Process for preparation of semi-crystalline functionalized olefin copolymer

1. A process for the manufacture of a semicrystalline functionalized olefin copolymer composition comprising the steps of:

a) copolymerizing at least one olefin monomer and at least one masked functionalized olefin monomer in the presence of a catalyst system,

wherein the at least one olefin monomer is represented by CH 2 ═CHR 1 , wherein R 1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms,

wherein the masked functionalized olefin monomer is a reaction product of a functionalized olefin monomer represented by the structure according to Formula (I) and a masking agent:

wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and hydrocarbyl with 1 to 16 carbon atoms,

wherein R 5 —[X—(R 6 ) n ] m is a polar functional group containing one or multiple heteroatom containing functionalities X—(R 6 ) n wherein

X is selected from —O—, —S— or —CO 2 —and R 6 is H, and n is 1, or

X is N and R 6 is each independently selected from the group consisting of H and a hydrocarbyl group with 1 to 16 carbon atoms, and n is 2,

wherein R 5 is either —C(R 7a )(R 7b )— or a plurality of —C(R 7a )(R 7b )— groups, wherein R 7a , and R 7b are each independently selected from the group consisting of H or hydrocarbyl with 1 to 16 carbon atoms and R 5 comprises 1 to 10 carbon atoms,

wherein R 3 and R 5 may together form a ring structure that is functionalized with one or multiple X—(R 6 ) n ,

where X is attached to either the main chain or side chain of R 5 , where m is an entire number between 1 and 10, and

b) treating the product obtained by step a) with a Brønsted acid solution capable to abstract the residue derived from the masking agent from the functionalized olefin copolymer, and combining the obtained semi- crystalline functionalized olefin copolymer with a cross-linking enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of polyols, polyamines, polyacids, polyethers, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyureas, polysaccharides, polypeptides and combinations of at least two of said cross-linking enhancing agents, wherein said cross-linking enhancing agent has at least two functionalities,

wherein the amount of cross-linking enhancing agent is from 0.01 to 10 wt. %, based on the combined weight of the semi-crystalline functionalized olefin copolymer and the cross-linking enhancing agent.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the at least one olefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of propylene, 1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, vinyl cyclohexane and 1-octene or wherein the at least one olefin monomer is propylene and/or 1-hexene.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the functionalized olefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, 3-buten-1-ol, 3-buten-2-ol, 3-buten-1,2-diol, 5-hexene-1-ol, 5-hexene-1,2-diol, 7-octen-1-ol, 7-octen-1,2-diol, 9-decen-1-ol, 10-undecene-1-ol, 5-norbornene-2-methanol, 3-butenoic acid, 4-pentenoic acid or 10-undecenoic acid.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the functionalized olefin monomers in step a) is from 0.01 to 30 mol %, with respect to the total molar amount of the olefin monomers and the functionalized olefin monomers.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the masking agent is selected from trialkyl aluminum complexes, dialkyl magnesium complexes, dialkyl zinc complexes or trialkyl boron complexes.

6. (Previously Presented Previously Presented) The process of claim 1 wherein the cross-linking enhancing agent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, glycerol, pentaerythritol, mucic acid, galactaric acid, carbohydrates, ethylene diamine, diethylene triamine, tetramethyl ethylene diamine, pentamethyl diethylene triamine, polyethylenimine, maleic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, polyacrylic acid, poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid), polyvinyl acetate, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), polyvinyl alcohol, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol), polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide), poly(ethylene carbonate), poly(propylene carbonate), polycaprolactone, poly(ethylene brassylate), polylactide, polybutylene adipate, polybutylene adipate terephthalate, polyamide 6, polyamide 4,6, polyamide 6,6 and combinations of at least two of the foregoing cross-linking enhancing agents.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the at least one olefin monomer is a first and a second olefin monomer, wherein the first and second olefin monomer are different and wherein the amount of the first olefin monomer is at least 75 mol %, and the amount of second olefin monomer is at most 25 mol %, the mol % based on the total molar amount of first and second olefin monomer.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the first olefin monomer is propylene and the second olefin monomer is 1-hexene.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the functionalized olefin monomer is 3-buten-1-ol, 3-buten-2-ol, 10-undecen-1-ol, 4-pentenoic acid or 10-undecenoic acid.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the functionalized olefin monomers in step a) is from 0.02 to 20 mol %, with respect to the total molar amount of the olefin monomers and the functionalized olefin monomers.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of cross-linking enhancing agent is from 0.03 to 7 wt. %, based on the combined weight of the semi-crystalline functionalized olefin copolymer and the cross-linking enhancing agent.

12. The process of claim 8 , wherein the amount of the first olefin monomer is at least 85 mol %, and the amount of second olefin monomer is at most 15 mol %, the mol % based on the total molar amount of first and second olefin monomer.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the Brønsted acid solution comprises metal salts or ammonium salts.