Effect of polyolefin structure on maleic anhydride grafting

A series of poiyolefins with different ethene/propene ratios was grafted wi th maleic anhydride (MA) both in the melt and in solution. The MA graft con tent and the degree of branching/crosslinking or degradation were determine d by FT-IR and rheometry, respectively. The MA graft content is low for pol yolefins with high propene content, increases as the propene content decrea ses and reaches a plateau at propene levels below 50 wt.%. Branching/crossl inking occurs for polyolefins with low propene content, while degradation i s the main side reaction for polyolefins with a high propene content. A det ailed chemical mechanism is proposed to explain these results. (C) 2001 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.