Adhesive ability and solvent solubility of propylene-butene copolymers modified with maleic anhydride

Propylene-1-butene copolymer (PPB) was grafted with maleic anhydride (MAH) in solution system. The adhesive ability of PPB-g-MAH between oriented poly propylene film (OPP)/Aluminum substrates was investigated from the viewpoin t of surface chemistry. T-peel strength increased with the polar component of the surface free energy of PPB-g-MAH. When the degree of grafting was 4. 1%, the heat-seal strength revealed the maximum value of 1200 g/in, which i s 30 times larger when compared with the control in this system. X-ray phot oelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy analysis of peeled surfa ce showed that partial cohesive failure of PPB-g-MAH took place near the Al uminum side along with interfacial destruction. The solubility of this poly mer increased with the grafting amount of MAH. Though PPB itself can only b e dissolved into toluene and cyclohexane, PPB-g-MAH can be dissolved in mor e than 10 kinds of solvents such as ethyl acetate and tetrahydrofuran at ro om temperature. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.