Alkenyl-co-maleimide/diene rubber copolymers and applications

The present invention relates to poly(alkenyl-co-maleimide) polymers and to the use of such polymers as cocurable compositions with diene rubbers, producing high damping additives for use in rubber compositions. The present invention is generally directed to a process for forming a diene-rubber grafted centipede polymer. The process includes copolymerizing a copolymer comprising a maleimide and at least one block chosen from the group consisting of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons, RRethylenes, or alkyl vinyl ethers with an amine. The amine is further functionalized with at least one functional group capable of grafting to a diene rubber. The copolymer is cocured with a diene rubber to form the diene-rubber grafted centipede polymer.