Hyperbranched polymers with latent functionality and methods of making same

A hyperbranched polymer containing nanoscopic intramolecularly cross-linked domains covalently bonded to the hyperbranched polymer.

A method of making a hyperbranched polymer having a plurality of at least two different types of functional groups, comprising the step of:

• polymerizing one or more monomers having reactive functional groups, at least one of the monomers containing latent functional groups that are not reactive during the polymerization and are reactive under a different set of conditions to make a hyperbranched polymer having said latent functional groups distributed substantially uniformly through the hyperbranched polymer.

A process for making a hyperbranched polymer containing nanoscopic intramolecularly cross-linked domains covalently bonded to the hyperbranched polymer, comprising steps of:

• polymerizing one or more monomers having reactive functional groups, at least one of the monomers containing latent functional groups that are not reactive during the polymerization and are reactive under a different set of conditions to make a hyperbranched polymer having said latent functional groups distributed substantially uniformly through the hyperbranched polymer, said latent functional groups being silicon-containing hydrolyzable groups;
• and
• reacting said hydrolyzable groups to effect hydrolysis and condensation of the hydrolyzable groups and thereby form the nanoscopic intramolecularly cross-linked domains.