Ionomer resins, ethylene methacrylic acid

Ionomer resins consisting of ethylene—methacrylic acid copolymers partially neutralized with sodium or zinc were commercially introduced in 1964 by Du Pont under the Sudyn trademark (1). More recently, a similar line of products, sold as Hi-Mdan resins, has been commercialized by Mitsui—Du Pont in Japan. lolon ionomeric resins, based on ethylene—acrylic acid, are produced by Exxon in Belgium. Ionomers containing about 1 mol % of carboxylate groups are offered by BP in Europe as Novex resins. Low molecular weight, waxy Aclyn ionomers are produced and sold by AHiedSignal. 

Table I. duPont Ethylene-Methacrylic Acid Ionomer Resins...

Ali [89] reported the results of a study on a LDPE blend with an ionomer resin based on ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer (Surlyn 1857 10 wt%), which also contained citric acid (1 wt%) as a blowing agent. The blend, as well as the reference samples of pure LDPE and LDPE/citric acid, were e-beam-irradiated at room temperature with a dose of 40kGy, and the EPR spectra were recorded at different time intervals after irradiation. The septet corresponding to allyl radicals was a dominant spectral component in the initial spectra, the total radical concentration being about 10% higher in the presence of the ionomer due to a contribution of Surlyn-derived radicals. The latter were more stable, such that in the blend the EPR signal was still observed three days after irradiation, whereas in the reference samples the radicals had decayed completely within 3.5 h. 

Acrylics. Acetone is converted via the intermediate acetone cyanohydrin to the monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA) [80-62-6]. The MMA is polymerized to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to make the familiar clear acryUc sheet. PMMA is also used in mol ding and extmsion powders. Hydrolysis of acetone cyanohydrin gives methacrylic acid (MAA), a monomer which goes direcdy into acryUc latexes, carboxylated styrene—butadiene polymers, or ethylene—MAA ionomers. As part of the methacrylic stmcture, acetone is found in the following major end use products acryUc sheet mol ding resins, impact modifiers and processing aids, acryUc film, ABS and polyester resin modifiers, surface coatings, acryUc lacquers, emulsion polymers, petroleum chemicals, and various copolymers (see METHACRYLIC ACID AND DERIVATIVES METHACRYLIC POLYMERS). 

The Surlyn A ionomers (E. I. du Pont de Nemours Co.) are believed to be derived from copolymers of ethylene with minor amounts of methacrylic acid which are treated subsequently, so that substantial amounts of the carboxylic acid are converted to the sodium or other metal carboxylate. Resins similar to the one studied in this work contain about 10 weight % methacrylic acid. The ash (sodium carbonate) indicates about 40% neutralization. This resin, which contains 0.05% Santo-white Powder (Monsanto Chemical Co.), a phenolic antioxidant, is of medium molecular weight—i.e., probably corresponding to an ethylene homopolymer with a melt flow index around 20 (17). The molecular weight distribution is broad (17). 

The term ionomer was first introduced in the early 1960s, when DuPont developed Surlyn resins [36], salt forms (Na and Zn) of the copolymers of ethylene and a small amount (several mole percent) of methacrylic acid. Initially, Surlyn resin that was based on polyethylene was called an ionomer, but later all polymers that have a small amount of ionic groups (up to 10-... 

Polyacrylic acid and polymcthacrylic acid and their sodium salts are water-soluble. Copolymers with small amounts of methacrylic add and ethylene (ionomers), are moldable transparent resins. 

Acrylic acid [79-10-7] - [AIR POLLUTION] (Vol 1) - [ALDEHYDES] (Vol 1) - [ALLYL ALCOHOL AND MONOALLYL DERIVATIVES] (Vol 2) - [MALEIC ANHYDRIDE, MALEIC ACID AND FUMARIC ACID] (Vol 15) - [POLYESTERS, UNSATURATED] (Vol 19) - [FLOCCULATING AGENTS] (Vol 11) - [CARBOXYLICACIDS - SURVEY] (Vol 5) -from acetylene [ACETYLENE-DERIVED CHEMICALS] (Vol 1) -from acrolein [ACROLEIN AND DERIVATIVES] (Vol 1) -acrylic esters from [ACRYLIC ESTER P OLYMERS - SURVEY] (Vol 1) -from carbon monoxide [CARBON MONOXIDE] (Vol 5) -C-21 dicarboxylic acids from piCARBOXYLIC ACIDS] (Vol 8) -decomposition product [MAT. ETC ANHYDRIDE, MALEIC ACID AND FUMARIC ACID] (Vol 15) -economic data [CARBOXYLIC ACIDS - ECONOMIC ASPECTS] (Vol 5) -ethylene copolymers [IONOMERS] (Vol 14) -in floor polishes [POLISHES] (Vol 19) -in manufacture of ion-exchange resins [ION EXCHANGE] (V ol 14) -in methacrylate copolymers [METHACRYLIC POLYMERS] (Vol 16) -in papermaking [PAPERMAKING ADDITIVES] (Vol 18)... 

Tg measurements have been performed on many other polymers and copolymers including phenol bark resins [71], PS [72-74], p-nitrobenzene substituted polymethacrylates [75], PC [76], polyimines [77], polyurethanes (PU) [78], Novolac resins [71], polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polychloroprene, nitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer and butyl rubber [79], bisphenol-A epoxy diacrylate-trimethylolpropane triacrylate [80], mono and dipolyphosphazenes [81], polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid entrapment polymers [82], polyether nitrile copolymers [83], polyacrylate-polyoxyethylene grafts [84], Novolak type thermosets [71], polyester carbonates [85], polyethylene naphthalene, 2,6, dicarboxylate [86], PET-polyethylene 2,6-naphthalone carboxylate blends [87], a-phenyl substituted aromatic-aliphatic polyamides [88], sodium acrylate-methyl methacrylate multiblock copolymers [89], telechelic sulfonate polyester ionomers [90], aromatic polyamides [91], polyimides [91], 4,4"-bis(4-oxyphenoxy)benzophenone diglycidyl ether - 3,4 epoxycyclohexyl methyl 3,4 epoxy cyclohexane carboxylate blends [92], PET [93], polyhydroxybutyrate [94], polyetherimides [95], macrocyclic aromatic disulfide oligomers [96], acrylics [97], PU urea elastomers [97], glass reinforced epoxy resin composites [98], PVOH [99], polymethyl methacrylate-N-phenyl maleimide, styrene copolymers [100], chiral... 

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