Process for making submicron stable latexes of block copolymers
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsDavid M. Austgen, Jr., Jeffrey G. Southwick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention is a process for producing stable polymer emulsions and latexes with an average particle size of less than one micron. The polymers are block copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons which may or may not contain polar functionality. The process comprises making a polymer cement of the polymer and a blend of a solvent for the polymer and a cosolvent(s), emulsifying the polymer cement by adding it to an aqueous phase containing at least one surfactant and removing the solvent, cosolvent and excess water.
Claims16
A process for producing stable polymer latexes with an average particle size of less than one micron, which comprises:
- (a) making a polymer cement of a block copolymer of a conjugated diene and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a blend of a non-aromatic solvent for the block copolymer and from 5 to 50 weight percent of the blend of at least one non-aromatic cosolvent having a solubility parameter in the range from 8.7 to 9.9;
- (b) emulsifying the polymer cement at an aqueous phase to cement weight ratio of from 10:1 to 1:3 by adding it to an aqueous phase containing from 0.1 to 10 weight percent of the aqueous phase of one or more surfactants, and
- (c) removing solvent, cosolvent and excess water from the emulsion.
A process for producing stable polymer emulsions with an average drop size of less than one micron, which comprises:
- (a) making a polymer cement of a block copolymer of a conjugated diene and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a blend of a non-aromatic solvent for the block copolymer and from 5 to 50 weight percent of the blend of at least one non-aromatic cosolvent having a solubility parameter in the range from 8.7 to 9.9;
- and
- (b) emulsifying the polymer cement at an aqueous phase to cement weight ratio of from 10:1 to 1:3 by adding it to an aqueous phase containing from 0.1 to 10 weight percent of the aqueous phase of one or more surfactants.
A process for producing stable polymer latexes with an average particle size of less than one micron, which comprises:
- (a) making a polymer cement of a block copolymer of a conjugated diene and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon which has been functionalized with polar groups and a blend of a solvent for the block copolymer and from 5 to 50 weight percent of the blend of a polar cosolvent;
- (b) emulsifying the polymer cement at an aqueous phase to cement weight ratio of from 10:1 to 1:3 by adding it to an aqueous phase containing from 0.1 to 10 weight percent of the aqueous phase of one or more surfactants;
- and
- (c) removing solvent, cosolvent and excess water from the emulsion.
A process for producing stable polymer emulsions with an average particle size of less than one micron, which comprises:
- (a) making a polymer cement of a block copolymer of a conjugated diene and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon which has been functionalized with polar groups and a blend of a solvent for the block copolymer and from 5 to 50 weight percent of the blend of a polar cosolvent;
- and
- (b) emulsifying the polymer cement at an aqueous phase to cement weight ratio of from 10:1 to 1:3 by adding it to an aqueous phase containing from 0.1 to 10 weight percent of the aqueous phase of one or more surfactants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.