Method for modifying olefin polymers, oxidized olefin polymers and olefin polymers containing carboxyl and hydroxyl groups with polymethylolated phenolic and peroxide cross-linking agents and products produced thereby

Claim 1

METHOD FOR PREPARIG MODIFIED ALPHA MONO-OLEFIN POLYMERS CHARACTERIZED BY INCREASED MOLECULAR WEIGHT, HIGHER THERMAL DEFORMATION TEMPERATURES, IMPROVED CLARITY, IMPROVED SOLVENT RESISTANCE AND IMPROVED ADHESION WHICH COMPRISES BLENDING TO SUBSTANTIAL HOMOGENEITY AN ALPHA MONO-OLEFIN POLYMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (A) AN OXIDIZED, ALPHA MONO-OLEFIN POLYMER HAVING A PEROXIDE CONTENT OF FROM ABOUT 0.15 TO ABOUT 3.5 MILLIGRAMS PER GRAM RESIN, (B) AN ALPHA MONO-OLEFIN POLYMER CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 1 TO ABOUT 15 PERCENT BY WEIGHT CARBOXYL GROUPS WHICH COMPRISES AT LEAST 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ALPHA MONOETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON HAVING FROM 2 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS INCLUSIVE, AND UP TO 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A CARBOXYL GROUP CONTAINING MOMOMER COPOLYMERIZED WITH SAID HYDROCARBON, AND (C) AN ALPHA MONO-OLEFIN POLYMER CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.5 TO ABOUT 21 PERCENT BY WEIGHT HYDROXYL GROUPS WHICH COMPRISES AT LEAST 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ALPHA MONOETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON HAVING FROM 2 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS INCLUSIVE, AND UP TO 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A HYDROXYL GROUP CONTAINING MONOMER COPOLYMERIZED WITH SAID HYDROCARBON, WITH FROM ABOUT 0.25 TO ABOUT 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A NONFREE-RADICAL POLYMETHYLOLATED PHENOLIC CROSS-LINKING AGENT HAVING A PURALITY OF PHENOLIC NUCLEUS ATTACHED METHYLOL GROUPS, AND HEATING TO EFFECT A CROSS-LINKING OF SAID OLEFIN POLYMER.