# US 5,703,175 A · Caustic-stable modified polycarboxylate compound and method of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,703,175 A - Document ID: US5703175A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/477,146 - Filed: 1995-06-07 - Granted: 1997-12-30 - Earliest claimed: 1991-10-16 - Assignees: Diversey Lever, Inc. - Inventors: Donald Borseth; David McCall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703175A ## CPC - C08F 8/14: Esterification - C08F 2/10: Aqueous solvent - C08F 120/06: Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof - C08G 81/025: {containing polyether sequences} - C08F 220/06: Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof - C08F 220/306: {and polyethylene oxide chain in the alcohol moiety} - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS - C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS ## Abstract A surfactant-modified polymer and method of making the same. The surfactant-modified polymer has a polycarboxylate backbone with nonionic surfactant chemically associated therewith and is formed by the reaction of a reactant compound selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids and mixtures thereof in an aqueous media in the presence of a nonionic surfactant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing surfactant-modified polymers having a polycarboxylate backbone and nonionic surfactant chemically grafted therewith comprising the steps of: (a) admixing an amount of nonionic surfactant with an aqueous solution containing a reactant compounds selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids and mixtures thereof; (b) initiating a reaction in the aqueous solution containing in the nonionic surfactant and the reactant compound; (c) allowing the reaction to proceed until a polymer is produced having a polycarboxylate backbone and at least 0.5 percent by weight nonionic surfactant chemically grafted therewith based on the total weight of the polymer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the reactant compound is present in an amount between about 1.0 and 40.0 percent by weight based on the total weight of the solution formed in Step (a). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the reactant compound is a carboxylic acid and is present in an amount between about 1.0 and about 15.0 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the solution formed in Step (a). ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the reactant compound is a polycarboxylic acid and is present in an amount between about 20.0 and about 35.0 percent based on the total weight of the solution formed in Step (a). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the reactant compound is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, protonic acid, methacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid, copolymers of maleic anhydride and methyl vinyl ether, copolymers of maleic anhydride end ethylene, copolymers of maleic anhydride and styrene, copolymers of maleic anhydride and acrylic acid, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the reactant compound is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, polyacrylic acid and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of maintaining the pH of the solution formed in Step (a) at a pH between about 2.3 and about 6.0 throughout polymerization. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the initiation step comprises addition of a chemical initiator, the chemical initiator including an oxidizing compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal persulfates, ammonium persulfates, azobis(isobutyronitrile), benzoyl peroxide and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the oxidizing compound is coupled with a reducing agent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, alkyl hydroperoxides, alkali metal bisulfites, alkali metal sulfites and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the polymerization step occurs while the admixed solution is maintained at a temperature between about 100.degree. F. and about 190.degree. F. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: mixing and heating the solution formed in Step (a) to a first temperature between about 100.degree. F. and about 160.degree. F. for an interval between about 1 and about 30 minutes; and allowing the solution to achieve and maintain a second temperature between about 105.degree. F. and about 190.degree. F. after addition of the chemical initiator for a period between about 30 minutes to about 24 hours. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alcohol ethoxylates, alkyl aryl ethoxylates, condensation products of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, ethylene oxide/propylene oxide adducts of ethylene diamine, propylene oxide/ethylene oxide adducts of phosphate esters and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alcohol ethoxylates, alkyl aryl ethoxylates, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of nonylphenol ethoxylates. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the reactant compound is a polyacrylic acid.