Fundamental studies on tailoring polyolefins for modern manufacturing techniques

Abstract

In the present work possibilities to tailor polyolefins for modern manufacturing techniques were investigated. Therefore the second stage modification of epoxy functionalized polyolefins was investigated in the first two parts of this work using a broad range of various model compounds and the consequential results thereout were used in the third part to design and synthesize a NIR absorber. A screening with a Simultaneous Thermal Analysis apparatus was done to investigate the reactivity of different moieties toward epoxy groups under thermal conditions similar to those found in an extruder. Therefore different (model) substances were used for the epoxy site as well as for the 'attacking' site (different aromatic and aliphatic amines and carboxylic acids). The results were compared and aligned with those from analytical studies of the reaction products (e.g. FTIR) and ab initio calculations of the theoretical reaction enthalpies to gain a basic understanding of the structural needs for second stage modification of melt grafted polyolefins. In the second part the reaction of different epoxy-moieties with amines in the presence of solvents was investigated. Reactions with small molecule model substances under homogeneous conditions were done as well as heterogeneous reactions with epoxy-functionalized PP-graft-copolymers prepared by reactive extrusion. The information gathered in the two previous chapters were used to design a NIR absorber which fits all the requirements to be covalently bonded to epoxy functionalized polyolefins. Perylene chromophores fused with aminoanthraquinones were used for this purpose. Different NIR absorbers were synthesized in four to five steps in good yield. An evaluation of further modification possibilities of the NIR absorber was also done.