# US 4,395,524 A · Acrylamide copolymer thickener for aqueous systems

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- Number: US 4,395,524 A
- Document ID: US4395524A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/252,721
- Filed: 1981-04-10
- Granted: 1983-07-26
- Earliest claimed: 1981-04-10
- Assignees: Rohm and Haas Company
- Inventors: William D. Emmons; Travis E. Stevens
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395524A

## CPC

- C09D 11/03: characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
- C08F 220/54: Amides {, e.g. N,N-dimethylacrylamide or N-isopropylacrylamide}
- C09D 7/43: Thickening agents
- C08L 33/26: Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylamide or methacrylamide
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)

## Abstract

Nonionic and anionic water-soluble addition copolymers of acrylamide and N-substituted acrylamides are useful as flow modifiers in and as adsorbates from aqueous systems, particularly multiphase systems. The copolymers have a weight average molecular weight greater than 30,000 and are useful for many purposes including as thickening agents or rheology modifiers for water based systems, block improvement additives in water based coating formulations, and transfer aids in water based ink or roll coater formulations.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A nonionic or anionic water-soluble addition copolymer of monomers comprising, by weight,
(A) at least 50% of acrylamide;
(B) 0.01 to 50% of a compound having the formula ##STR5## wherein R.sub.1 is ##STR6## R.sub.2 is H or ##STR7## R.sub.3 and R.sub.5 are H or methyl, independently, R.sub.4 and R.sub.6 are hydrocarbyl having 6 or more carbons, independently, and
m and n are zero or a positive integer, independently; and
(C) 0 to 49.99% one or more other olefinically unsaturated monomers;
the copolymer having a weight average molecular weight greater than 30,000.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The copolymer of claim 1 wherein R.sub.4 is C.sub.6 to C.sub.36 alkyl.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The copolymer of claim 2 wherein R.sub.2 is H.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The copolymer of claim 3 wherein the monomers comprise 0.05 to 40% (B) and the average molecular weight is about 50,000 to about 1 million.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The copolymer of claim 4 wherein R.sub.4 is C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 alkyl.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The copolymer of claim 5 wherein at least 50%, by weight, of the other olefinically unsaturated monomers are water-soluble monomers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The copolymer of claim 6 wherein R.sub.4 is R.sub.7 R.sub.8 CH-- wherein R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 are alkyl, and n is zero.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The copolymer of claim 1 wherein R.sub.2 is H, n is 1 to 50, and the monomers comprise 0.2 to 20% (B).

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The copolymer of claim 8 wherein R.sub.4 is C.sub.6 to C.sub.36 alkyl or aralkyl and wherein the averge molecular weight is from 50,000 to 1,000,000.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4, 8)

The copolymer of claim 4 or claim 8 prepared in the presence of a mercaptan chain transfer agent having 8 or more carbon atoms.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6, 9)

The copolymer of claim 6 or claim 9 prepared in the presence of an alkyl mercaptan chain transfer agent having 12 to 22 carbon atoms.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4, 8)

The copolymer of claim 4 or claim 8 wherein up to 30% by weight of the monomers are water-soluble other olefinically unsaturated monomers.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6, 9)

The copolymer of claim 6 or claim 9 wherein up to 30% by weight of the monomers are other olefinically unsaturated monomers selected from N-vinylpyrrolidone, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The copolymer of claim 7 the monomers consisting essentially of
(A) acrylamide;
(B) 0.05 to 40% of a compound having the formula ##STR8## (C) 0 to 30% N-vinylpyrrolidone, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, or a mixture of these;
having a weight average molecular weight between 100,000 and 700,000.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The copolymer of claim 7 the monomers consisting essentially of
(A) acrylamide and
(B) Y to Z% of a compound having the formula ##STR9## wherein Y and Z are:
______________________________________ Number of Effective Carbons in R.sub.4 Y Z ______________________________________ 6 to 9 2 40 over 9 to 12 0.5 30 over 12 to 15 0.4 20 over 15 to 18 0.2 10 over 18 0.05 8 ______________________________________

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The copolymer of claim 14 wherein monomer (B) is 0.2 to 20% and (C) is 0 to 20%, by weight.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The copolymer of claim 15 wherein Y and Z are
______________________________________ Number of Effective Carbons in R.sub.4 Y Z ______________________________________ 6 to 9 4 20 over 9 to 12 1 15 over 12 to 15 0.5 10 over 15 to 18 0.4 8 over 18 0.2 5 ______________________________________