Chemical modification of metallocene-based polyethylene-octene elastomer through solution grafting of acrylic acid and its effect on the physico-mechanical properties

In the present work, the metallocenebased polyethylene-octene elastomer (POE) was chemically modified by solution grafting of acrylic acid in presence of benzoyl peroxide. The relative proportions of graft and gel formation were optimized through %weight gain, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The gel formation in the POE matrix was found to be the prime competitor. The effect of grafting at its maximum level on various physicomechanical properties was thoroughly investigated, using X-ray diffraction analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, mechanical, dynamic mechanical, and thermogravimetric analysis. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.