Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for the preparation of a spongy hydrophilic acrylonitrile-containing polymer comprising the steps of forming a solution of a polymer containing acrylonitrile in nitric acid having between 47 to 75% concentration with said polymer solution, admixing with said solution 10 to 90% by weight of a thickening agent comprising solid particles of a substance which is (a) insoluble in said acid solution, (b) soluble in water, and (c) being operative in aqueous solutions or its nitrate respectively to precipitate said polymer from said nitric acid, shaping the mixture of said polymer solution and solid particles to a desired physical shape, subsequently coagulating said shaped polymer in an aqueous medium, and thereafter washing said solid particles out of the coagulated polymer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for the preparation of a spongy hydrophilic acrylonitrile-containing polymer comprising the steps of forming a solution of a polymer containing acrylonitrile in nitric acid having between 47 to 75% concentration with said polymer solution, admixing with said solution 10 to 90% by weight of a thickening agent comprising solid particles of a substance which is (a) insoluble in said acid solution, (b) soluble in water, and (c) being operative in aqueous solutions or its nitrate respectively to precipitate said polymer from said nitric acid, shaping the mixture of said polymer solution and solid particles to a desired physical shape, subsequently coagulating said shaped polymer in an aqueous medium, and thereafter washing said solid particles out of the coagulated polymer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said polymer is a partly hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said polymer is a copolymer of acrylonitrile and at least one member selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, acrylic and methacrylic acid, vinyl carbazole, alkali metal ethylene sulfonate, methacrylamide, and methacrylonitrile.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the ratio of acrylonitrile to said group member is 20 - 80 : 80 - 20.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid particles are selected from the group consisting of sodium nitrate, sodium sulfate, urea, urea mononitrate, guanidine nitrate, guanidine acetate, thiourea, melamine and mono- and di-sodium hydrogen phosphate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid particles are included in amounts of about 20 to 60% by weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said substance is a weakly basic nitrogen-containing compound.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 1 carried out at temperatures of about ambient to below about 75° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said acrylonitrile-containing polymer is polymerized in situ in said nitric acid which is thereafter employed in producing said spongy polymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said polymer is polymerized in situ in said nitric acid and thereafter left therein at a temperature below about 18° C. in order to effect the partial hydrolysis thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the said polymer is prepared by polymerizing acrylonitrile in about 50% to about 72% nitric acid, whereupon the polymer is kept at a temperature below about 50° C. until a desired amount of the nitrile groups thereof are hydrolyzed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid particles are crystals or grains of urea mononitrate or guanidine nitrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid particles principally have a size of about 200 to about 500 microns.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid particles are crystals or grains of urea.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said polymer is un-crosslinked.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid particles are selected from the group consisting of pyridine, aniline, nitroaniline and their salts.