Intellectual Property Office
Non-Confidential Disclosures
“Phosphinimine Modification of Organic Polymers and Silicones”
PSU Inv. Disc. No 99-2094
Keywords:
Polyphosphazene; flame retardant
Inventors:
H.R. Allcock, T.J. Hartle, R. Prange, N.J. Sunderland, M.B. McIntosh, J.P. Taylor
Links:
US Patent 6,339,166
http://research.chem.psu.edu/hragroup/
Background:
The incorporation of phosphorus atoms into organic polymers normally has the effect of decreasing their flammability. Phosphazenes provide an excellent vehicle for the introduction of phosphorus into macromolecules. Cyclic phosphazene trimers have been incorporated into organic polymers in various ways. Researchers have demonstrated the homo- and copolymerization of cyclotriphosphazenes that bear an unsaturated side group via addition polymerization. Others have incorporated cyclic trimers into condensation polymers using difunctional species. The drawback to both of these approaches is the need to study the polymerization behavior of each individual phosphazene monomer because the reactivity is affected both by the nature of the polymerizable group or groups and by the steric and electronic effects of the remaining side groups on the trimer. It would be advantageous to provide improved methods for incorporating phosphorus-containing components into a range of organic polymers.
Invention description:
Methods have been developed to produce phosphazene modified organic or siloxane polymers. The method includes (a) providing an organic or siloxane polymer comprising phosphine units, and (b) reacting the organic or siloxane polymer with a phosphazene azide compound under conditions wherein the phosphazene azide compound is bound to the phosphine unites in the polymer, thereby producing the phosphazene-modified organic or siloxane polymer. The organic polymer of step (a) is produced by reacting a first monomer comprising phosphine with a second monomer via free radical or anionic polymerization techniques to produce the organic polymer comprising phosphine units. The first and second monomers can be identical. A wide variety of organic polymer backbones can be modified using these techniques. The second monomer, for example, can be selected from monomers forming polyolefins, polydienes, polyacrylics, polyethylenes, polyvinyl chlorides, polyisoprenes, polystyrenes, polycaprolactam, poly(methyl)(meth)acrylates, and polypropylenes. Alternatively, the siloxane polymer of step (a) is produced by reacting a monomer comprising phosphine with a hydrosilicone polymer via hydrosilylation polymerization techniques to produce the siloxane polymer comprising phosphine units. These phosphazene modified organic and siloxane polymers are useful in a variety of applications, particularly as a fire retardant material.
Advantages:
Contact:
Bradley A. Swope
Sr. Technology Licensing Officer
Intellectual Property Office
113 Technology Center
The Pennsylvania State Univ.
University Park, PA 16802-7000
Phone: (814) 8673-5387
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail: bradswope@psu.edu |
