# US 5,344,888 A · Process for making graft propylene polymers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,344,888 A - Document ID: US5344888A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/062,893 - Filed: 1993-05-14 - Granted: 1994-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 1993-05-14 - Assignees: Quantum Chemical Corporation - Inventors: Leslie Wild; James A. Hinnenkamp; Biau-Hung Chang; Webster W. Kiang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5344888A ## CPC - C08F 255/02: on to polymers of olefins having two or three carbon atoms - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS ## Abstract A process for making a graft propylene copolymer in which a propylene polymer, selected from the group consisting of propylene homopolymers and propylene copolymers, is contacted with a polymerizable, unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid derivative in the presence of a coagent, having the structural formula (CH.sub.2 .dbd.CR.sup.1 CR.sup.2 R.sup.3.sub.x R, where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different and are hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, halogen or a heterocyclic radical; x is an integer of 2 to 4; and R is a radical containing at least one atom of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus or silicon having a valence equal to the value of x, and a free radical generating compound. This contact occurs at a temperature above both the melting point of the propylene polymer and the decomposition temperature of the free radical generating compound. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A continuous melt process for making a graft copropylene copolymer comprising contacting a propylene polymer selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of propylene and an .alpha.-olefin, wherein said .alpha.-olefin comonomer contains 2 to 12 carbon atoms and is present in a concentration of between about 0.5% and about 40%, said percentages being by weight, based on the total weight of the copolymer, and propylene copolymers with at least one polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid derivative in the presence of a coagent having the structural formula (CH.sub.2 .dbd.CR.sup.1 --CR.sup.2 --R.sup.3).sub.x R, where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different and are hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, halogen or a heterocyclic radical; x is an integer of 2 to 4; and R is a radical containing at least one atom of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus or silicon having a valence equal to the value of x, said coagent present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.01% and about 30% by weight, based on the weight of the propylene polymer, and a free radical generating compound, said process conducted at a temperature above both the melting point of said propylene polymer and the decomposition temperature of said free radical generating compound. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said contact occurs at a temperature in the range of between about 120.degree. C. and about 350.degree. C. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A process in accordance with claim 2 wherein said contact occurs at a temperature in the range of between about 175.degree. C. and about 250.degree. C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A process in accordance with claim 3 wherein said contact occurs at a temperature in the range of between about 185.degree. C. and about 225.degree. C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said contact among said propylene polymer, said polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid derivative, said free radical generating compound and said coagent occurs in an extruder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polymerizable, unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid derivative is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.01% and about 20% by weight, based on the weight of the propylene polymer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A process in accordance with claim 6 wherein said polymerizable, unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid derivative is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.1% and about 10%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A process in accordance with claim 7 wherein said polymerizable, unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid derivative is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.5% and about 5%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coagent is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.1% and about 10%. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A process in accordance with claim 9 wherein said coagent is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.5% and about 5%. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said free radical generating compound is selected from the group consisting of organic peroxides, azo compounds and azide compounds. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A process in accordance with claim 11 wherein said free radical generating compound is an organic peroxide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A process in accordance with claim 12 wherein said organic peroxide is present in a concentration no higher than 20% by weight, based on the weight of said propylene polymer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A process in accordance with claim 13 wherein said organic peroxide is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.05% and about 1.0% by weight, based on the weight of said propylene polymer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A process in accordance with claim 14 wherein said organic peroxide is present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.1% and about 0.7% by weight. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A process in accordance with claim 12 wherein said organic peroxide is selected from the group consisting of diisobutyral peroxide, diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate, t-amyl peroxypivalate, t-butyl peroxypivalate, t-amyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate, t-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate, t-butyl peroxyisobutyrate, t-butyl peroxyacetate, t-butyl peroxybenzoate, dicumyl peroxide, di-t-amyl peroxide and di-t-butyl peroxide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A process in accordance with claim 16 wherein said organic peroxide is selected form the group consisting of dicumyl peroxide, di-t-amyl peroxide and di-t-butyl peroxide. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) A process in accordance with claim 11 wherein said free radical generating compound is an azo-containing compound selected from the group consisting of 2,2'-azobis)2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), 2,2,'- azo(2-methylpropane)(2,4-dimethyl-4-methoxy valeronitrile), 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile), 2,2'-azo(2-methylpropane)(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), 2,2'-azo-(2-methylpropane)(2-dimethylpropionitrile), 2,2'-azo-(2-methylpropane)(2-methylbutyronitrile 2,1-azo-(2-methylpropane)(1-cyanocyclohexane) and 2,1-azo-(2methylbutane)(1-cyanocyclohexane). ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said propylene polymer is a propylene homopolymer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said propylene polymer is a copolymer of propylene and an .alpha.-olefin selected from the group consisting of propylene random copolymers, propylene block copolymers and propylene impact copolymers. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said propylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer is selected from the group consisting of a propylene-.alpha.-olefin random copolymer which includes between about 0.5% and about 10% of the .alpha.-olefin comonomer, said .alpha.-olefin monomer containing 2 to 8 carbon atoms, and a propylene-.alpha.-olefin impact copolymer which includes between about 5% and to about 30% of the .alpha.-olefin comonomer, said .alpha.-olefin comonomer containing 2 to 8 carbon atoms, said percentages being by weight, based on the total weight of the copolymer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A process in accordance with claim 21 wherein said propylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer is selected from the group consisting of a propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing between about 1% and about 6% by weight ethylene, based on the total weight of the copolymer, and a propylene-ethylene impact copolymer containing between about 6% and about 16% by weight ethylene, based on the total weight of the copolymer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or acid derivative is maleic anhydride. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coagent is characterized by R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 being the same or different and being hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; and R being a radical containing at least one atom of oxygen, nitrogen or mixtures thereto and having a valence equal to the value of x. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A process in accordance with claim 24 wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different and are hydrogen or methyl; and R is a radical selected from the group consisting of ##STR5## where R.sup.4 is C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 ; and y is an integer of 1 to 3, ##STR6## wherein R.sup.5 is an aliphatic radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms which optionally may include at least one oxygen atom, ##STR7## ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A process in accordance with claim 25 wherein R.sup.4 is C.sub.n H.sub.2n, C.sub.n H.sub.2n-2, phenylene or alkyl-substituted phenylene; R.sup.5 is C.sub.n H.sub.2n, C.sub.n H.sub.2n-2 or C.sub.n H.sub.2n --O--C.sub.n H.sub.2n ; and n is an integer of 2 to 6. ### Claim 27 A continuous melt process of maleating a propylene polymer, said propylene polymer selected from the group consisting of a propylene homopolymer, a propylene-ethylene random copolymer and a propylene-ethylene impact copolymer, wherein said copolymer includes ethylene in a concentration of between 0.5% and about 40%, said percentage being by weight, based on the total weight of the copolymer, comprising contacting a propylene polymer with maleic anhydride in the presence of a coagent having the structural formula (CH.sub.2 .dbd.CR.sup.1 --CR.sup.2 --R.sup.3).sub.x R, where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different and are hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; x is an integer of 2 to 4; and R is a radical containing at least one atom of oxygen or nitrogen and having a valence equal to the value of x, said coagent present in a concentration in the range of between about 0.01% and about 30% by weight, based on the weight of the propylene polymer, and an organic peroxide, said process conducted a temperature in excess of the melting point of the propylene polymer and the decomposition temperature of the organic peroxide. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A process in accordance with claim 27 wherein said organic peroxide is selected from the group consisting of dicumyl peroxide, di-t-amyl peroxide and di-t-butyl peroxide. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) A process in accordance with claim 28 wherein said coagent is selected for the group consisting of diallyl maleate, diallyl phthalate, diallyl carbonate, diallyl succinate, diethylene glycol bis(allyl carbonate), triallyl cyanurate and triallyl isocyanurate. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A process in accordance with claim 29 wherein said contact occurs at a temperature in the range of between about 185.degree. C. and about 225.degree. C. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) A process in accordance with claim 30 wherein said contact occurs in an extruder. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) A process in accordance with claim 31 wherein said maleic anhydride is present in a concentration of between about 0.5% and about 5% by weight, based on the weight of said propylene polymer. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) A process in accordance with claim 32 wherein said organic peroxide is present in a concentration of between about 0.1% and about 0.7% by weight, based on the weight of the propylene polymer. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A process in accordance with claim 33 wherein said coagent is present in a concentration of between about 0.5% and 5% by weight, based on the weight of the propylene polymer.