Microgels and process for their preparation

US6355718B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY · US
• COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION · AU
• University of Melbourne, Australia · AU

Inventors

• Charles T. Berge · Wilmington, US
• Michael Fryd · Morristown, US
• Jeffrey W. Johnson · Rochester Hills, US
• Graeme Moad · Sassafras, AU
• Ezio Rizzardo · Melbourne, AU
• Christopher Scopazzi · Wilmington, US
• San Hoa Thang · Clayton, AU

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 9, 1999
• Grant date: Mar 12, 2002
• Expiry date: Jul 9, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08F293/005
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for preparing microgel(s) that uses a wide range of activatable prepolymers; in the process, a polymer composition of crosslinked component A and soluble components B and C is formed from mono-olefinic and multi-olefinic monomers in the presence of catalyst and initiator; the process comprises: I) introducing mono-olefinic monomer, catalyst, and initiator into a reactor in the absence of multi-olefinic monomer and producing an activatable prepolymer, component B; II) contacting the product of I) with multi-olefinic monomer to produce components A and C, optionally in the presence of additional initiator; also optionally in the presence of additional mono-olefinic monomer and initiator; the ratio of components A/(B+C) can be controlled by varying the mole ratio of Component B/ multi-olefinic monomer from 0.05/1 up to 5/1, by decreasing the mole ratio to increase the ratio of A/(B+C), and increasing the mole ratio to decrease the ratio of A/(B+C).