Cationic polymer emulsion

Abstract

Cationic emulsions are obtained by the emulsion polymerization or copolymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers such as vinyl acetate, etc. in the presence of a cationic group-modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Typical cationic group-modified PVA are the modified PVA's which contain a copolymeric unit having one of the following formulas: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is H or lower alkyl; B is ##STR2## R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each lower alkyl (substituted or unsubstituted) and X is an anion forming a salt with the ammonium N; and A is an inert bivalent organic group linking the N atom in B to the N atom in the amide group; ##STR3## wherein, in formulas (II) and (III), R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are each H, lower alkyl or phenyl; R.sup.8 is lower alkyl; and Y is an anion forming a salt with the imidazolinium N atom. Particularly desirable are the cationic group-modified PVA's containing the copolymeric unit (I) wherein A is ##STR4## R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each is methyl and X is chlorine, or wherein R.sup.1 is methyl, A is --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 in B are each methyl and X is chlorine, and cationic group-modified PVA's containing the copolymeric unit (II) or (III) wherein R.sup.5 and R.sup.8 are each methyl and R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are each hydrogen. The polymers of these cationic emulsion have superior binding properties to substrates such as pulp fibers, textile fibers, glass, and the like.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.