Synthesis of Graft-Modified Polyolefin Compatibilizers for Compatibilizing Mixed Plastics

Recycling polyolefin and other plastic mixtures encounters significant obstacles due to the intricate nature and economic inefficiencies of physically separating vast streams of mixed waste. Incorporating compatibilizers emerges as a viable strategy to diminish interfacial energy and bolster compatibility, ultimately yielding homogeneous products. In this contribution, polar polyolefins featuring metal dynamic cross-linking networks were synthesized by tandem polymerizing ionic cluster type polar monomers and olefins. Subsequent treatment with HCl aqueous solution and esterification with polyester precursors yields high-performance grafted polar polyolefins for mixed polymer compatibilizing. For PP/PC melting blends, adding 5 wt% of graft-modified polyolefin results in tougher blends that surpass the performance of corresponding virgin iPP in elongation at break (εb). Polar polyolefins containing sodium carboxylate groups play a dual role in compatibilizing PET/HDPE blends, acting both as compatibilizers and nucleating agents. Moreover, this strategy enables the production of grafted polyolefins comprising ternary polymers, which can be employed in compatibilizing ternary blends.