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Updated: May 17, 2026
08:12
Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
New curable propylene copolymers containing tert-butoxysilane side groups.
Susanna Zimmer1, Alexander Schöbel, Tobias Halbach
1WACKER Lehrstuhl für Makromolekulare Chemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85748 München, Germany.
Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|November 7, 2012
Summary
New crosslinkable copolymers were synthesized from propylene and a silane monomer. These materials can be precisely crosslinked for controlled material properties, offering tunable insolubility and gel content.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Organosilicon Chemistry
Background:
- Development of functional polymers with tunable crosslinking capabilities is crucial for advanced material applications.
- Incorporating silane functionalities into polymer backbones offers a pathway to controlled crosslinking.
- Propylene-based copolymers are widely used, but enhancing their crosslinking potential remains an active research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize novel, crosslinkable copolymers based on propylene and a silane-functionalized monomer.
- To investigate the acid-catalyzed cleavage of tert-butoxysilane groups and subsequent crosslinking behavior.
- To demonstrate control over copolymer composition and its effect on the extent of crosslinking and material properties.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a silane-functionalized monomer, di-tert-butoxy(methyl)(oct-7-enyl)silane, via hydrosilylation and substitution reactions.
- Homopolymerization and copolymerization with propylene using a rac-[ethylenebis(indenyl)]zirconium dichloride catalyst.
- Acid-catalyzed deprotection of tert-butoxysilane groups followed by crosslinking to form insoluble polymeric material.
- Determination of gel content in polymers with varying silane content.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized crosslinkable copolymers of propylene and the novel silane monomer.
- Demonstrated efficient acid-catalyzed cleavage of tert-butoxysilane groups, enabling crosslinking.
- Achieved complete crosslinking to insoluble materials, with gel content controllable by silane incorporation.
- Established a method for precise control over copolymer composition and crosslinking extent.
Conclusions:
- The developed method provides a route to novel, crosslinkable propylene-based copolymers with tunable properties.
- The silane functionality allows for controlled crosslinking, leading to materials with adjustable insolubility.
- This approach offers significant potential for designing advanced polymeric materials for various applications.
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