Technology Type

In the Solution Polymerization Process, Ethylene, comonomer, and the Polyethylene reaction product are dissolved in a solvent. The reaction system is homogeneous. Reaction temperature (140 °C) and pressure (4-5 MPa) are higher comparatively to the Slurry Process. It is characterized by short polymerization time, high production intensity, and high yield. The process is capable to better control the properties such as to produce a range of product densities such as High Density (HDPE), Medium Density (MDPE), Low Density (LLDPE), and even Very Low Density (VLDPE, POP), and Ultra Low Density (ULDPE, POE) Polyethylene. However, the molecular weight of the polymer obtained by the solution process is limited by the viscosity of the solution^[1].

The existing solution processes for ethylene polymerization are^[2]:

• Borealis - Borceed™ Technology (formerly DSM Compact Solution Process)
• Dow - Solution Loop Process
• ExxonMobil -  Continuous Solution Process
• LG Chem - Lucene™ Solution Process Technology
• Mitsui - Solution Process
• Nova - SCLAIRTECH™ and Advanced SCLAIRTECH™ Technologies
• SSNC - Nexlene™ Technology

References

1. Zhong, Xiuhua & Zhao, Xudong & Qian, Yongkang & Zou, Yan. (2018). Polyethylene plastic production process. Insight - Material Science. 1. 1. 10.18282/ims.v1i1.104.
2. Multiple sources