LAUSR

Abstract Catalytic activities of the novel acid-base hybrid catalyst on the water-crosslinking reaction (hydrolysis and condensation) of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimehoxysilane-grafted ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPR-g-MTMS) were investigated by means of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and gel fraction measurements. We have synthesized RNH2-M(acac)2 complex as an acid-base hybrid catalyst which shows the high catalytic activities for water-crosslinking reaction in EPR-g-MTMS system. It is noted that the catalytic activity of RNH2-M(acac)2 complex clearly shows dependence on axially coordinated n-alkylamine compounds in hydrolysis reaction, meanwhile, the center metal ion in RNH2-M(acac)2 complex affects on the catalytic activities for overall water-crosslinking reaction in this study. The design concept of an acid-base hybrid catalyst showed bifunctional catalytic activity for the water-crosslinking reaction in the alkoxysilane-grafted polyolefin system.