Inverse emulsion polymerization with sorbitan fatty acid esters and ethoxylated alcohol
First Claim
1. A water-in-oil emulsion polymerization process for making a water-soluble polymer from a monomer system comprising at least one of an N-vinyl lactam and a vinyl-containing sulfonate or the corresponding acid, comprising:
- combining an aqueous component, a hydrocarbon component, said monomer system, an initiator, and a surfactant system, wherein said surfactant system comprises(1) a first surfactant composition consisting essentially of a blend of a sorbitan fatty acid ester and a polyethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, said first surfactant composition having an HLB within the range of about 7 to about 9;
(2) a second surfactant composition consisting essentially of an ethoxylated alcohol of the formula
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">R.sup.2 (OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.4 OHwhere R2 is a straight chain hydrocarbon group having 16 to 18 carbon atoms, said second surfactant composition having an HLB within the range of about 7 to about 9;
agitating the resulting inverse emulsion and maintaining said inverse emulsion under polymerization conditions for a time sufficient to form said polymer.
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Abstract
In an inverse emulsion polymerization system for producing water-soluble polymers from a monomer system comprising an N-vinyl lactam and/or a vinyl-containing sulfonic acid or salt thereof utilizing a surfactant system having (1) a surfactant with a bulky lipophilic portion and an OH-containing hydrophilic portion and (2) a generally straight-chain nonionic surfactant having a lipophilic hydrocarbon group and an OH-terminated hydrophilic group, i.e. an alcohol. Such a system having both the right HLB and the right chemical combination results in a stable emulsion for the polymerization of these particular water-soluble monomers.
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17 Claims
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1. A water-in-oil emulsion polymerization process for making a water-soluble polymer from a monomer system comprising at least one of an N-vinyl lactam and a vinyl-containing sulfonate or the corresponding acid, comprising:
combining an aqueous component, a hydrocarbon component, said monomer system, an initiator, and a surfactant system, wherein said surfactant system comprises (1) a first surfactant composition consisting essentially of a blend of a sorbitan fatty acid ester and a polyethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, said first surfactant composition having an HLB within the range of about 7 to about 9; (2) a second surfactant composition consisting essentially of an ethoxylated alcohol of the formula
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">R.sup.2 (OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.4 OHwhere R2 is a straight chain hydrocarbon group having 16 to 18 carbon atoms, said second surfactant composition having an HLB within the range of about 7 to about 9; agitating the resulting inverse emulsion and maintaining said inverse emulsion under polymerization conditions for a time sufficient to form said polymer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
Specification