US3867319A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process of making a foamed ionic polymer
Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Co
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Filing: 1973-03-29
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Granted: 1975-02-18
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Expires: 1993-03-29
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a process for preparing novel foamed polymeric products which comprises foaming an ionic polymer in the presence of a volatile polar compound which acts as a plasticizer for the ionic groups present in said ionic polymer. Preferably the ionic polymer comprises from about 0.2 to 20 mole percent ionic groups, especially sulfonate groups. In the most preferred embodiment of the instant invention, a sulfonated polystyrene polymer, admixed with a foaming agent, and a volatile polar compound, e.g., methanol, is heated to a temperature at which foaming occurs. Upon cooling, a high strength, low density foam is formed which can be reprocessed by admixing with a low boiling solvent for polystyrene and methanol, and repeating the above foaming process.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert D Lundberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 12:44
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J9/00; C08J9/04; C08J11/00; C08J11/04; C08J11/06; C08J11/08; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/62; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/05; Y10S264/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A PROCESS FOR MAKING A FOAMED POLYMERIC PRODUCT WHICH COMPRISES FOAMING A MIXTURE COMPRISING AN IONIC POLYMER, SAID IONIC THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER COMPRISING FROM ABOUT 0.2 TO 20 MOLE PERCENT PENDANT ACID GROUPS, SAID PENDANT ACID GROUPS BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBOXYLIC, SULFONIC, AND PHOSPHONIC GROUPS, AND SAID ACID GROUPS BEING NEUTRALIZED TO A DEGREE OF AT LEAST 90 PERCENT, TO FORM AN IONIC POLYMER AND A VOLATILE POLAR COMPOUND WHICH IS A PREFERENTIAL PLASTICIZER FOR SAID IONIC POLYMER SAID VOLATILE POLAR COMPOUND BEING PRESENT IN SAID MIXTURE AT FROM ABOUT 0.1 TO 50 MOLES PER MOLE OF IONIC GROUPS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A PROCESS FOR MAKING A FOAMED POLYMERIC PRODUCT WHICH COMPRISES FOAMING A MIXTURE COMPRISING AN IONIC POLYMER, SAID IONIC THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER COMPRISING FROM ABOUT 0.2 TO 20 MOLE PERCENT PENDANT ACID GROUPS, SAID PENDANT ACID GROUPS BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBOXYLIC, SULFONIC, AND PHOSPHONIC GROUPS, AND SAID ACID GROUPS BEING NEUTRALIZED TO A DEGREE OF AT LEAST 90 PERCENT, TO FORM AN IONIC POLYMER AND A VOLATILE POLAR COMPOUND WHICH IS A PREFERENTIAL PLASTICIZER FOR SAID IONIC POLYMER SAID VOLATILE POLAR COMPOUND BEING PRESENT IN SAID MIXTURE AT FROM ABOUT 0.1 TO 50 MOLES PER MOLE OF IONIC GROUPS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
153 words
A process for making a foamed polymeric product, which comprises mixing an ionic thermoplastic polymer, said ionic polymer comprising from about 0.2 to 20 mole percent pendant acid groups, said pendant acid groups being selected from the group consisting of carboxylic, sulfonic, and phosphonic groups, and said acid groups being neutralized to a degree of at least 90 percent to form an ionic polymer, a foaming agent, and a volatile polar compound, said volatile polar compound being in an amount of from about 0.1 to moment of at least 50 moles per mole of ionic groups, and said volatile polar compound having a dipole moment of at least 0.9 debyes and a boiling point of less than 200*C, and being characterized as being a preferential plasticizer for said pendant ionic groups, heating to a temperature sufficient to convert said foaming agent to a gaseous form and cooling to recover the foamed polymeric product.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
153 words
A process for making a foamed polymeric product, which comprises mixing an ionic thermoplastic polymer, said ionic polymer comprising from about 0.2 to 20 mole percent pendant acid groups, said pendant acid groups being selected from the group consisting of carboxylic, sulfonic, and phosphonic groups, and said acid groups being neutralized to a degree of at least 90 percent to form an ionic polymer, a foaming agent, and a volatile polar compound, said volatile polar compound being in an amount of from about 0.1 to moment of at least 50 moles per mole of ionic groups, and said volatile polar compound having a dipole moment of at least 0.9 debyes and a boiling point of less than 200*C, and being characterized as being a preferential plasticizer for said pendant ionic groups, heating to a temperature sufficient to convert said foaming agent to a gaseous form and cooling to recover the foamed polymeric product.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
the process of claim 2 wherein said pendant ionic thermoplastic groups are selected from the group consisting of sulfonate and carboxylate groups.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said ionic groups are neutralized by compounds selected from the group consisting of (1) ammonia, (2) C1 to C30 amines, (3) basic compounds selected from Groups I and II of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and (4) basic compounds selected from the group consisting of lead, tin and antimony, and (5) mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said polar compound boils from about 100*C. below to about 50*C. higher than the temperature at which the foaming process takes place.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said polar compound boils from about 50*C. below to about 25*C. higher than the temperature at which the foaming process takes place.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the molar ratio of volatile polar compound to the pendant ionic groups is from about 0.1 to about 50.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said ionic polymer comprises from about 20 to 99 wt. percent of said mixture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 8 wherein said foaming agent comprises from about 1 to 300 wt. percent of said ionic polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the molar ratio of said volatile polar compound to said pendant ionic groups is from about 0.2 to about 20.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said pendant ionic groups are sulfonate groups.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said ionic polymer is a sulfonated plastic.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said ionic polymer is a sulfonated elastomer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said ionic polymer is a sulfonated polystyrene.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said ionic polymer is a sulfonated copolymer selected from the group consisting of isobutylene/isoprene copolymers, ethylene/propylene/5-ethylidene-2-norbornene terpolymers and butadiene polymers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said foaming agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, azobisformamide, azobisisobutyronitrile, diazoaminobenzene, toluene-4-sulfonyl hydrazide, N,N''-dinitrosopentamethylene-tetramine, pentane, hexane, heptane, benzene, toluene, methylene chloride, trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, dichlorodifluoromethane, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said volatile polar compound is selected from the group consisting of C1 to C20 alcohols, C1 to C20 amines, C1 to C20 thiols, water and ammonia.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 4 wherein said neutralizing agent is selected from the group consisting of the hydroxides, oxides, carboxylates and C1 to C20 alkoxides of barium, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said neutralizing agent is NaOH.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 19 wherein said volatile polar compound is methanol and said foaming agent is selected from the group consisting of benzene and toluene.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 20 wherein said mixture comprises a nucleating agent.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for making a foamed polymeric product which comprises heating a mixture containing an ionic polymer, said ionic polymer comprising from about 0.2 to about 20 mole percent pendant ionic groups, a non-volatile liquid chain plasticizer, a foaming agent, and a volatile polar compound to a temperature at which foaming occurs, said polar compound being characterized as a plasticizer for said pendant ionic groups, which boils at a temperature which is within 50*C. of said foaming temperature.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for making a foamed polymeric product which comprises heating a mixture containing an ionic polymer, said ionic polymer comprising from about 0.2 to about 20 mole percent pendant ionic groups, a non-volatile liquid chain plasticizer, a foaming agent, and a volatile polar compound to a temperature at which foaming occurs, said polar compound being characterized as a plasticizer for said pendant ionic groups, which boils at a temperature which is within 50*C. of said foaming temperature.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process of claim 22 wherein said ionic polymer is a sulfonated polystyrene, and said chain plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of di-n-hexyl adipate, dicapryl adipate, di-(2-ethyl hexyl) adipate, dibutoxy-ethyl adipate, benzyloctyl adipate, tricyclohexyl citrate, butyl phthalyl butyl glycolate, butyl laurate, n-propyl oleate, n-butyl palmitate, dibutyl phthalate, dihexylphthalate, dioctylphthalate, tributyl phosphate, dioctyl sebacate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 23 wherein said chain plasticizer is dioctyl phthalate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 24 wherein said volatile polymer compound is methanol, said foaming agent is selected from the group consisting of benzene and toluene.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 22 wherein said ionic polymer is a sulfonated copolymer of t-butyl styrene and isoprene and said chain plasticizer is a hydrocarbon oil.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 26 wherein said neutralizing agent is NaOH.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 27 wherein said volatile polar compound and said foaming agent is isopropanol.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |