Conjugated diene-maleic acid derivative compositions and process for preparing the same

Novel liquid compositions comprising (A) high-molecular anions from dissociation of a part or the whole of the carboxylic acid group of a conjugated diene-maleic acid derivative copolymer with repeating units represented by the formulae ##STR3## wherein R represents a conjugated diene unit in the copolymer, R' and R" each represent hydrogen or an organic radical having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms and p and q each are an integer, the degree of dissociation in terms of p :

• q being in the range from 100 :
• 0 to 0 :
• 100,
• B. one or more of alkali metal cations selected from Na.sup.+, K.sup.+ and Li.sup.+ or quaternary ammonium cations represented by R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N.sup.+ R.sub.3 R.sub.4 wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radical of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl radical and aryl radical, the amount being in the range from 0.5 to 5.0 equivalents, on the basis of the maleic acid derivative unit in the component (A);
• C. mg.sup.2+ ions in an amount from 0.5 to 2.0 equivalents, on the basis of the maleic acid derivative unit in the component (A);
• D. anions of magnesium compound(s) or alkali metal compound(s), the amount being in the range from 0.5 to 7.0 equivalents, on the basis of the maleic acid derivative unit in the component (A);
• and
• E. water in an amount in the range from 1 to 1000 times, the total weight of the componets (A), (B), (C) and (D), said composition being reversibly liquid at lower temperatures and solid at higher temperatures.