Preparation and applicability of functionalized polyethylene with an ethylene/1,7‐octadiene copolymer

The copolymerization of ethylene and 1,7‐octadiene was carried out to synthesize polyethylene with unreacted vinyl groups. The prepared copolymer poly (ethylene‐co‐1,7‐octadiene) (PEOD)] was epoxidized with peracetic acid, m‐chloroperbenzoic acid, or formic acid/H₂O₂. Of these, peracetic acid gave the best results. Epoxidized PEOD was subjected to a reaction with 2‐mercaptobenzimidazole and poly(L ‐lactic acid). The bromination of PEOD was also performed in the presence of a Br₂/HBr solution at room temperature. The brominated poly(ethylene‐co‐1,7‐octadiene) (PEOD‐Br) was used as a macroinitiator for atom transfer radical polymerization. The polymerization of styrene, butyl methacrylate, and glycidyl methacrylate was performed in bulk or solution at 120°C with a PEOD‐Br/CuBr/2,2′‐dipyridyl initiator system. The thermal properties of the graft copolymers and the efficiency of the graft polymerization were investigated. These graft copolymers have potential applications as interfacial modifiers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008