Some recent advances in polyolefin functionalization

New chemicals for the co-agent assisted melt radical functionalization of polyolefins are reported with a brief overview of the mechanisms enabling the process to be kept under control and a perspective concerning possible industrial applications. Polyolefin-based materials are increasingly being used in many industrial applications for packaging, automotive and construction materials. The recent developments of research have been aimed at making these materials, often complex, being mixtures, block copolymers, micro- and nanocomposites with inorganic and organic fillers, more efficient and environmentally friendly (through recycling processes, and the use of bio-polyolefins). In this context, functionalized polyolefins, on the one hand, play a fundamental role in improving the morphology and thus the thermal and mechanical properties of heterophase systems, and, on the other hand, provide new materials difficult to obtain by conventional synthesis in connection with the type of inserted functionality. Therefore it appears to be of interest to report and discuss here the recent results concerning the radical grafting in the melt of different functionalities onto polyolefins as well as the capability reached of modulating ad hoc the degree of grafting and the final structure/architecture of functionalized polyolefins. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.