The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 04, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1998
Thoi H. Ho, Lake Jackson, TX (US);
Wendy D. Hoenig, Lake Jackson, TX (US);
Che-I Kao, Lake Jackson, TX (US);
Michael E. Rowland, Lake Jackson, TX (US);
Clark H. Cummins, Midland, MI (US);
Michael J. Mullins, Lake Jackson, TX (US);
H. Craig Silvis, Midland, MI (US);
Dow Global Technologies Inc., Midland, MI (US);
Abstract
The invention includes a process of preparing a coupled polymer comprising heating an admixture containing (1) at least one polyolefin comprising ethylene and optionally at least one comonomer which is selected from alpha olefins having at least 3 carbon atoms, dienes and combinations thereof said polyolefin having a molecular weight distribution of less than or equal to about 3 and (2) a coupling amount at least one poly(sulfonyl azide) to at least the decomposition temperature of the poly(sulfonyl azide) for a period sufficient for decomposition of at least about 80 weight percent of the poly(sulfonyl azide) and sufficient to result in a coupled polymer; particularly where the polyolefin is the product of polymerization of ethylene and optionally at least one other alpha-olefin in the presence of a single site catalyst (transition metal like Va or Cr, metallocene or constrained geometry). The amount of poly(sulfonyl azide) is preferably from about 0.01 to about 5 weight percent of the polyolefin. The poly(sulfonyl azide)and polyolefin preferably react at a temperature at least the decomposition temperature and greater than about 150° C. The invention also includes any composition made by the process of the invention and any article made from the composition as well as processes for making the articles, particularly melt processing (especially where the article is formed from a melt of a composition of the invention), more preferably selected by molding, blow molding or extrusion blow molding the composition. The invention also includes the use of a composition of the invention in any of these processes.