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Mathematical Modeling of Temperature Rising Elution Fractionation (TREF) of Polyethylene and Ethylene/1-Olefin Copolymers

  1. Ekaphol Siriwongsarn1,2,
  2. Siripon Anantawaraskul1,2,*,
  3. Nuttawat Chokputtanawuttilerd1,
  4. Abdulaziz A. Alghyamah3,4,
  5. João B. P. Soares4

Article first published online: 8 AUG 2012

DOI: 10.1002/macp.201200238

Issue

Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics

Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics

Volume 213, Issue 18, pages 1892–1906, September 26, 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Siriwongsarn, E., Anantawaraskul, S., Chokputtanawuttilerd, N., Alghyamah, A. A. and Soares, J. B. P. (2012), Mathematical Modeling of Temperature Rising Elution Fractionation (TREF) of Polyethylene and Ethylene/1-Olefin Copolymers. Macromol. Chem. Phys., 213: 1892–1906. doi: 10.1002/macp.201200238

Author Information

  1. 1

    Center of Excellence for Petroleum, Petrochemicals and Advanced Materials (PPAM), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, 50 Phaholyothin Rd., Jatujak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand Fax: (662) 561 4621

  2. 2

    Center of Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology and Its Applications in Chemical, Food and Agricultural Industries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

  3. 3

    Department of Chemical Engineering, King Saud University, P.P. Box 800 Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia

  4. 4

    Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada

*Center of Excellence for Petroleum, Petrochemicals and Advanced Materials (PPAM), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, 50 Phaholyothin Rd., Jatujak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand Fax: (662) 561 4621.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 SEP 2012
  2. Article first published online: 8 AUG 2012
  3. Manuscript Revised: 12 JUN 2012
  4. Manuscript Received: 1 MAY 2012

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Keywords:

  • crystallization kinetics;
  • dissolution kinetics;
  • modeling;
  • polyethylene;
  • temperature rising elution fractionation

Abstract

Temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) is a characterization technique widely used to estimate chemical composition distribution (CCD) of semicrystalline copolymers. Although several mathematical models have been previously proposed to elucidate the TREF fractionation mechanism, all previous TREF models assume equilibrium fractionation; thus, they cannot describe important kinetics effects observed in TREF experiments. In this work, a new TREF model is developed incorporating crystallization and dissolution kinetic models during the fractionation process. The proposed model describes the effects of molecular weight, comonomer content, cooling rate, heating rate, and solvent flow rate on experimental TREF profiles for both polyethylene and ethylene/1-olefin copolymers very well.

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