Emulson polymers including one or more 1,1-disubstituted alkene compounds, emulson methods, and polymer compositions
AssigneeSirrus, Inc.
InventorsPeter Rulon Stevenson, Alexander R. Holzer, Aniruddha Sudhir Palsule, Jeffrey M. Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present teachings show that it is possible to polymerize 1,1-disubstituted alkene compounds in an emulsion (for example using a water based carrier liquid), despite the possible reactions between the monomer and water. Polymerization of 1,1-disubstituted alkene compounds in an emulsion provides opportunities to better control the polymerization compared with bulk polymerization. The emulsion polymerization techniques can be employed for preparing homopolymers, copolymers (e.g., random copolymers), and block copolymers.
Claims18
A process comprising the steps of:
- i) agitating a mixture comprising:
- about 30 weight percent or more of a carrier liquid, a surfactant, and 10 weight percent or more of one or more monomers to form micelles of the one or more monomers in the carrier liquid, wherein the one or more monomers includes one or more 1,1-disubstituted alkenes;
- ii) adding an activator to the carrier liquid after forming the micelles,
- iii) reacting the activator with at least one of the monomers in the micelle for initiating the anionic polymerization of the one or more monomers;
- and
- iv) anionically polymerizing the one or more monomers to form a polymer;
- wherein the carrier liquid includes water and the mixture includes about 30 weight percent or more of the water.
A process comprising the steps of:
- i) agitating a mixture comprising:
- about 25 weight percent or more of a carrier liquid, a surfactant, and one or more monomers to form micelles of the one or more monomers in the carrier liquid, wherein the one or more monomers includes one or more 1,1-disubstituted alkenes;
- ii) reacting an activator with at least one of the monomers in the micelle for initiating the anionic polymerization of the one or more monomers;
- and
- iii) anionically polymerizing the one or more monomers to form a polymer;
- wherein the wherein the molar ratio of the one or monomers to the activator is from about 50:1 to about 20,000:1, and wherein the polymer has a number average molecular weight of about 700 g/mole or more, and the carrier liquid consists essentially of water.
A method comprising the steps of:
- i) emulsion polymerizing one or more monomers including one or more 1,1-disubstituted alkenes;
- and
- ii) quenching the polymerization by adding an acid polymerization terminator to the emulsion;
- wherein the polymerization is an anionic polymerization;
- the emulsion includes 30 weight percent or more of a carrier liquid, a surfactant, and 10 weight percent or more of the one or more monomers, and an activator;
- wherein the carrier liquid includes water and the mixture includes about 30 weight percent or more of the water;
- and the molar ratio of the one or monomers to the activator is greater than about 50:1;
- and
- wherein the conversion of the one or monomers to a polymer is about 80 weight percent or more.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.