Process for making graft copolymers from lignite and vinyl monomers

Abstract

A process for making a water-insoluble, graft copolymer of lignite-(ethene or substituted ethene monomer) having a central lignite network and at least one grafted side chain, R, having "m" repeating units of (1-phenylethylene), 1-methyl-1-(1-oxo-2-oxypropyl)ethylene, a polymerized 2-methyl-3-oxo-4-oxybut-1-ene-(p-ethoxy-(3*p+3)-ol, or any other substituted ethene monomer which has a dipole moment of less than 1.2 or a water solubility of less than 5 g/100 g water at 30.degree. C. The ethene monomer forms the sidechain by free radical polymerization and, in the sidechain, m and p vary from 1 to 300,000 such that the central lignite network has a molecular weight of about 1,000 to 1,500,000; the total number of random units in a grafted side chain is in the range of 1 to 300,000 units; and the total number of sidechains attached to lignite, x, is in the range of 1 to 500; such that the total copolymer molecular weight is in the range of 1,500 to 30,000,000. This process makes a material which is a hard, strong, thermoplastic that can be molded, cast, and extruded into parts, equipment, and consumer items.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.