Process for sulfonating unsaturated elastomers using acyl sulfates

摘要

A process for sulfonating unsaturated elastomers which comprises sulfonating an olefinically unsaturated elastomer using as the sulfonating agent an acyl sulfate. The products produced thereby have improved properties over those sulfonated elastomers prepared by prior art methods. The preferred acyl sulfate is acetyl sulfate. The sulfonated elastomers of this invention are useful as films, adhesives and for other general purpose rubber uses. Especially advantageous properties are obtained when the sulfonic acid polymer is neutralized with ethylamine.