Suspension polymerization process

• US 20070149652A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Lobo, Lloyd, Barbata, Tina, Yoon, Hichang
• Application Number:
  US11/319,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149652A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 523/333
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/20 with the aid of macromolecular dispersing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 212/08 Styrene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 212/12 Monomers containing a branched unsaturated aliphatic radical or a ring substituted by an alkyl radical
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 212/30 Sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/06 Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 257/02 on to polymers of styrene or alkyl-substituted styrenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 265/04 on to polymers of esters
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 279/02 on to polymers of conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/003 grafted on to macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds C08L51/04, C08L51/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0804 whereby the components are brought together in a liquid dispersing medium
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08704 Polyalkenes
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08708 Copolymers of styrene
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08711 with esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08733 Polymers of unsaturated polycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08737 Polymers derived from conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08755 Polyesters

Abstract

The present invention is a method of making polymeric particles having a predetermined and controlled size and size distribution. The method includes dissolving a polymer in a solvent to form a solution wherein the solvent is substantially immiscible with water. A suspension of small droplets of the solution is formed in water containing a water soluble promoter and a stabilizer comprising a surfactant free copolymer by high shear agitation. The stabilizer includes (i) about 55 to about 95 percent by weight, based on total monomer weight, of an addition polymerizable p-tert-butyl styrene and/or (ii) about 5 to about 45 percent by weight, based on total monomer weight, of an addition polymerizable ionic monomer. The solvent is removed from the droplets and the solidified polymer particles are separated from the water. The present invention as provides polymer particles having a core of polymer coated with a layer of smaller particles of a copolymer of the stabilizer described in the method.

Claims

1. A method of making polymeric particles having a predetermined and controlled size and size distribution which comprises:

preparing an organic phase by dissolving a polymer in a solvent to form a solution, said solvent being substantially immiscible with water;

forming a suspension of small droplets of said organic phase in water containing, optionally, a water soluble promoter and a stabilizer comprising a surfactant free copolymer of (i) about 55 to about 95 percent by weight, based on total monomer weight, of an addition polymerizable p-tert-butyl styrene and (ii) about 5 to about 45 percent by weight, based on total monomer weight, of an addition polymerizable ionic monomer, by high shear agitation; and

removing the solvent from the droplets and separating the resulting polymer particles from the water.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the promoter is poly(adipic acid-co-methylaminoethanol).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic phase contains coloring agents.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic phase contains magnetic particles.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic phase contains charge control agents.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic phase contains finely dispersed wax particles

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises vinyl polymers copolymers of styrene monomers and polyesters.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises a copolymer of (a) at least one vinyl aromatic monomer;

(b) at least one second monomer selected from the group consisting of conjugated diene monomers and acrylate monomers selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylate monomers and alkyl methacrylate monomers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises a copolymer of a vinyl aromatic monomer;

a second monomer selected from the group consisting of conjugated diene monomers or acrylate monomers selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylate monomers and alkyl methacrylate monomers; and

an acid form of an amino acid soap which is the salt of an alkyl sarcosine having an alkyl group which contains from about 10 to about 20 carbon atoms.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises chloromethane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, vinyl chloride, MEK, trichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, ethylene chloride, trichloroethane, toluene, xylene, cyclohexanone, and 2-nitropropane.

11. Polymer particles having a core of polymer coated with a layer of a copolymer consisting essentially of:

(i) about 55 to about 95 percent by weight, based on total monomer weight, of an addition polymerizable p-tert-butyl styrene, and

(ii) about 5 to about 45 percent by weight, based on total monomer weight, of an addition polymerizable ionic monomer.