Intellectual Property Office

Non-Confidential Disclosures

“Polyolefin Diblock Copolymers”

PSU Invention Disclosure No. 2116

Key Words:

Functionalized polyolefin; diblock copolymers

Links:

US Patent 6,248,837 http://www.matse.psu.edu/fac/profiles/chung.htm http://www.ipo.psu.edu

Inventors:

T.C. (Mike) Chung, G. Xu

Background:

Although useful in many commercial applications, polyolefins suffer a major deficiency, i.e., 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. The poor compatibility of polyolefins is further evidenced in their use as coatings where weak adhesion between polyolefin and metal surface has not allowed the use of this material for the protection of metal. Furthermore, attempts to blend polyolefins with other polymers have been unsuccessful for much the same reasons, i.e., the incompatibility of two polymers. Furtherl, polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, have been among the most difficult materials to chemically modify. For example, in direct polymerization reactions using early transition metal catalysts, it normally is difficult to incorporate functional group-containing monomers into olefin polymers due to catalyst poisoning by functional groups. Similarly, in the post-polymerization reactions, the inert nature and crystallinity of the olefin polymers usually makes it very difficult to chemically modify the polymers under mild reaction conditions. In many cases, the reactions involve serious side reactions, such as crosslinking and degradation. Accordingly, it is clear that there is a fundamental need to develop new chemistries which can address these problems.

Invention description:

Polyolefin diblock copolymers are prepared via a chain transfer reaction with a borane dimer compound during a transition metal-catalyzed olefin polymerization in a process that resembles a transformation from transition metal coordination polymerization to free radical polymerization via a borane end group. The polyolefin diblock copolymers may be represented by the final formula given in Figure 1 wherein the polyolefin segment is a homo-, co- and ter-polymer prepared by transition metal (e.g. metallocene catalyst) coordination polymerization of at least one olefin, and the free radical prepared polymer segment is prepared by free radical polymerization of at least one vinyl monomer, such as styrene, maleic anhydride, acrylates, methacrylates, etc. The resulting diblock copolymers are useful as interfacial materials to improve the interaction between polyolefins and other materials.

Advantages:

• Control of undesirable side reactions
  
• Useful for interface modifiers such as compatibilizers in polyolefin blends and composites
  

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