Particulate hydroperoxidized poly-n-vinyl lactam, its preparation and use thereof

A graft copolymer which comprises the graft copolymerization product of

• A about 1 to about 80% by weight, based on the total product, of a particulate poly-N-vinyl lactam derivative containing units of formula I ##STR7## wherein R is alkylene of 2 to 8 carbon atoms and n is between about 40 and about 4000, and containing units of formula I which have additionally been hydroperoxidized by contacting said particulate poly-N-vinyl lactam derivative of formula I with ozone so that component (A) contains on average about 0.5 to about 20 hydroperoxy equivalents per mole of poly-N-vinyl lactam derivative, on which component (A) is grafted
• (B) about 99 to about 20% by weight, baesd on the total product, of a hydrophilic or hydrophobic vinylic monomer or a mixture thereof, and
• (C) 0 to 5% by weight, based on the total product, of a crosslinking agent;
• with said hydrophilic vinylic monomer of component (B) being selected from the group consisting of
• (a) monomers of the formulae ##STR8## wherein R.sub.2 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sub.3 is R.sub.6 or hydrogen, R.sub.6 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group of up to 10 carbon atoms substituted by at least one substituent selected from carboxy, hydroxy, amino, lower alkylamino, lower dialkylamino, polyethylene oxide group of 2-100 repeating units, sulfate, phosphate, sulfonate, phosphonate, carboxamido, sulfonamido and phosphonamido;
• and R.sub.4 is alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• and
• (b) monomers selected from the vinyl pyridines, vinyl piperidines, vinyl imidazoles and N-vinyl pyrrolidones;
• and
• with said hydrphobic vinylic monomer of component (B) being selected from the group consisting of monomers of the formulae ##STR9## wherein R.sub.2 is hydrogen or methyl, and R.sub.5 is a straight or branched chain aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic group of up to 20 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by at least one substituent selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkanoyloxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl, halo and poly C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 -alkyleneoxy having 2-100 repeating units.