Polyethylene (PE) is a commodity produced on a massive scale and also is one of the most studied macromolecules. Crystallinity can be controlled by copolymerizing ethylene with α-olefins, producing a wide range of material responses. Physical properties of PE, obtained via α olefin copolymerization, depend on the branch content that is directly related to the comonomer incorporation into the PE backbone. Materials with unknown primary structures are produced via chaingrowth chemistry, because unwanted side reactions generate defects in the main backbone that alter the morphological behavior and thermal response. Acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization/hydrogenation methodology produce perfect sequenced copolymers of ethylene with α-olefins. Synthesis and thermal properties of PE with butyl branches precisely placed along the polymer backbone using ADMET chemistry is described within.
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