Process for making allylic/ehtylenic copolymers
AssigneeArco Chemical Technology, L.P.
InventorShao Hua Guo
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Abstract
An improved process for making allylic/ethylenic copolymers is disclosed. Increasing the reaction temperature during addition of the ethylenic monomer/initiator mixture results in a substantial increase in the polymer yield obtained compared with the yield from a conventional process in which a constant temperature is used. Copolymers made by the process include valuable coating resins such as styrene-allyl alcohol and hydroxy-functional acrylic copolymers.
Claims20
A process for making an allylic/ethylenic copolymer, said process comprising:
- a) charging a reactor with an allyl monomer and optionally, portions of the total amount to be used of an ethylenic monomer and a free-radical initiator;
- b) heating the reaction mixture at a temperature within the range of about 60.degree. C. to about 145.degree. C.;
- c) gradually adding to the reaction mixture the remaining ethylenic monomer and free-radical initiator;
- and
- d) during step (c), increasing the reaction temperature to one within the range of about 150.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. to produce an allylic/ethylenic copolymer having a number average molecular weight within the range of about 500 to about 10,000;
- wherein the mole ratio of ethylenic monomer to allyl monomer used in the process is within the range of about 0.1 to about 10;
- and the yield of the copolymer is enhanced as a result of the increase in temperature in steps (c) and (d).
A process for making a vinyl aromatic/allylic alcohol copolymer, said process comprising:
- a) charging a reactor with an allylic alcohol and optionally, portions of the total amount to be used of a vinyl aromatic monomer and a free-radical initiator;
- b) heating the reaction mixture at a temperature within the range of about 80.degree. C. to about 145.degree. C.;
- c) gradually adding to the reaction mixture the remaining vinyl aromatic monomer and free-radical initiator;
- and
- d) during step (c), increasing the reaction temperature to one within the range of about 150.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. to produce a vinyl aromatic/allylic alcohol copolymer having a number average molecular weight within the range of about 500 to about 10,000 and a hydroxyl number within the range of about 50 mg KOH/g to about 280 mg KOH/g;
- wherein the mole ratio of vinyl aromatic monomer to allylic alcohol used in the process is within the range of about 0.1 to about 5, and the yield of the copolymer is enhanced as a result of the increase in temperature in steps (c) and (d).
A process for making an allylic/acrylic copolymer, said process comprising:
- a) charging a reactor with an allyl monomer and optionally, portions of the total amount to be used of a free-radical initiator and an acrylic monomer selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylic acids, (meth)acrylate esters, and hydroxyalkyl(meth)acrylate esters;
- b) heating the reaction mixture at a temperature within the range of about 80.degree. C. to about 145.degree. C.;
- c) gradually adding to the reaction mixture the remaining acrylic monomer and free-radical initiator;
- and
- d) during step (c), increasing the reaction temperature to one within the range of about 150.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. to produce an allylic/acrylic copolymer having a number average molecular weight within the range of about 500 to about 10,000;
- wherein the mole ratio of acrylic monomer to allyl monomer used in the process is within the range of about 0.1 to about 10;
- and the yield of the copolymer is enhanced as a result of the increase in temperature in steps (c) and (d).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.