CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF NITRILE TO OXAZOLINE FUNCTIONALITY ON A STYRENE-ACRYLONITRILE COPOLYMER IN THE MELT

Oxazoline is a very interesting functionality for reactive extrusion a nd other applications. In this paper, we report the possibility of che mically transforming nitrile group attached to a copolymer of styrene and acrylonitrile (SAN) to oxazoline group using 2-amino-ethanol (AE). The chemical modification of SAN with AE was done in the molten state . Among various catalysts tested, zinc acetate turned out to be the mo st efficient. The effects of the catalyst concentration, temperature a nd mixing on the overall kinetics were studied. The formation of the e xpected oxazoline functionality was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and by reacting with 1-naphthylacetic acid. The reaction between the oxazoline and the acid was very rapid as it went to completion within 2 minutes in the melt at 180 degrees C. The efficiency of an oxazoline modified SAN as compatibilizing precursor was evaluated for SAN/PA 6 and SAN/PBT blends.