polymerization. Higher titanium incorporation was observed for IL assisted VP. Activity of titanium catalyst for ethylene polymerization was higher when [BMIM][BF4] based VP was used. Further, IL assisted VP supported catalyst based polyethylene has shown much broad molecular weight distribution. Keywords: Ionic liquid, Vanadium pentoxide, Sol-gel, Catalyst, Polyethylene