# US 8,541,511 B2 · Amphiphilic block copolymer formulations

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- Number: US 8,541,511 B2
- Document ID: US8541511B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/001,903
- Filed: 2009-06-15
- Published: 2011-05-12
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2008-07-07
- Assignees: Arkema Inc.
- Applicants: Scott C. Schmidt; Noah E. Macy; Jean-Pierre Disson
- Inventors: Scott C. Schmidt; Noah E. Macy; Jean-Pierre Disson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541511B2

## CPC

- C08F 220/12: of monohydric alcohols or phenols
- C08F 8/44: Preparation of metal salts or ammonium salts
- C08F 220/06: Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof
- C08F 293/005: {using free radical "living" or "controlled" polymerisation, e.g. using a complexing agent}
- C08F 220/14: Methyl esters {, e.g. methyl (meth)acrylate}
- C08F 220/1804: {C4-(meth)acrylate, e.g. butyl (meth)acrylate, isobutyl (meth)acrylate or tert-butyl (meth)acrylate}
- C08F 2438/02: Stable Free Radical Polymerisation [SFRP]; Nitroxide Mediated Polymerisation [NMP] for, e.g. using 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl [TEMPO]
- C08F 2800/20: as weight or mass percentages
- C08F 2810/50: wherein the polymer is a copolymer and the modification is taking place only on one or more of the monomers present in minority
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS

## Abstract

The invention relates to an amphiphilic block copolymer having an increased speed of water adsorption. The non-water soluble copolymer, having a hydrophilic middle block and hydrophobic endblocks, has a high rate water transmission and/or permeation. The increase in rate is due to neutralization, or partial neutralization of the hydrophilic block of the copolymer. Furthermore, the absorption rate can be controlled by the extent of the neutralization. Another aspect of the invention is the use of co-monomers and/or additives to further increase or tailor the water absorption properties. The use of additives and comonomers is also shown to enhance the processability of the disclosed polymer composition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for forming a partially neutralized amphiphilic multiblock copolymer thermoplastic elastomer composition having an increased rate of water adsorption over a non-neutralized copolymer comprising the steps of:
a) forming an amphiphilic multiblock copolymer comprising at least one hydrophilic middle block; and at least one hydrophobic block on each end of the copolymer;
b) admixing 5 to 50 weight percent of a diluent, based on the copolymer composition, prior to the addition of all of the base in step c), wherein said dilutent is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol derivatives, methoxy polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, and
c) partially neutralizing said amphiphilic copolymer during or after the addition of the dilutent by the addition of a base wherein the hydrophilic block contains a neutralizable monomer that is neutralized at greater than 10% and less than 80%.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said amphiphilic copolymer is formed using a controlled radical polymerization process.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of removing said diluent from said copolymer during or after the processing step.