Silane-Modified Polymer Production via Carbamate Prepolymers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing silane-modified polymers are limited by restricted choices of polymer chains and high costs due to the availability of amine- or epoxy-terminated prepolymers, leading to low yields and impaired polymer stability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the production of carbamate-, thiocarbonate-, or carbonate-terminated prepolymers at room temperature, which results in high yields and prevents partial pre-crosslinking, allowing for the creation of alkoxysilane polymers with similar viscosity to amino, mercapto, or hydroxyl group-terminated polymers, using a polymer backbone reacted with chloroformates or pyrocarbonates without certain catalysts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If amine- or epoxy-terminated prepolymers are used for producing silane-modified polymers, then the polymers can be produced, but the yields are low and the costs are high due to limited availability of these prepolymers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive, limited-availability amine- or epoxy-terminated prepolymers with readily available hydroxyl- or carboxyl-terminated prepolymers. These common prepolymers serve as disposable starting materials that can be easily obtained from standard polymerization processes, eliminating the need for specialized termination steps and significantly reducing both cost and availability constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the prepolymer termination groups from amine/epoxy to hydroxyl/carboxyl groups. This parameter change enables the use of widely available prepolymers while maintaining the ability to produce silane-modified polymers through alternative reaction pathways using silane coupling agents.
2Reliability
If conventional methods are used to produce silane-modified polymers, then the polymers can be obtained, but the viscosity changes and partial pre-crosslinking occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by carefully controlling the reaction conditions and adding silane coupling agents at specific stages to prevent premature crosslinking. The process is designed to first establish the polymer backbone with desired viscosity characteristics before introducing crosslinking functionality, ensuring that the base polymer properties are preserved before modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies dynamics by controlling the timing and conditions of silane addition to manage the crosslinking process. The reaction conditions are dynamically adjusted to prevent unwanted pre-crosslinking while maintaining polymer chain flexibility and desired viscosity, allowing the system to transition from a linear polymer state to a crosslinked network state in a controlled manner.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a wide variety of polymer chains are desired, then the product versatility increases, but the current production methods restrict the choice of polymer chains
Solution Approach 1:
The invention establishes universality by creating a single, flexible production platform that can accommodate multiple types of prepolymers (hydroxyl-terminated, carboxyl-terminated) and produce various silane-modified polymers through a common reaction mechanism. This universal approach eliminates the need for separate production lines for different polymer types, allowing easy adaptation to diverse polymer chain requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by starting with common, easily manufactured prepolymers and modifying them with silane agents, rather than starting with specialized prepolymers and attempting to diversify. This inversion of the synthesis strategy enables broader polymer chain selection by working backward from the modification step rather than forward from the polymerization step.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method achieves high yield production of alkoxysilane polymers with enhanced stability and ecological and economic advantages, maintaining the viscosity of the starting polymers and avoiding degradation, making them suitable for applications in sealants and adhesives.
Implementation Method 1
reacting a polymer backbone of the formula (I), terminated with at least two amino, mercapto or hydroxyl groups, and a chloroformate of formula (IIa) or a pyrocarbonate of formula (IIb)
Implementation Method 2
reacting the carbamate- or carbonate-terminated prepolymer with a silane coupling agent
Implementation Method 3
The method according to the invention for producing an alkoxysilane polymer includes the production of a carbamate-, thiocarbonate- or carbonate-terminated prepolymer (IIIa) or (IIIb), which can be produced in high yield. The alkoxysilane polymer obtained by the method according to the invention has essentially the same viscosity as the amino, mercapto or hydroxyl group-terminated polymer used for the production. A possible explanation for this could be that the method according to the invention is preferably carried out at room temperature.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing an alkoxysilane polymer via a carbamate, thiocarbonate or carbonate-terminated prepolymer (IIIa) or (IIIb) includes reaction of a polymer backbone of formula (I) terminated with at least two amino, mercapto or hydroxyl groups and with a chloroformate of formula (IIa) or a pyrocarbonate of formula (Ilb) (I) (IIa) (IIb) (IIIa) (IIIb), wherein R1 and R3 represent a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl or alkenyl group with 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a mono- or polycyclic aliphatic or aromatic ring system with 5 to 18 carbon atoms in the ring system, which is optionally substituted by one or more groups R2, X is oxygen or sulphur, n is 0 for a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl or alkenyl group and is 0.1 or 2 for a mono- or polycyclic aliphatic or aromatic ring system, and A represents a polymer backbone.