Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – Mixing of two or more solid polymers; mixing of solid...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-01
2004-02-24
Nutter, Nathan M. (Department: 1711)
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
Mixing of two or more solid polymers; mixing of solid...
C525S205000, C525S206000, C525S207000, C525S217000, C525S221000, C525S222000, C525S232000, C525S238000, C525S239000, C525S240000, C525S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06696525
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymer composition, and more particularly to a method for producing a polymer composition by the polymerization of an anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer in the presence of a highly syndiotactic styrenic polymer (hereinafter may be referred to as “SPS”).
BACKGROUND ART
Many of amorphous polymers produced by radical polymerization of an anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer are generally poor in the solvent resistance as compared with crystalline polymers. For example, atactic styrenic polymers such as general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS), and homopolymers of methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, etc. are poor in the solvent resistance, thereby limiting their use.
By copolymerizing styrene with a polar monomer such as acrylonitrile, acrylate, maleic anhydride or maleimide, the solvent resistance of styrenic polymers can be improved to some extent, but still insufficient for practical use.
It has been also attempted to copolymerize methyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, etc. with vinyl acetate, butyl vinyl sulfone, etc. to improve the solvent resistance. However, the polymerization efficiency is poor and the improvement in the solvent resistance is still insufficient.
Since SPS is crystalline and possesses characteristics of atactic styrenic polymer simultaneously with heat resistance and solvent resistance, its use for electronic parts, electric parts, films, etc. has been developed. In addition, it has been attempted to produce a resin composition endowed with the characteristics of SPS by blending SPS with an atactic styrenic polymer or another thermoplastic resin. However, a composition blended with SPS is difficult to be produced efficiently because a blending step and a granulating step are required. In addition, the addition of a compatibilizer is needed to meet the various end uses. Further, it has been demanded to provide a composition blended with SPS in which SPS exhibits its improving effect larger than that obtained in the conventional composition prepared by physically blending SPS.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In view of the above state of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a composition of a polymer of an anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer, the composition being improved in its solvent resistance without using a particular compatibilizer and having a good moldability and a high impact strength.
As a result of extensive study for achieving the above object, the inventor has found that the objective composition of a polymer of the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer having a solvent resistance higher than that attained by a mere physical blend of a polymer of the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer with SPS pellet is obtained by dispersing, swelling or dissolving SPS into the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer and then polymerizing the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer, or alternatively, by dispersing, swelling or dissolving SPS into the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer when dissolving a rubber-like polymer therein and then polymerizing the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this finding.
Thus, the present invention provides a method for producing a polymer composition, which comprises a step of polymerizing an anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer in the presence of a highly syndiotactic styrenic polymer.
The present invention further provides a method for producing a polymer composition, which comprises a step of polymerizing an anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer in the presence of, if desired, a highly syndiotactic styrenic polymer and a rubber-like polymer.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In the present invention, by “polymer composition” is meant a composition comprising a polymer of the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer (hereinafter may be referred to as “starting monomer”), SPS, and optionally a rubber-like polymer; a composition comprising a copolymer of the starting monomer with SPS and optionally the rubber-like polymer; a composition comprising the copolymer, SPS and optionally the rubber-like polymer; a composition comprising the copolymer and the polymer of the starting monomer; and a composition comprising the copolymer, SPS, the starting monomer and optionally the rubber-like polymer. With these polymer compositions, an improving effect due to SPS which is higher than that obtained by a mere physical blend of SPS is attained.
The starting monomer (anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer) usable in the present invention is an aromatic vinyl monomer, methacrylic acid, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, etc. The aromatic vinyl monomer is represented by the following formula 1:
wherein R is halogen atom or a substituent group containing at least one atom selected from the group consisting of carbon atom, oxygen atom, nitrogen atom, sulfur atom, phosphorus atom, selenium atom, tin atom, and silicon atom, m is an integer of 0 to 3, and each of R groups may be the same or different when m is 2 or 3. Examples of preferred aromatic vinyl compound include styrene, alkyl styrene such as &agr;-methylstyrene, methylstyrene, ethylstyrene, isopropylstyrene, and tert-butylstyrene, phenylstyrene, divinylbenzene, vinylethylbenzene, vinylxylene, vinylnaphthalene, chlorostyrene, bromostyrene, fluorostyrene, chloromethylstyrene, methoxystyrene, ethoxystyrene, and tert-butoxystyrene.
In addition to the anionically or cationically polymerizable monomer, another vinyl monomer copolymerizable with these starting monomer may be used. Examples of such another vinyl monomer include a vinyl cyanide compound such as acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile; an acrylic ester such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, amyl acrylate, hexyl acrylate, octyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, dodecyl acrylate, octadecyl acrylate, phenyl acrylate, and benzyl acrylate; maleic acid and its derivative such as maleic anhydride, maleic ester, and maleic salt; fumaric acid and its derivative such as fumaric ester and fumaric salt; itaconic acid and its derivative such as itaconic anhydride, itaconic ester and itaconic salt; acrylic acid and its derivative such as acrylic amide and acrylic salt; a methacrylic ester such as methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, amyl methacrylate, hexyl methacrylate, octyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, dodecyl methacrylate, octadecyl methacrylate, phenyl methacrylate, and benzyl methacrylate; maleimide and a N-substituted maleimide such as N-methylmaleimide, N-ethylmaleimide, N-butylmaleimide, N-laurylmaleimide, N-cyclohexylmaleimide, N-phenylmaleimide, and N-(p-bromophenyl)maleimide; and a halogenated vinyl monomer.
The rubber-like polymer usable in the present invention may include natural rubber, polyisoprene, polyisobutylene, neoprene, polysulfide rubber, thiol rubber, acrylic rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SBR), hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SEB, SEBC), styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS), hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS), styrene-isoprene block copolymer (SIR), hydrogenated styrene-isoprene block copolymer (SEP), styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer (SIS), hydrogenated styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer (SEPS), ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), and a core-shell type granular elastomer such as butadiene-acrylonitrile-styrene core-shell rubber (ABS), methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene core-shell rubber (MBS), methyl methacrylate-butyl acrylate-styrene core-shell rubber (MAS), octyl acrylate-butadiene-styrene core-shell rubber (MABS), alkyl acrylate-butadiene-acrylonitrile-styrene cor
Idemitsu Petrochemical Co. Ltd.
Nutter Nathan M.
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