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US3985830A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Star polymers and process for the preparation thereof

Assignee: University of Akron
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Filing: 1974-07-15
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Granted: 1976-10-12
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Expires: 1994-07-15
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed is a series of star polymer products having at least three polymeric arms which radiate from a nucleus having at least two molecules of a linking compound. The polymeric arms may be copolymers of conjugated dienes and monovinyl aromatic compounds and/or homopolymers of either monomer. A novel process for the preparation of the polymer products includes the steps of forming the polymer arms with an organometallic initiator to form polymers terminated by an active chain end and thereafter forming a nucleus with the simultaneous linking of the active chain ends thereto. The nucleus is formed from at least two molecules of a linking compound each having at least two functional groups.

Inventors

  • 👤 Lewis J. Fetters
  • 👤 Le-Khac Bi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 05:40
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08G; C08G81/00; C08G81/02; C08G81/021; C08G81/022; C08C; C08C19/00; C08C19/30; C08C19/42; C08C19/44

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 61 words
A polymer product comprising: a nucleus having more than one molecule of m-divinyl-benzene; and, at least three polymeric arms linked to said nucleus, wherein said polymeric arms are selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of conjugated diene monomers and block copolymers of conjugated diene and monovinyl aromatic monomers wherein said conjugated diene block is linked to said nucleus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 61 words
A polymer product comprising: a nucleus having more than one molecule of m-divinyl-benzene; and, at least three polymeric arms linked to said nucleus, wherein said polymeric arms are selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of conjugated diene monomers and block copolymers of conjugated diene and monovinyl aromatic monomers wherein said conjugated diene block is linked to said nucleus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 47 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conjugated diene is selected from the group consisting of butadiene and isoprene and said monovinyl aromatic compound is selected from the group consisting of styrene and alkylated styrenes having from 8 to about 20 carbon atoms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conjugated diene has a molecular weight ranging from 5,000 to about 200,000 and said monovinyl aromatic compound has a molecular weight ranging from 10,000 to about 100,000.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ratio of said molecules to said polymeric arms is at least 2.4:1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 2, having from 3 to about 16 polymeric arms per molecule wherein said conjugated diene is isoprene and said monovinyl aromatic compound is styrene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 2, having from 4 to about 12 polymeric arms per molecule wherein said arms are polybutadiene.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 88 words
A polymer product having at least two star polymers joined together wherein each said star polymer comprises: a nucleus having more than one molecule of a linking compound; and, at least three polymeric arms linked to said nucleus, wherein said polymeric arms are selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of conjugated diene monomers, monovinyl aromatic monomers and combinations thereof; and, wherein said star polymers are joined at said nuclei by a linking agent selected from the group consisting of phosgene, silicon tetrachloride and dihalo silanes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 88 words
A polymer product having at least two star polymers joined together wherein each said star polymer comprises: a nucleus having more than one molecule of a linking compound; and, at least three polymeric arms linked to said nucleus, wherein said polymeric arms are selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of conjugated diene monomers, monovinyl aromatic monomers and combinations thereof; and, wherein said star polymers are joined at said nuclei by a linking agent selected from the group consisting of phosgene, silicon tetrachloride and dihalo silanes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 44 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said linking compound is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl aromatic compounds, aliphatic and aromatic diisocyanates and polyisocyanates, and aliphatic and aromatic diepoxides, diketones and dialdehydes having up to about 12 carbon atoms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 47 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conjugated diene is selected from the group consisting of butadiene and isoprene and said monovinyl aromatic compound is selected from the group consisting of styrene and alkylated styrenes having from 8 to about 20 carbon atoms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 38 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conjugated diene has a molecular weight ranging from 5,000 to about 200,000 and said monovinyl aromatic compound has a molecular weight ranging from 10,000 to about 100,000.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 142 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product having at least two star polymers joined together wherein each said star comprises a nucleus and at least three polymeric arms extending from said nucleus, comprising the steps of: preparing said polymeric arms from monomers selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes and monovinyl aromatic compounds with an organometallic initiator so as to form polymers terminated by an active chain end; forming said nucleus while simultaneously linking said active chain ends thereto by adding to said polymeric arms an organic linking compound having at least two functional groups wherein the ratio of said linking compound to said active chain ends is at least 2.4:1; and, joining at least two of said star polymers at said nuclei by a linking agent selected from the group consisting of phosgene, silicon tetrachloride and dihalo silanes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 142 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product having at least two star polymers joined together wherein each said star comprises a nucleus and at least three polymeric arms extending from said nucleus, comprising the steps of: preparing said polymeric arms from monomers selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes and monovinyl aromatic compounds with an organometallic initiator so as to form polymers terminated by an active chain end; forming said nucleus while simultaneously linking said active chain ends thereto by adding to said polymeric arms an organic linking compound having at least two functional groups wherein the ratio of said linking compound to said active chain ends is at least 2.4:1; and, joining at least two of said star polymers at said nuclei by a linking agent selected from the group consisting of phosgene, silicon tetrachloride and dihalo silanes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 53 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said conjugated diene is selected from the group consisting of butadiene and isoprene and said monovinyl aromatic compound is selected from the group consisting of styrene and alkylated styrenes having from 8 to about 20 carbon atoms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 44 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said conjugated diene has a molecular weight ranging from 5,000 to about 200,000 and said monovinyl aromatic compound has a molecular weight ranging from 10,000 to about 100,000.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 34 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said polymeric arms comprise: block copolymers of styrene and isoprene wherein said isoprene is linked to said nucleus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 50 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said linking compound is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl aromatic compounds, aliphatic and aromatic diisocyanates and polyisocyanates, and aliphatic and aromatic diepoxides, diketones and dialdehydes having up to about 12 carbon atoms.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 85 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product, as set forth in claim 11, wherein formation of said polymeric arms is conducted in a suitable solvent at a temperature of from 20° to about 50°C. for a period of time of 1 to about 12 hours and, formation of said nucleus is conducted at a temperature of from 20°C. to about 50°C. for a period of time of 1 to about 8 hours with constant mixing of said linking compound and said polymeric arms.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 52 words
A process for the preparation of a polymer product, as set forth in claim 11, including the further step of: adding an additional amount of said monomer subsequent to formation of said nucleus whereby said nucleus serves as an initiator for said monomer to form additional polymeric arms in the polymer product.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 19 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 1, having from 5 to about 16 polymeric arms per molecule.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 47 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said conjugated diene is selected from the group consisting of butadiene and isoprene and said monovinyl aromatic compound is selected from the group consisting of styrene and alkylated styrenes having from 8 to about 20 carbon atoms.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 38 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said conjugated diene has a molecular weight ranging from 5,000 to about 200,000 and said monovinyl aromatic compound has a molecular weight ranging from 5000 to about 100,000.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 23 words
A polymer product, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the ratio of said molecules to said polymeric arms is at least 3:1.

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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) 1979-10-12 1980-04-12 1980-10-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-10-12 1984-04-12 1984-10-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-10-12 1988-04-12 1988-10-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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