PRODUCTION OF POLYETHYLENE BY THE HIGH PRESSURE PROCESS USING A MIXTURE OF TERTIARY BUTYL HYDROPEROXIDE AND OXYGEN AS THE INITIATOR

摘要

Production of polyethylene by polymerizing ethylene at elevated temperatures and elevated pressure under the action of a polymerization initiator, consisting of oxygen and t-butyl hydroperoxide, and of a polymerization regulator. The process of the invention is characterized in that temperature ranging from 310 DEG to 400 DEG C are used and that the polymerization initiator consists of from 1 to 12 molar parts of oxygen and from 1 to 5 molar parts of t-butyl hydroperoxide per million molar parts of the ethylene being polymerized. The process of the invention is preferably carried out continuously in a tubular reactor. The process permits easy control of the reaction with high yields and provides products with high flexibility and elongation.