Amino-Functionalized Polyethylene for Enhancing the Adhesion between Polyolefins and Polyurethanes

Primary and secondary amino-functionalized polyethylenes were synthesized from commercially available maleic anhydride-modified polyethylene by reaction with mono- tert -butoxycarbonyl-protected diamines, N -( tert -butoxycarbonyl)-1,6-diaminohexane ( t BocHMDA), and N -( tert -butoxycarbonyl)- N -ethyl-1,6-diaminohexane ( t BocEtHMDA) followed by deprotection with trifluoroacetic acid. The structures of amino-functionalized polyethylenes were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopies, and the data compared favorably to that of the corresponding model compounds. The amino-functionalized polymers showed significantly improved adhesive strength toward thermoplastic polyurethanes as compared to the parent maleic anhydride-modified polyethylene.