Polyethylene-Grafted Sheet-like Silsesquioxane Nanocomposites with Unprecedented Adhesion to Polar Substrates

Polyethylene is a highly apolar polymer with very poor adhesion to most substrates, necessitating the use of tie layers. Therefore, the synthesis of functional polyethylene is a long-standing challenge in catalytic ethylene polymerization. Here, we report the preparation of a nanocomposite comprisin...

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Published in:ACS applied polymer materials 2023-08, Vol.5 (8), p.5972-5983
Main Authors: Sharma, Vivek, Paulbudhe, Uday, Bachhar, Nirmalya, Chikkali, Samir H., Kumaraswamy, Guruswamy
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Polyethylene is a highly apolar polymer with very poor adhesion to most substrates, necessitating the use of tie layers. Therefore, the synthesis of functional polyethylene is a long-standing challenge in catalytic ethylene polymerization. Here, we report the preparation of a nanocomposite comprising polyethylene covalently grafted onto sheet-like silsesquioxanes, with unprecedented adhesion to metal and glass. A norbornene-grafted, layered Mg-silsesquioxane is treated with Grubbs second-generation catalyst (G-II), and the identity of covalently tethered G-II is unambiguously ascertained. Covalently tethered G-II catalyzes the ring opening metathesis polymerization of cyclooctene to poly­(cyclooctene). The resulting poly­(cyclooctene) is catalytically hydrogenated to yield polyethylene. This polyethylene nanocomposite exhibited a bonding strength of the order of 100 MPa on stainless steel and aluminum, 10-fold higher than reported for engineered polyethylene copolymers. The nanocomposite exhibits an increase in the polar component of surface energy, yet remains compatible and cocrystallizes with a polyethylene matrix.
ISSN:2637-6105
2637-6105
DOI:10.1021/acsapm.3c00649