Process of rheology modification of polymers

US6143829A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY · US

Inventors

• David A. Babb · Lake Jackson, US
• Wendy Hoenig · Lake Jackson, US
• Che-I Kao · Lake Jackson, US
• Michael E. Rowland · Lake Jackson, US
• Clark H. Cummins · Midland, US
• Michael J. Mullins · Lake Jackson, US
• H. Craig Silvis · Midland, US
• Thoi H. Ho · Lake Jackson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 13, 1998
• Grant date: Nov 7, 2000
• Expiry date: Aug 13, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/31917
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention includes a process of reacting a poly(sulfonyl azide) with a polymer comprising steps (a) forming a first admixture, hereinafter referred to as a concentrate, of a first amount of a first polymer or in a liquid which does not require removal from the polymer, hereinafter diluent, and a poly(sulfonyl azide); (b) then forming a second admixture of the first admixture with a second amount of at least one second polymer, hereinafter second polymer composition; and (c) heating the second admixture at least to the decomposition temperature of the coupling agent for a time sufficient to result in coupling of polymer chains. The diluent is preferably a non-volatile, non-polar compound such as mineral oil in which the poly(sulfonyl azide) is sufficiently miscible to disperse the poly(sulfonyl azide) in the second polymer.