Etude de l'effet de partenaires solides sur la polymérisation de l'ethylène et sur la télomérisation du tétrachlorure de carbone et de l'ethylène initiées par rayonnement gamma

The rate of disappearance of ethylene in the presence of solid additives was studied in two reactions initiated by gamma rays. The solids were: 1. (1) solids with large specific surface area such as silica gel, alumina, molecular sieves and activated charcoal; 2. (2) oxides with small specific surface area such as zinc oxide, silica gel calcined at 700°C and quartz wool; 3. (3) polythylene powder. The rate of polymerization of ethylene was increased 20 to 50 times when 4·2 × 10^-3 mole ethylene was polymerized in the presence of 1 g of polar microporous solid. The polar catalysts of small surface area had no effect on the polymerization rate whereas charcoal was an inhibitor of this reaction. For the addition of carbon tetrachloride to ethylene, no important catalytic effect was observed in a reaction medium containing 2 × 10^-2 mole carbon tetrachloride, 1 × 10^-2 mole ethylene and 1 g of solid of any type. These effects are discussed.