Emulsifiable ethylene containing polyolefin waxes having improved emulsifiability and process for their preparation

A process for preparing an emulsifiable ethylene containing low viscosity polyolefin wax having a saponification number of from about 100 to about 140 which comprises reacting low viscosity polyolefin waxes selected from the group consisting of polyethylene or ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers containing from 99 to 50 percent by weight ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin monomer having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms and having a melt viscosity of about 5 to 6,000 cp. at 150.degree. C. and having less than 0.1 percent unsaturation under a substantially inert atmosphere with an unsaturated polycarboxylic component and an amount of peroxide added incrementally during the reaction wherein the weight ratio of unsaturated polycarboxylic component to peroxide is about 1/1 to less than 5/1.

A process for preparing an emulsifiable ethylene containing low viscosity polyolefin wax having a saponification number of from about 100 to about 140 which comprises reacting low viscosity polyolefin waxes selected from the group consisting of polyethylene or ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers containing from 99 to 50 percent by weight ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin monomer having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms and having a melt viscosity of about 15 to 3,000 cp. at 150.degree. C. and having less than 0.1 percent unsaturation under a substantially inert atmosphere with an unsaturated polycarboxylic component and an amount of peroxide added incrementally during the reaction wherein the weight ratio of unsaturated polycarboxylic component to peroxide is about 1/1 to less than 5/1.

A process for preparing an emulsifiable ethylene containing low viscosity polyolefin wax having a saponification number of from about 100 to about 140 which comprises reacting low viscosity polyolefin waxes selected from the group consisting of polyethylene or ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers containing from 99 to 50 percent by weight ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin monomer having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms and having a melt viscosity of about 25 to 1,500 cp. at 150.degree. C. and having less than 0.1 percent unsaturation under a substantially inert atmosphere with an unsaturated polycarboxylic component and an amount of peroxide added incrementally during the reaction wherein the weight ratio of unsaturated polycarboxylic component to peroxide is about 1/1 to less than 5/1.

A process for preparing an emulsifiable ethylene containing low viscosity polyolefin wax having a saponification number of from about 100 to about 140 which comprises reacting low viscosity polyolefin waxes selected from the group consisting of polyethylene or ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers containing from 99 to 50 percent by weight ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin monomer having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms and having a melt viscosity of about 25 to 1,500 cp. at 150.degree. C. and having less than 0.1 percent unsaturation under a substantially inert atmosphere with an unsaturated polycarboxylic component and an amount of peroxide added incrementally during the reaction wherein the weight ratio of unsaturated polycarboxylic component to peroxide is about 3.3/1.