Thermally reversible crosslinked polyethylene using Diels-Alder reaction in molten state

Thermally reversible crosslinked polyethylene was prepared by Diels-Alder (DA) and retro Diels-Alder (rDA) reaction. Maleimide/furan adduct was used as crosslinking agent. Dienophile named 11-maleimido-undecanoic acid was first synthesized and between this dienophile and commercial 3-(2-furyl) propanoic acid, the DA reaction was studied to determine DA and rDA reactions temperatures in the solid state. Then, an original modification method was employed to graft the two molecules onto the Lotader® poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) in one step procedure. The DA and rDA reactions between diene and dienophile grafted moieties are followed by FT-IR analysis on a thin film. Readily polymer network is synthesized and the cycle of DA and retro-DA reactions is repeatable with no significant polymer degradation.