	US 11,987,653 B1
	Olefin polymerizations and printing methods thereof
Brian Keith Long, Knoxville, TN (US); and Jordan Michael Kaiser, Hanover Park, IL (US)
Assigned to University of Tennessee Research Foundation, Knoxville, TN (US)
Filed by University of Tennessee Research Foundation, Knoxville, TN (US)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/827,002.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/821,634, filed on Mar. 21, 2019.
Int. Cl. C08F 2/50 (2006.01); B29C 64/112 (2017.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 70/00 (2020.01); C08J 5/18 (2006.01); C09D 11/101 (2014.01); C09D 11/108 (2014.01)

CPC C08F 2/50 (2013.01) [B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); C08J 5/18 (2013.01); C09D 11/101 (2013.01); C09D 11/108 (2013.01); B29C 64/112 (2017.08); B29K 2105/0002 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0014 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); C08F 2500/26 (2013.01); C08J 2323/06 (2013.01); C08J 2323/20 (2013.01)]

19 Claims

1. A method of preparing a polyolefin, the method comprising:

(a) contacting an olefin monomer with an olefin polymerization precatalyst and a photoacid generator (PAG) to provide an olefin polymerization mixture, wherein said olefin monomer is provided as a gas or as a liquid, and wherein said contacting comprises:

(a1) dissolving the PAG and the precatalyst in a solvent, thereby preparing a solution of the PAG and the precatalyst;

(a2) depositing the solution on a surface of a solid substrate;

(a3) evaporating the solvent to provide a residue comprising the PAG and the precatalyst; and

(a4) contacting the residue with the olefin monomer, thereby providing the olefin polymerization mixture; and

(b) irradiating the olefin polymerization mixture for a first period of time with ultraviolet or visible light, activating the precatalyst to catalyze polymerization of the olefin monomer, thereby preparing a polyolefin film on the surface of the solid substrate.