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Structure, Activity, and Deactivation Mechanisms in Double Metal Cyanide Catalysts for the Production of Polyols
Author(s) -
AlmoraBarrios Neyvis,
Pogodin Sergey,
Bellarosa Luca,
GarcíaMelchor Max,
RevillaLópez Guillem,
GarcíaRatés Miquel,
VázquezGarcía Ana Belén,
HernándezAriznavarreta Pedro,
López Núria
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201402907
Subject(s) - polymerization , catalysis , polymer , chemistry , cyanide , coating , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , materials science , engineering
Polyether polyols are used widely in the plastic and coating industries in the form of polyurethanes. The polymerization of epoxides can be catalyzed by double metal cyanides (DMCs), Zn 3 [Co(CN) 6 ] 2 . These catalysts were first reported in the 1960s by General Tire Inc. and provide products with excellent technical features, which are better than those that result from traditional alkaline polymerization as side reactions are alleviated. However, DMC‐catalyzed polymerization is not free of drawbacks as high‐molecular‐weight side products (1–3 wt %) can form in the propylene process. These tails are detrimental to the subsequent use of these polymers, in particular to foam stability. Despite the wide industrial interest in DMCs, there are only a few experimental studies and a complete lack of theoretical research of their structure, activity, and performance. The present work is thus the first attempt to describe the nature of the active site, the main polymerization mechanism, and two potential origins for the high‐weight tails from a theoretical standpoint by analyzing three crucial steps in the polymerization process.