Solution properties of chlorinated polypropylene and maleic anhydride grafted chlorinated polypropylene

Abstract The solution behaviors of the chlorinated polypropylene (CPP) and its grafted polymers (CPP-g-MAH) were systematically studied to characterize their polar change with grafting maleic anhydride (MAH) onto the chain of CPP. The molecular weights of the polymers were determined with light scattering measurements, and the Mark–Houwink equation of CPP in toluene was also obtained. The result showed that the Mark–Houwink equation of CPP was suitable for estimating the molecular weight of the polydisperse samples of CPP and not suitable to CPP-g-MAH because the molecular polarity of the graft polymers had changed with grafting MAH onto CPP. The solubility result of CPP and CPP-g-MAH in various solvents indicated that the polarity of CPP gradually increased with grafting MAH onto its chain, which would cause the solubility of poorly hydrogen bonded solvents for CPP-g-MAH to gradually become poor, whereas that of moderately hydrogen bonded solvents for the polymers becomes better with an increase of the MAH graft content. This is consistent with the results of their dilution ratio and solubility parameter. Stabilities of the 344# resin–CPP-g-MAH–toluene solutions showed that the miscibility of CPP-g-MAH and 344# resin was improved with increase of the MAH grafted content. Keywords: Chlorinated polypropyleneMaleic anhydrideMolecular polarity Acknowledgment The authors are grateful for financial support granted by the National Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province of China.