Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.72, No.7, 877-885, 1999
Functionalization of polyolefins and elastomers with an oxazoline compound
The aim of this work was to graft ricinoloxazoline maleinate (OXA) onto polyethylene (PE), and onto an ethylene propylene copolymer (E/P) and styrene ethylene/butylene styrene copolymer (SEBS), by melt free radical grafting in a twin-screw midiextruder. A study was made of the effects of the initial monomer and peroxide concentrations and of temperature on the degree of grafting, on the amount of residual monomer, and on the molecular weight. The initial monomer and peroxide concentrations were 1.5-9.0 wt % and 0.15-0.90 wt %, respectively. The grafting yield was found to increase with the initial monomer and peroxide concentrations. Grafting yields up to 2.1 wt % for PE, 2.3 wt % for E/P and 2.7 wt % for SEES were achieved. The degree of grafting also varied considerably with the temperature. E/P and SEES decomposed with low initial monomer and peroxide concentrations, but crosslinked with raising the initial concentrations. Polyethylene crosslinked even with low initial concentrations, but with a suitable choice of peroxide grafted polyethylene could be produced with good grafting yields and without gel formation.
Keywords:oxazoline;melt free radical grafting;reactive extrusion;polyolefin;styrene ethylene butylene styrene copolymer