POLYMER GRAFTING PROCESS, APPARATUS AND PRODUCTS OBTAINED THEREWITH

摘要

A polymer grafting process, apparatus and products obtained therewith are disclosed. The process comprises the melt-phase grafting of a polyolefin containing unsaturation sites with an enophile (such as maleic anhydride) under ene reaction conditions at 180 DEG -265 DEG C in reactor with a mean residence time of 12-40 minutes and a relatively narrow residence time distribution such that 90 percent of the reactor throughput has a residence time within 75-175 percent of the mean. The apparatus comprises means for supplying molten, pressurized unsaturated polyolefin and enophile, a distributively mixed reactor for receiving the pressurized, molten reactants, for maintaining the ene reaction conditions and for producing a grafted polymer product, and a finishing extruder for removal of unreacted enophile. The grafted polymer product contains ene grafted enophile, and has an intact molecular structure substantially unchanged from that of the polymer prior to grafting.