BUTADIENE COPOLYMER

Among the most important copolymers are those made from butadiene and styrene  

These are potentially (and probably) tetra polymers rather than copolymers because they can have four structural units  

The particular types of butadiene structural imits depend upon the polymerization system used. Butadiene-styrene copolymers are commercially available both as random copolymers which are used in tires and are known as Btma S, GR-S, and more recently as SBR of the rubber industry and as ABA (or better SBS) triblock copolymers. 

It is possible to hydrogenate SBS block copolymers. This was accomplished by Shell Chemical. The copolymer is referred to as SEBS has primarily the structural units [28]  

This was done primarily to improve the aging. SEES is also a two-phase system with a dispersed polystyrene phase. The hydrogenated 1,2-butadiene (or butene) units are in greater quantity than in SBS to avoid ethylene crystallinity. Today, Kraton Corp., which is an outgrowth of Shell Chemical, produces these polymers as well as many other manufacturers. 

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Figure Bl.19.29. AFM image of poly sty rene/poly butadiene copolymer, showing lamellar stnicture. (Taken ftom [140], figure 1.)...

Styrene-butadiene copolymer Poly(vinyl formal)... 

Styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer Styrene- butadiene copolymer, high-impact Polysulfone ... 

This type of adhesive is generally useful in the temperature range where the material is either leathery or mbbery, ie, between the glass-transition temperature and the melt temperature. Hot-melt adhesives are based on thermoplastic polymers that may be compounded or uncompounded ethylene—vinyl acetate copolymers, paraffin waxes, polypropylene, phenoxy resins, styrene—butadiene copolymers, ethylene—ethyl acrylate copolymers, and low, and low density polypropylene are used in the compounded state polyesters, polyamides, and polyurethanes are used in the mosdy uncompounded state. 

One method (116) of producing cellular polymers from a variety of latexes uses primarily latexes of carboxylated styrene—butadiene copolymers, although other elastomers such as acryUc elastomers, nitrile mbber, and vinyl polymers can be employed. 

The most common VI improvers are methacrylate polymers and copolymers, acrylate polymers (see Acrylic ester polymers), olefin polymers and copolymers, and styrene—butadiene copolymers. The degree of VI improvement from these materials is a function of the molecular weight distribution of the polymer. VI improvers are used in engine oils, automatic transmission fluids, multipurpose tractor fluids, hydrautic fluids, and gear lubricants. Their use permits the formulation of products that provide satisfactory lubrication over a much wider temperature range than is possible using mineral oils alone. 

G-5—G-9 Aromatic Modified Aliphatic Petroleum Resins. Compatibihty with base polymers is an essential aspect of hydrocarbon resins in whatever appHcation they are used. As an example, piperylene—2-methyl-2-butene based resins are substantially inadequate in enhancing the tack of 1,3-butadiene—styrene based random and block copolymers in pressure sensitive adhesive appHcations. The copolymerization of a-methylstyrene with piperylenes effectively enhances the tack properties of styrene—butadiene copolymers and styrene—isoprene copolymers in adhesive appHcations (40,41). Introduction of aromaticity into hydrocarbon resins serves to increase the solubiHty parameter of resins, resulting in improved compatibiHty with base polymers. However, the nature of the aromatic monomer also serves as a handle for molecular weight and softening point control. 

Elastomers. Elastomers are polymers or copolymers of hydrocarbons (see Elastomers, synthetic Rubber, natural). Natural mbber is essentially polyisoprene, whereas the most common synthetic mbber is a styrene—butadiene copolymer. Moreover, nearly all synthetic mbber is reinforced with carbon black, itself produced by partial oxidation of heavy hydrocarbons. Table 10 gives U.S. elastomer production for 1991. The two most important elastomers, styrene—butadiene mbber (qv) and polybutadiene mbber, are used primarily in automobile tires. 

Many synthetic latices exist (7,8) (see Elastomers, synthetic). They contain butadiene and styrene copolymers (elastomeric), styrene—butadiene copolymers (resinous), butadiene and acrylonitrile copolymers, butadiene with styrene and acrylonitrile, chloroprene copolymers, methacrylate and acrylate ester copolymers, vinyl acetate copolymers, vinyl and vinyUdene chloride copolymers, ethylene copolymers, fluorinated copolymers, acrylamide copolymers, styrene—acrolein copolymers, and pyrrole and pyrrole copolymers. Many of these latices also have carboxylated versions. 

Almost all synthetic binders are prepared by an emulsion polymerization process and are suppHed as latexes which consist of 48—52 wt % polymer dispersed in water (101). The largest-volume binder is styrene—butadiene copolymer [9003-55-8] (SBR) latex. Most SBRlatexes are carboxylated, ie, they contain copolymerized acidic monomers. Other latex binders are based on poly(vinyl acetate) [9003-20-7] and on polymers of acrylate esters. Poly(vinyl alcohol) is a water-soluble, synthetic biader which is prepared by the hydrolysis of poly(viayl acetate) (see Latex technology Vinyl polymers). 

Butadiene copolymers are mainly prepared to yield mbbers (see Styrene-butadiene rubber). Many commercially significant latex paints are based on styrene—butadiene copolymers (see Coatings Paint). In latex paint the weight ratio S B is usually 60 40 with high conversion. Most of the block copolymers prepared by anionic catalysts, eg, butyUithium, are also elastomers. However, some of these block copolymers are thermoplastic mbbers, which behave like cross-linked mbbers at room temperature but show regular thermoplastic flow at elevated temperatures (45,46). Diblock (styrene—butadiene (SB)) and triblock (styrene—butadiene—styrene (SBS)) copolymers are commercially available. Typically, they are blended with PS to achieve a desirable property, eg, improved clarity/flexibiHty (see Polymerblends) (46). These block copolymers represent a class of new and interesting polymeric materials (47,48). Of particular interest are their morphologies (49—52), solution properties (53,54), and mechanical behavior (55,56). 

Acrylonitrile—butadiene copolymers (nitrile—butadiene mbber, NBR) are also produced via emulsion polymerization of butadiene with acrylonitrile,... 

Between the 1920s when the initial commercial development of mbbery elastomers based on 1,3-dienes began (5—7), and 1955 when transition metal catalysts were fkst used to prepare synthetic polyisoprene, researchers in the U.S. and Europe developed emulsion polybutadiene and styrene—butadiene copolymers as substitutes for natural mbber. However, the tire properties of these polymers were inferior to natural mbber compounds. In seeking to improve the synthetic material properties, research was conducted in many laboratories worldwide, especially in the U.S. under the Rubber Reserve Program. 

Interpenetrating networks have been made by co-curing polychloroprene with copolymers of 1-chloro-1,3-butadiene [627-22-5]. The 1-chloro-1,3-butadiene serves as a cure site monomer, providing a cure site similar to that already in polychloroprene. The butadiene copolymer with 1-chloro-1,3-butadiene (44) and an octyl acrylate copolymer (45) improved the low temperature brittieness of polychloroprene. The acrylate also improved oil resistance and heat resistance. 

Fig. 24.2. A two-phase polymer alloy, mode by co-polymerising styrene and butadiene in polystyrene. The precipitates ore a polystyrene-butadiene copolymer.

The common feature of these materials was that all contained a high proportion of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile. The Vistron product, Barex 210, for example was said to be produced by radical graft copolymerisation of 73-77 parts acrylonitrile and 23-27 parts by weight of methyl acrylate in the presence of a 8-10 parts of a butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber (Nitrile rubber). The Du Pont product NR-16 was prepared by graft polymerisation of styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of styrene-butadiene copolymer. The Monsanto polymer Lopac was a copolymer of 28-34 parts styrene and 66-72 parts of a second monomer variously reported as acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile. This polymer contained no rubbery component. 

The term ABS was originally used as a general term to describe various blends and copolymers containing acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene. Prominent among the earliest materials were physical blends of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers (SAN) (which are glassy) and acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymers (which are rubbery). Such materials are now obsolete but are referred to briefly below, as Type 1 materials, since they do illustrate some basic principles. Today the term ABS usually refers to a product consisting of discrete cross-linked polybutadiene rubber particles that are grafted with SAN and embedded in a SAN matrix. 

Rhodium- and cobalt-catalyzed hydrogenation of butadiene and 1-hexene [47, 48] and the Ru-catalyzed hydrogenation of aromatic compounds [49] and acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymers [50] have also been reported to be successful in ionic liquids. 

Bhattacharjee et al. [11] have calculated the thermodynamic parameters for hydrogenation of acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer. 

Prior to 1940, the use of synthetic elastomers in linings was negligible, but the advent of the Second World War, and the consequent loss of natural rubber sources to the Allies, led to the use of synthetic rubber, namely a styrene-butadiene copolymer which, whilst not having all the properties of natural rubber, proved to have adequate anti-corrosive performance. 

However, no studies have been carried out until recently on the synthesis of AN copolymers containing only a small quantity of monomeric diene units which may have fibre forming properties. It is only in the last few years that several reports have appeared on the copolymerization of AN with butadiene in DMF28 and on the use of AN-butadiene copolymers to obtain fibres29. ... 

Emulsion polymerization is the most important process for production of elastic polymers based on butadiene. Copolymers of butadiene with styrene and acrylonitrile have attained particular significance. Polymerized 2-chlorobutadiene is known as chloroprene rubber. Emulsion polymerization provides the advantage of running a low viscosity during the entire time of polymerization. Hence the temperature can easily be controlled. The polymerizate is formed as a latex similar to natural rubber latex. In this way the production of mixed lattices is relieved. The temperature of polymerization is usually 50°C. Low-temperature polymerization is carried out by the help of redox systems at a temperature of 5°C. This kind of polymerization leads to a higher amount of desired trans-1,4 structures instead of cis-1,4 structures. Chloroprene rubber from poly-2-chlorbutadiene is equally formed by emulsion polymerization. Chloroprene polymerizes considerably more rapidly than butadiene and isoprene. Especially in low-temperature polymerization emulsifiers must show good solubility and... 

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