Aqueous catalytic polymerization may seem like a contradiction at first sight. The high water sensitivity of Ziegler or Phillips catalysts applied commercially for the production of polyolefins is well known. However, water offers a unique combination of properties as a medium for polymerization reactions: A high heat capacity, which enables an effective transfer of the heat of polymerization. ...

Abstract The scientific and technical advances in the field of polymer science has been abundant recent years. Amongst various polymeric materials available market, synthesis polyolefins forefront since decades. A major challenge this domain remains attaining stereoregular especially polypropylene (PP) significant efforts were carried out by synthesizing internal donors (ID) aiding catalysts in...

Part 1 outlines the complex, parallel historical evolution of ZieglerNatta catalysts and related problems. In Part 2, as a general method of inquiry, chemical language and discourse are analyzed, at first to clarify chemists’ epistemic views and the ontological status of catalysts. After analyzing contrasting definitions of ‘catalyst’ and the chemical properties of catalysts, a suitable metapho...