Crosslinking reactions during processing of silane modified polyethylenes

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Abstract
A study of the crosslinking reactions in silane modified polyethylenes has been completed. Crosslinking of ethylene‐vinyl trimethoxy silane copolymers during high temperature melt processing has been investigated using melt rheological and infrared spectroscopic techniques. Two environmental factors are shown to influence crosslinking formation, namely oxidation of the polymer and the presence of di‐n‐butyl‐tin dilaurate, a condensation catalyst. These are believed to initiate high temperature crosslink formation via different non‐interacting mechanisms. It is deduced that silane crosslink formation as a result of oxidation is due to intramolecular interaction of oxidised polyethylene and pendant methoxy silane branches. Observation of a hydrogen bonded silanol intermediate species is consistent with this hypothesis.