Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd.

Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft

Yoshiharu Abe

Toshihiro Sagane

Yoichiro Tsuji

Toshimasa Takata

Akinori Toyota

Disclosed is a cycloolefin copolymer composition (C) obtained by copolymerizing an .alpha.-olefin of two or more carbon atoms (a) and a specific cycloolefin (b) in the presence of an aromatic ring-containing vinyl hydrocarbon/conjugated diene copolymer or a product of hydrogenation thereof (A) which has an intrinsic viscosity (.eta.) of 0.5 to 5.0 dl/g; at least one glass transition temperature (measured by DSC) of lower than 15.degree. C.; polymerizable carbon-to-carbon double bonds in an amount of 2 to 150 in terms of iodine value; and a refractive index n.sub.D (A) of 1.50 to 1.65. In the composition (C), the component (A) is contained in an amount of 1 to 40% by weight, and a difference .DELTA.n.sub.D between the refractive index n.sub.D (A) of the component (A) and a refractive index n.sub.D (B) of a cycloolefin copolymer component (B) obtained by copolymerizing the .alpha.-olefin (a) and the cycloolefin (b) in the absence of the component (A) is not more than 0.015. The cycloolefin copolymer composition is excellent in impact resistance, transparency and heat resistance.

Cycloolefin copolymer composition

There is provided a process for the production of a cycloolefin copolymer which comprises copolymerizing an .alpha.-olefin having 2 or more carbon atoms and a specific cycloolefin in the presence of a specific metallocene type catalyst in a solvent mixture of a hydrocarbon solvent having a solubility parameter (value of .delta.) of 7.7 [(cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 ] or more and a hydrocarbon solvent having a solubility parameter (value of .delta.) of 7.5 [(cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 ] or less as a polymerization solvent. A cycloolefin copolymer having a high molecular weight can be produced in a high concentration by this process at a high yield.

Process for the production of cycloolefin random copolymer

Provided are cycloolefin copolymer compositions comprising a hydrocarbon elastomer component substantially free from a polymerizable double bond and a cycloolefin random copolymer component obtained by copolymerization of an .alpha.-olefin of at least 2 carbon atoms and a cycloolefin in the presence of said hydrocarbon elastomer component, said composition containing said hydrocarbon elastomer component in an amount of 1-50% by weight, and a method for preparing said cycloolefin copolymer compositions. Also provided are cycloolefin copolymer compositions comprising a hydrocarbon elastomer component having a polymerizable double bond and a cycloolefin copolymer component obtained by copolymerization of an .alpha.-olefin of at least 2 carbon atoms and a cycloolefin in the presence of said hydrocarbon elastomer component, said composition containing said hydrocarbon elastomer component in an amount of 1-50% by weight. Such cycloolefin copolymer compositions as mentioned above are excellent in transparency and mechanical strength and also excellent particularly in impact resistance. In particular, when a cycloolefin elastomer obtained by copolymerization of an .alpha.-olefin of at least 2 carbon atoms, a cycloolefin and a non-conjugated diene of 5-20 carbon atoms is used as the above-mentioned hydrocarbon elastomer component having a polymerizable double bond, the resulting copolymer compositions are excellent particularly in transparency.

Cycloolefin copolymer composition and method for the preparation thereof

Cycloolefin copolymer composition and method for the preperation thereof

There is provided a process for producing a cyclic olefin copolymer by copolymerizing (A) ethylene and (B) a particular cyclic olefin in the presence of (C) a metallocene catalyst and (D) a small amount of an .alpha.-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms. According to the said process, said copolymer can be produced at a high activity and its molecular weight can be controlled in a wide range. The copolymer produced by the said process has excellent properties inherent to the cyclic olefin copolymer.

Process for production of ethylene-cyclic olefin copolymer

There is provided a cycloolefin polymer composition comprising 8 to 40% by weight of a cycloolefin polymer [A] and 92 to 60% by weight of a cycloolefin polymer [B], both having specific properties, wherein a difference .DELTA.n.sub.D =.vertline.n.sub.D (A)-n.sub.D (B).vertline. between the refractive index n.sub.D (A) of the polymer [A] and the refractive index n.sub.D (B) of the polymer [B] is not more than 0.015. This composition is excellent in impact resistance, transparency and heat resistance, and has a good balance of these properties. There is also provided a cycloolefin copolymer composition comprising 8 to 40% by weight of a cycloolefin elastomer component [Aa] of an .alpha.-olefin, a specific cycloolefin and a non-conjugated diene which contains a polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond; and 92 to 60% by weight of a cycloolefin copolymer component [Ba] which is obtained by copolymerizing an .alpha.-olefin and a specific cycloolefin in the presence of the elastomer component [Aa]; wherein a difference .DELTA.n.sub.D =.vertline.n.sub.D (A)-n.sub.D (B).vertline. between the refractive index n.sub.D (Aa) of the component [Aa] and the refractive index n.sub.D (Ba) of the component [Ba] is not more than 0.015. This composition has excellent properties inherent in a cycloolefin random copolymer and is improved especially in impact resistance without tranding off its transparency. There is also provided a cycloolefin copolymer composition comprising 8 to 40% by weight of a cycloolefin elastomer component [A.alpha.] of an .alpha.-olefin and a specific cycloolefin which substantially contains no polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond; and 92 to 60% by weight of a cycloolefin copolymer component [B.alpha.] which is obtained by copolymerizing an .alpha.-olefin and a specific cycloolefin in the presence of the elastomer component [A.alpha.]; wherein a difference .DELTA.n.sub.D =.vertline.n.sub.D (A)-n.sub.D (B).vertline. between the refractive index n.sub.D (A.alpha.) of the component [A.alpha.] and the refractive index n.sub.D (B.alpha.) of the component [B.alpha.] is not more than 0.015. This composition has also excellent properties inherent in a cycloolefin random copolymer and is improved particularly in impact resistance without trading off its transparency.

Growing community of inventors

Yamaguchi-ken, Japan

Yoshiharu Abe