Color inhibition of phenolic antioxidants in Ziegler-Natta polyethylene. I. In-situ polymer studies

Although the level of transition‐metal catalyst residues in polyethylene (PE) has been drastically reduced over the years, they can still give rise to discoloration, particularly when associated with other additives such as antioxidants. This first of this series of papers screens a variety of candidate color suppressants featuring a range of functional groups, including alcohols, amine/sulfur compounds, and acid‐containing species. These candidate color suppressants were melt‐blended into a Ziegler‐Natta linear low‐density PE in combination with 2,2′‐isobutylidenebis(4,6‐dimethylphenol) (a highly discoloring hindered bisphenol antioxidant) and zinc stearate antacid. Yellowness index measurements made after multiple extruder passes indicated that dipentaerythritol (DPE) and triisopropylamine (TIPA) gave good color inhibition and, in some cases, outperformed established phosphites. The DPE and TIPA were found (via melt flow rate measurement) not to affect melt stability, and hydroperoxide determination revealed that DPE had no peroxide decomposition activity. The latter results indicate that the color‐suppression mechanism of DPE and TIPA is different from that associated with phosphites. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers