Method for producing functionalized thermoplastic elastomers

Abstract

A method for producing functionalized thermoplastic elastomers on the basis of grafting substrates, selected from olefine-block copolymers of composition 80 to 98 mass-% ethylene-/2 to 20 mass-% C- to C-olefine units or partially crystalline propylene/ethylene and/or C- to C-olefine and/or C- to C-diene-copolymers of composition 50 to 98 mass-% propylene-/2 to 50 mass-% C- and/or C- to C-olefine and/or C- to C-diene units or cross-linked styrene/olefine/styrene or styrene/olefine-block copolymers, wherein, in a liquid mixing reactor per 100 mass parts of particular grafting substrate—0.1 to 15 mass parts of at least one functional monomer from the series of functional groups comprising α,β-ethylenic unsaturated compounds or 0.1 to 15 mass parts of a monomer mixture comprising at least one of said functional monomers and—0.01 to 10 mass parts of at least one initiator forming free radicals having a 1-hour half-life temperature (T) between 50 and 200° C. are added and, at reaction temperatures between 40° C. and the melting or softening temperature of the grafting substrate, are polymerized over a reaction period between 10 and 200 min to solid-fluid phase, wherein a grafting product having a grafted functional monomer is produced by such a solid phase functionalization which is used as an input component for further processing. Functionalized thermoplastic elastomers having a degree of functionalization between 0.1 and 5 mass-% can be obtained using the method. Said elastomers are suitable for use as a bonding agent and/or adhesive agent for various substrates or multi-layer composites.