FUNCTIONALIZATION OF ISOTACTIC POLY(PROPYLENE) WITH MALEIC-ANHYDRIDE IN THE SOLID-PHASE

The influence of temperature and type of initiator on the grafting eff iciency of maleic anhydride onto isotactic poly(propylene) powder unde r solid-state reaction conditions was investigated. The level of bonde d maleic anhydride was found to be about 20% higher using aliphatic pe roxide, such as lauroyl peroxide, in contrast to dibenzoyl peroxide, d icumyl peroxide, 2,5-dimethyl 2,5-di-tert-butylperoxyhexane or tert-bu tyl perbenzoate as initiator. The higher grafting efficiency of maleic anhydride onto polyethylene when compared with poly(propylene) is acc ounted for by a higher kinetic length of the addition-transfer chain r eactions.