Nanoparticle/Vinyl Polymer Composites

• US 20080153975A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lubrizol Advanced Materials Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lubrizol Advanced Materials Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lubnin, Alexander V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,722,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 524/585
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/18 Suspension polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/44 Polymerisation in the presence of compounding ingredients, e.g. plasticisers, dyestuffs, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/205 in the presence of a continuous liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/2053 the additives only being premixed with a liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/212 and solid additives

Abstract

Vinyl polymers formed by bulk or solution polymerization techniques are combined with nanoparticles to produce aqueous dispersions of nanoparticle/vinyl polymer composites.

Claims

1. An aqueous dispersion of nanoparticle/vinyl polymer composite particles, wherein the vinyl polymer is formed by bulk or solution polymerization.

2. The dispersion of claim 1, wherein said vinyl polymer contains a water-dispersability enhancing compound.

3. The dispersion of claim 2, wherein the dispersion is substantially free of surfactant.

4. The dispersion of claim 2, wherein the water dispersability-enhancing compound includes a carboxylic acid groups or an alkali metal, amine or ammonium or phosphonium salts thereof.

5. The dispersion of claim 2, wherein the water dispersability-enhancing compound includes alkylene oxide groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

6. The dispersion of claim 1, wherein the dispersion is essentially free of dispersed nanoparticles uncombined with polymer.

7. The dispersion of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles are made by the sol-gel process.

8. The dispersion of claim 1, wherein the reaction mass in which the vinyl polymer is formed is added to a previously-formed aqueous dispersion of nanoparticles.

23. The dispersion of claim 1, further comprising one or more other polymers added as dispersions or solutions in water wherein said one or more other polymers do not contain therein nanoparticles.

9. A process for making an aqueous dispersion of nanoparticle/vinyl polymer composites comprising:

(a) initiating polymerization of the monomers forming the vinyl polymer by bulk or solution polymerization, and

(b) adding the nanoparticles to the reaction mass in which the vinyl polymer is formed.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the nanoparticles are added to the reaction mass in which the vinyl polymer is formed prior to dispersing the reaction mass in water.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the mixture of nanoparticles and vinyl polymer is made by adding the nanoparticles to an ingredient that subsequently polymerizes to form the vinyl polymer.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein the mixture of nanoparticles and polymer is made by adding the nanoparticles to a reaction mass, that is polymerized into the vinyl polymer contemporaneously with addition of said nanoparticles.

13. The process of claim 10, wherein the mixture of nanoparticles and polymer is made by adding the nanoparticles to the vinyl polymer after the vinyl polymer is made.

14. The process of claim 10, wherein the mixture is dispersed in aqueous medium before polymerization of the monomers forming the polymer is completed, the process further comprising completing polymerization in the aqueous medium.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein additional ethylenically unsaturated monomers are added to the dispersion.

16. The process of claim 10, wherein the polymer contains sufficient water dispersability-enhancing compound so that the polymer will form a stable dispersion in water in the substantial absence of surfactant.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the water dispersability-enhancing compound includes a carboxylic acid groups or an alkali metal, amine or ammonium salt thereof.

18. The process of claim 16, wherein the water dispersability-enhancing compound includes alkylene oxide groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

19. The process of claim 9, wherein the reaction mass in which the vinyl polymer is formed is added to a previously-formed aqueous dispersion of nanoparticles.

20. The process of claim 9, wherein said nanoparticles have a mean particle size by light scatter intensity measurements of less than 250 nm.

21. The process of claim 9, wherein said nanoparticles comprise silica, alumina, ceria, zinc oxide, clay, or mixtures thereof.

22. The process of claim 9, wherein said nanoparticles are present from about 0.05 to about 30 weight percent based on the combined weight of said nanoparticles and said polymer.

24. The process of claim 9, further comprising a step of dispersing said vinyl polymer and nanoparticles in water and thereafter polymerizing one or more additional monomers onto the dispersion of polymer and water.