Functional Polyolefins for Energy Applications

Abstract

Polyolefins, including polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), represent more than half of commercial polymers produced in the world. They are known to be cost-effective and good performing materials used in a broad range of commodity applications that influence our everyday lives. On the other hand, less attention has been paid to their specialty applications, commonly requiring the material to have multiple performance functions. The limitations and shortcomings of polyolefins have stemmed from lack of functionality and structure diversity, which are compounded with the long-standing challenges in the chemical modification (functionalization) of polyolefins. In the past two decades, in conjunction with advances in metallocene catalysis, a new method based on the “reactive” polyolefin approach has emerged, which affords a new class of functional polyolefins with high molecular weight and well-controlled molecular structures that have functional groups located at chain ends, side chains, and block/graft...