Process for the production of silicic epoxy polymers

Claim 2

The process for the production of silicic epoxy polymers by the following steps: (a) admixing 2 parts by weight of a silicoformic acid and hydrated silica mixture with 2 to 3 parts by weight of an organic epoxy compound having at least one epoxy group; (b) mixing therewith a catalytic amount of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of Lewis acids, organic amine compounds and polyamine resins; (c) agitating the mixture until the resulting chemical reaction is complete.

Claim 3

The process according to claim 1 wherein said organic epoxy compound is selected from the group consisting of epichlorohydrin, glycidol, methyl epichlorohydrin, 1,2-epoxy-3-phenoxypropane, 3,4-epoxyethyl benzene, 1,8-epoxy-p-menthane, 1,2-epoxybutane, 1,2-epoxycyclohexane, epoxyethane, 1,2-epoxypropane, 1-chloro-2,3 epoxypropane, 1:2,3:4-diepoxybutane, 2:3,6:7-diepoxy-2,6-dimethyl-4-octene, epoxyethylbenzene and mixtures thereof.

Claim 4

The process according to claim 1 wherein said organic epoxy compound comprises epichlorohydrin.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 1 wherein said catalyst is added to the silicoformic acid and hydrated silica mixture prior to the addition of said organic epoxy compound thereto, and said epoxy compound is added in steps of about 10 to 20 weight percent of the total epoxy compound while allowing the reaction following each addition to reach substantial completion before addition of the next step.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 1, including the further step of at least partially reacting said epoxy compound with a dihydroxy organic compound to produce a new epoxy compound prior to mixing of said epoxy compound with said silicoformic acid and hydrated silica mixture.

Claim 7

The process according to claim 1 wherein said catalyst is an organic amine selected from the group consisting of primary aliphatic and aromatic amines.

Claim 8

The process according to claim 1, including the further step of adding an alkali compound selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate with the said organic amine in the proportion of one to two mols to each two mols of the halide present in the epoxy compound.

Claim 9

The process according to claim 1 wherein the mixture is maintained at a temperature between about 50° C and the boiling temperature of said mixture during the reaction period.

Claim 10

The process according to claim 1 wherein said silicoformic acid and hydrated silica mixture is first reacted with the amine catalyst consisting of a polyamine, selected from the group consisting of phenylenediamine, ethylenediamine, tetramethylenediamine, pentamethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, octamethylenediamine, decamethylenediamine, xylylenediamine, piperazine, alkylene polyamines, vinyl amines, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetriamine, tetraethylenepentamine, tetramethylenediamine, and mixtures thereof, by mixing the silicoformic acid and hydrated silica mixture with the amine compound, then heating the mixture to just below the boiling point of the amine compound for 20 to 40 minutes, thereby producing a silicic amine compound.

Claim 11

The process according to claim 1 wherein 2 parts by weight of silicoformic acid and hydrated silica mixture are mixed with about 2 to 3 parts by weight of an organic amine selected from the group consisting of primary aliphatic amines, and aromatic amines, then 2 to 3 parts by weight of epichlorohydrin are added in proportion of about 0.5 parts by weight while agitating until the chemical reaction is substantially complete.

Claim 12

The polymeric product produced by claim 1.

Claim 13

The polymeric product produced by claim 7.

Claim 14

The process according to claim 1 wherein the silicoformic acid and hydrated silica mixture is produced by the following steps: (a) adding dry granular sodium metasilicate to concentrated sulfuric acid while agitating to keep the temperature below 100° C and in the ratio of about 1:1 mols; thereby (b) producing a white granular mixture of silicoformic acid, hydrated silica and sodium sulfate; (c) washing with water and filtering to remove the sodium sulfate; thereby (d) recovering a white granular mixture of silicoformic acid and hydrated silica.

Claim 15

The process according to claim 1 including the further step of adding sodium polysulfide with the organic amine in the ratio of 2 parts by weight to 3 parts by weight of epichlorohydrin.

Claim 16

The polymeric product produced by claim 14.