Production of water-curable, silane modified thermoplastic polymers

Claim 2

A composition of matter comprising a preformed thermoplastic polymer havin pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR8## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 4 carbon atoms or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 3 carbon atoms, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined; and an organo titanate of the formula: ##STR9## wherein R 1 is methyl, ethyl or propyl and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive; wherein said organo titanate is present in an amount sufficient to ester exchange at least one ester group of the titanate for one ester group of the silane.

Claim 3

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein said organo titanate is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 20 percent by weight based on the weight of said polymer.

Claim 4

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein said organo titanate is present in an amount of about 1 to about 5 percent by weight based on the weight of said polymer.

Claim 5

A composition of matter comprising a preformed thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR10## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having 4 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having 3 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined; and an organo titanate of the formula: ##STR11## wherein R 1 is methyl, ethyl or propyl and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals having 1 to 4 carbon atoms inclusive; wherein said organo titanate is present in at least an amount sufficient to ester exchange one ester group of the titanate for one ester group of the silane.

Claim 6

A composition of matter comprising a preformed thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR10## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having 4 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having 3 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined; and an organo titanate of the formula: ##STR11## wherein R 1 is methyl, ethyl or propyl and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals having 1 to 4 carbon atoms inclusive; wherein said organo titanate is present in at least an amount sufficient to ester exchange one ester group of the titanate for one ester group of the silane.

Claim 7

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the organo titanate is tetramethyl titanate.

Claim 8

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is an olefin polymer.

Claim 9

A composition of matter as defined in claim 6 wherein the olefin polymer is polyethylene.

Claim 10

A composition of matter as defined in claim 6 wherein the olefin polymer is a copolymer of ethylene and ethyl acrylate.

Claim 11

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the silane moieties are derived from vinyl tris(n-butoxy)silane.

Claim 12

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the silane moieties are derived from vinyl tris(isobutoxy)silane.

Claim 13

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the silane moieties are derived from vinyl tris(dodecyloxy)silane.

Claim 14

A composition of matter comprising a preformed ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR12## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 4 carbon atoms or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 3 carbon atoms, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined and tetramethyl titanate in an amount sufficient to ester exchange at least one ester group of the titanate for one ester group of the silane.

Claim 15

A composition of matter comprising a preformed ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR12## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 4 carbon atoms or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 3 carbon atoms, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined and tetramethyl titanate in an amount sufficient to ester exchange at least one ester group of the titanate for one ester group of the silane.

Claim 16

A composition of matter as defined in claim 12 wherein the silane moiety is derived from vinyl tris(n-butoxy)silane.

Claim 17

A composition of matter as defined in claim 12 wherein the silane moiety is derived from vinyl tris(isobutoxy)silane.

Claim 18

A composition of matter as defined in claim 12 wherein the silane moiety is derived from vinyl tris(dodecyloxy)silane.

Claim 19

A composition as defined in claim 1 containing a silanol condensation catalyst.

Claim 20

A composition as defined in claim 16 wherein the silanol condensation catalyst is dibutyltin dilaurate.

Claim 21

A process of producing a hydrolyzable, silane modified thermoplastic polymer which comprises reacting a mixture containing a thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR13## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 4 carbon atoms or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 3 carbon atoms, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined; and an organo titanate of the formula: ##STR14## wherein R 1 is methyl, ethyl or propyl and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, wherein said organo titanate is present in an amount sufficient to ester exchange at least one ester group of the titanate for one ester group of the silane.

Claim 22

A process of producing a hydrolyzable, silane modified thermoplastic polymer which comprises reacting a mixture containing a thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR13## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 4 carbon atoms or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 3 carbon atoms, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined; and an organo titanate of the formula: ##STR14## wherein R 1 is methyl, ethyl or propyl and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, wherein said organo titanate is present in an amount sufficient to ester exchange at least one ester group of the titanate for one ester group of the silane.

Claim 23

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein said organo titanate is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 20 percent by weight based on the weight of said polymer.

Claim 24

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein said organo titanate is present in an amount of about 1 to about 5 percent by weight based on the weight of said polymer.

Claim 25

A process as defined in claim 18, carried out at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 300° C.

Claim 26

A process as defined in claim 18, carried out at a temperature of about 150° C. to about 230° C.

Claim 27

A process as defined in claim 18 carried out at super-atmopsheric pressure.

Claim 28

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein the said thermoplastic polymer is an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer having pendant silane groups derived from vinyl tris(n-dodecyloxy)silane and said titanate is tetramethyl titanate.

Claim 29

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein a silanol condensation catalyst is added to the mixture after completion of the ester exchange reaction.

Claim 30

A process as defined in claim 25 wherein the silanol condensation catalyst is dibutyltin dilaurate.

Claim 31

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polymer of ethylene and at least one C 3 to C 8 alpha olefin.

Claim 32

A composition of matter as defined in claim 27 wherein the alpha olefin is propylene.

Claim 33

A composition of matter as defined in claim 27 wherein the alpha olefin is butene.

Claim 34

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is an alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymer.

Claim 35

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties is the reaction product of a thermoplastic polymer and a vinyl silane.

Claim 36

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties is the reaction product of an alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymer and a silane.

Claim 37

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties is the reaction product of an alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymer and a polysiloxane.

Claim 38

A composition of matter as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic polymer having pendant silane moieties is the reaction product of a thermoplastic polymer and a silane sulfonyl azide.

Claim 39

A composition of matter comprising a preformed olefin polymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR15## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 4 carbon atoms or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 3 carbon atoms, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined and tetramethyl titanate.

Claim 40

A composition of matter comprising a preformed olefin polymer having pendant silane moieties of the formula: ##STR15## wherein R is a straight chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 4 carbon atoms or a branched chain hydrocarbon radical having a minimum of 3 carbon atoms, each V is a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive or an --OR radical wherein R is as previously defined and tetramethyl titanate.

Claim 41

A composition of matter as defined in claim 35 wherein the olefin polymer is a polymer of ethylene and at least one C 3 to C 8 alpha olefin.

Claim 42

A composition of matter as defined in claim 35 wherein the alpha olefin is propylene.

Claim 43

A composition of matter as defined in claim 35 wherein the alpha olefin is butene.