A Highly Transparent Thermoplastic Synthesized from Ethylene that Melts Above 200°C

Polyolefin-based thermoplastics are the most widely used polymers and produced in megaton scale. Their applicability depends strongly on the melting point, and a high-melting ethylene-based plastic would be highly desirable. Herein, we report the synthesis of isotactic poly(4-ethylhex-1-ene) (P4EH), a highly transparent and ethylene-based thermoplastic that melts above 220 °C and has an extremely low density. Molecular catalysts were used to synthesize atactic, syndiotactic, and isotactic P4EH with narrow molecular weight distributions. Ziegler–Natta catalysts were used to synthesize isotactic and processable P4EH. Processable i-P4EH was used to produce discs, and a transmittance of 92%, a haze of 8% and a clarity of 92% were measured. In addition, a density of 0.86 g cm−3 was observed.