Water-soluble vinyl polymer suspension for use as a thickening agent, and process for its preparation

Abstract

A process for the preparation of a water-soluble polymer suspension, which dissolves rapidly in water, is provided wherein the polymer is prepared from a) 30 to 99.99% by wt. of an alkali, ammonium, or amine salt of acrylic or methacrylic acid or a mixture thereof, b) 0.01 to 5% of a crosslinking monomer having at least two polymerizable double bonds and c) 0 to 69.99% by wt. of one or more hydrophilic comonomers different from a) and b) above, and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of oligoalkylene oxide compounds of formula I ##STR1## where R=H or CH.sub.3 R.sub.1 =H, CH.sub.3 or C.sub.2 H.sub.3 n=2, 3 or 4, wherein the suspension contains no more than 0.5% by weight of water, based on the total amount of solvent, to give a thickener which is stable in long term storage and which, upon addition to water, yields a highly viscous, briefly separating, microgel-like solution.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.