Intellectual Property Office
Non-Confidential Disclosures
“Functionalized Alpha-Olefin / Alkylstyrene Copolymers”
PSU Invention Disclosure No. 1431
Field of the Invention/Key Words:
Functionalized polyolefin; alkylstyrene copolymers
Links:
US Patent 5,543,484;
US Patent 5,866,659
US Patent 6,015,862
http://www.matse.psu.edu/fac/profiles/chung.htm
http://www.ipo.psu.edu
Inventors:
T.C. (Mike) Chung, H.L. Lu
Background:
Although useful in many commercial applications, polyolefins, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) and isotactic polypropylene (i-PP), suffer a major deficiency, poor interaction with other materials. The inert nature of polyolefins significantly limits their end uses, particularly, those in which adhesion, dyeability, paintability, printability or compatibility with other functional polymers is paramount. Unfortunately, polyolefins have been among the most difficult materials to modify (both in functionalization and graft reactions). In post-polymerization, the inert nature and crystallinity of the polymer usually render it difficult to chemically modify the polymer under mild reaction conditions. In many cases, the reaction involves serious side reactions, such as degradation in the polypropylene modification reaction. In direct polymerization, only a Ziegler-Natta process can be used in the preparation of linear polyolefins. It is normally difficult to incorporate the functional group-containing monomers into the polyolefins by Ziegler-Natta catalysts due to catalyst poisoning. Previous inventions have tried to address these concerns, but there continues to be a need for chemistries to overcome these deficiencies.
Invention description:
Copolymers comprising poly(alpha-olefin) having at para-alkylstyrene groups and/or para-alkylstyrene derivatives within the structure. The polymer has monomer units represented by Figure 1 in which R, R' and R" are, independently, either hydrogen, alkyl, or primary or secondary alkyls. F comprises a hydrogen or a functional group, such as --COOH, --OH, --NH2, --Cl, --Br, --M, --COOM (M=metals, e.g. Li, Na, K and Ca) etc., or a mixture of functional group and hydrogen. In the copolymer composition, the .alpha.-olefin mole % (m) is preferably between 85 and 99.9. The sum of m and n (mole % of para-alkylstyrene) is 100. The copolymer having a number average molecular weight (Mn) of preferably at least about 10,000. The copolymers also preferably have a ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight (Mw/Mn)of less than about 2.5. Also disclosed are polymerization processes involving transition metal catalysts (especially metallocene compounds with constrained ligand geometry) for producing alpha-olefin/para-alkylstyrene copolymers, and subsequently derivatization processes for producing functionalized copolymers by the functionalization of benzylic protons in p-alkylstyrene units of the copolymer.
Contact:
Bradley A. Swope
Sr. Technology Licensing Officer
The Pennsylvania State University
113 Technology Center
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 863-5987
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail: bradswope@psu.edu |
