Polar functionalization of non-polar polyolefins has become increasingly important. Incorporations of polar units in polyolefins render functionality to polyolefins and enable them to be used in many value-added applications. In this presentation, a novel polar functionalization strategy for polyolefin is introduced. HDPE, iPP and EPDM are employed as model non-polar polyolefins, while radically polymerizable copolymers with various functionalities are adopted as polar polymer chains. The modified polyolefins are prepared in two-step reaction: i) preparation of polar functional copolymers by reversible addition and fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) technique; ii) chain transfer reaction of polyolefin macro-radicals to the polar functional copolymers in melt-mixing process. The molecular weights, compositions and architectures of the polar functional copolymers are easily controlled through the RAFT process. This technology platform builds up scalable and various functionalization choices for polyolefins by using all commercially available resources, affording broadened application fields of already industrially important polyolefins. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2012R1A1A2005345).

Novel melt processible technology platform for polar functionalization of polyolefins

248th National Meeting (2014)

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