PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF FUNCTIONALIZED AND BRANCHED ELASTOMERIC COPOLYMERS AND USE THEREOF IN VULCANIZABLE ELASTOMERIC COMPOSITIONS

• Main Author: SODDU, LUCA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 13.04.2016
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; TREATMENT OR CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF RUBBERS; USE OF INORGANIC OR NON-MACROMOLECULAR ORGANIC SUBSTANCES ASCOMPOUNDING INGREDIENTS

A process for the preparation of a functionalized and branched elastomeric copolymer comprising the following steps: (a) anionic copolymerization of at least one conjugated diene monomer and at least one vinyl arene, in the presence of at least one hydrocarbon solvent, of at least one lithium-based initiator, and of at least one polar modifier, obtaining a solution comprising an elastomeric copolymer; (b) reacting at least 10% by weight, preferably from 20% by weight to 100 % by weight, of the polymeric chains present in the elastomeric copolymer obtained in step (a) with at least one compound having at least one functional group selected from: epoxides, ketones, esters, aldehydes, obtaining a solution comprising a functionalized elastomeric copolymer; (c) adding a quantity of lithium-based initiator to the solution obtained in step (b), from 1 to 4 times, preferably from 1.5 to 3 times, the molar quantity of lithium-based initiator used in step (a) and a compound of bromine having general formula (I): R-Br (I) wherein R represents a linear or branched C1-C30, preferably C2-C10, alkyl group, a C3-C30, preferably C4-C10, cycloalkyl group, a C6-C30, preferably C6-C12, aryl group.