Higher-Molecular-Weight Hyperbranched Polyethylenes Containing Crosslinking Structures as Lubricant Viscosity-Index Improvers

As a new grade of polyethylene materials with unique chain architectures, hyperbranched polyethylenes synthesized by chain walking ethylene polymerization have great potential for industrial application as novel viscosity index (VI) improver in lubricant formulation. Although high-molecular-weight hyperbranched polyethylenes (weight-average molecular weight of about 10(5) g/mol) possess high shear stability, their viscosity thickening properties are compromised due to their compact chain architectures. In this work, we aim at improving their viscosity thickening property by increasing polymer molecular weight. A range of hyperbranched polymers of various enhanced molecular weights were synthesized by chain walking ethylene polymerization in the presence of small amounts of 1,4-butanediol diacrylate as a difunctional crosslinker. The molecular weight dependences of viscosity thickening power and shear stability of these polymers containing crosslinking structures were evaluated. It is found that, with the increase of molecular weight via crosslinking, these polymers showed consistently enhanced viscosity thickening power, but with the reduced shear stability. However, their shear stability was still significantly better compared to linear polymers. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:911-918, 2010. (C) 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers