Amine resin and process

Claim 2

Granules consisting essentially of hard, insoluble amine resin selected from the group consisting of urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde resins, said granules having a retiporous structure in that there is spread throughout the granules a net-like web of non-cellular pores or ducts defined by the polymer comprising the granules and further characterized in that the pore volume is from 10-60% of the total granule volume and the pores have an average diameter of about 0.2-0.5 micron, said granules being essentially spheroidal in shape and having an essentially pore-free surface, said granules having a lattice-like structure being built-up by the fusion at random points of contact of neighboring particles.

Claim 3

Granules as set forth in claim 1 in which said neighboring particles are spheres.

Claim 4

Polymer containing dispersed therein up to 75% by volume of retiporous amine resin granules according to claim 1.

Claim 5

Paper containing dispersed therein up to 75% by volume of retiporous amine resin granules according to claim 1.

Claim 6

Paint compositions comprising as flatting or texturing agents retiporous amine resin granules according to claim 1.

Claim 7

Paint compositions according to claim 5 in which the paints are matt paints, the retiporous amine resin granules are essentially of from 1 to 50 micron diameter and with a volume average diameter of from 5 to 35 micron.

Claim 8

Retiporous amine resin granules according to claim 1 in which pigment is incorporated therein.

Claim 9

A process of preparing granules of hard, insoluble amine resin selected from the group consisting of urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde resins, said granules having a retiporous structure in that there is spread throughout the granules a net-like web of non-cellular pores or ducts defined by the polymer comprising the granules, the pores having an average diameter of about 0.2-0.5 micron, wherein an aqueous syrup consisting essentially of water and a urea-formaldehyde or melamine-formaldehyde condensate which is convertible on further condensation to said hard insoluble amine resin, said syrup comprising 20-55% by weight of water, is dispersed as discrete particles in a non-aqueous liquid in which said condensate is insoluble and which is chemically inert to said convertible condensate and then condensing the said hard condensate through a cross-linking gelling reaction to hard polymer.

Claim 10

A process of preparing granules of hard, insoluble amine resin selected from the group consisting of urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde resins, said granules having a retiporous structure in that there is spread throughout the granules a net-like web of non-cellular pores or ducts defined by the polymer comprising the granules, the pores having an average diameter of about 0.2-0.5 micron, wherein an aqueous syrup consisting essentially of water and a urea-formaldehyde or melamine-formaldehyde condensate which is convertible on further condensation to said hard insoluble amine resin, said syrup comprising 20-55% by weight of water, is dispersed as discrete particles in a non-aqueous liquid in which said condensate is insoluble and which is chemically inert to said convertible condensate and then condensing the said hard condensate through a cross-linking gelling reaction to hard polymer.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 8 in which condensation of the aqueous syrup to the gel stage takes place in 10 minutes maximum.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 8 in which the condensation takes place in 5 minutes maximum.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 8 in which there is added to the aqueous syrup a minor amount of a poly(vinyl alcohol) soluble therein.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 8 in which the concentration in the aqueous syrup of liquid which is essentially water is 20-55% by weight.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 8 in which a polymer is dissolved in the non-aqueous liquid continuous phase.

Claim 16

A process according to claim 8 in which the dispersion of discrete particles of aqueous syrup in a non-aqueous liquid comprises up to 4% by weight of a water-in-oil type surface-active agent.