Blends of acrylonitrile copolymers with graft copolymers containing rubber and acrylonitrile copolymer

Claim 2

A blend comprising (A) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of up to 95% by weight of a substrate of a diene rubber containing from 40% to 100% molar of units from at least one conjugated 1,3 diene monomer and from 0 to 60% molar of units from at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith using free radical catalysts, and a homogeneous superstrate consisting of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound, the molar ratio of units of acrylonitrile to units of said monovinylidene aromatic compound in the superstrate being between 2 and 9 and 0 to 5% molar of ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, said graft copolymer being the product obtained by forming a mixture of said rubber, a portion of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and at least a portion of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer, polymerizing said mixture and adding quantities of a monomeric feed selected from the group consisting of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and mixtures of said monovinylidene aromatic compound with any of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer not present in said mixture, said monomeric feed being added to said mixture at a rate determined by the rate of polymer formation and such that the relative concentration of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and acrylonitrile in the reaction mixture remains at about the initial level and (B) a resin which comprises a homogeneous copolymer containing units of acrylonitrile and units of monovinylidene aromatic compound, the molar ratio of units of acrylonitrile to units of monovinylidene aromatic compound in the said resin being between 2 and 9, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range 1 to 50% by weight.

Claim 3

A blend according to claim 1 in which the resin comprises a homogeneous copolymer of acrylonitrile, at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound and a minor amount of at least one copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer selected from the group consisting of maleimide and its N-substituted derivatives, and norbornene and its derivatives, the molar ratio of acrylonitrile to other monomers being between 2 and 9.

Claim 4

A blend according to claim 1 in which styrene is the predominant monovinylidene aromatic compound in the blend.

Claim 5

A blend according to claim 1 in which the amount of rubber in the blend lies within the range 5 to 35% by weight.

Claim 6

A shaped article produced from a composition as claimed in claim 1.

Claim 7

A blend comprising a graft copolymer according to claim 1 and a resin which comprises a homogeneous copolymer of acrylonitrile, at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound and a minor amount of at least one copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer selected from the group consisting of maleimide and its N-substituted derivatives, and norbornene and its derivatives, the molar ratio of acrylonitrile to other monomers in said resin and the superstrate of said graft copolymer being between 2 and 9.

Claim 8

A shaped article produced from a composition as claimed in claim 4.

Claim 9

A blend comprising (A) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of up to 95% by weight of a substrate of a diene rubber containing from 40% to 100% molar of units from at least one conjugated 1,3-diene monomer and from 0% to 60% molar of units from at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith using free radical catalysts, and a homogeneous superstrate consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound and ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, the molar amount of said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being less than the molar amount of said monovinylidene aromatic compound, said graft copolymer being the product obtained by forming a mixture of said rubber, a portion of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and at least a portion of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer, polymerizing said mixture and adding quantities of a monomeric feed selected from the group consisting of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and mixtures of said monovinylidene aromatic compound with any of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer not present in said mixture, said monomeric feed being added to said mixture at a rate determined by the rate of polymer formation and such that the relative concentration of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and acrylonitrile in the reaction mixture remains at about the initial level and (B) a resin which comprises a homogeneous copolymer consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound and ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, the molar amount of said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being less than the molar amount of said monovinylidene aromatic compound, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range 1 to 50% by weight.

Claim 10

A blend comprising (A) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of up to 95% by weight of a substrate of a diene rubber containing from 40% to 100% molar of units from at least one conjugated 1,3-diene monomer and from 0% to 60% molar of units from at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith using free radical catalysts, and a homogeneous superstrate consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound and ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, the molar amount of said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being less than the molar amount of said monovinylidene aromatic compound, said graft copolymer being the product obtained by forming a mixture of said rubber, a portion of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and at least a portion of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer, polymerizing said mixture and adding quantities of a monomeric feed selected from the group consisting of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and mixtures of said monovinylidene aromatic compound with any of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer not present in said mixture, said monomeric feed being added to said mixture at a rate determined by the rate of polymer formation and such that the relative concentration of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and acrylonitrile in the reaction mixture remains at about the initial level and (B) a resin which comprises a homogeneous copolymer consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound and ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, the molar amount of said ethylenically unsaturated monomer being less than the molar amount of said monovinylidene aromatic compound, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range 1 to 50% by weight.

Claim 11

A blend according to claim 8 in which the amount of rubber in the blend lies within the range 5 to 35% by weight.

Claim 12

A shaped article produced from a composition as claimed in claim 8.

Claim 13

A blend comprising (A) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of up to 95% by weight of a substrate of a diene rubber containing from 40% to 100% molar of units from at least one conjugated 1,3-diene monomer and from 0% to 60% molar of units from at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith using free radical catalysts, and a homogeneous superstrate consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound, and 0 to 5% molar of units of ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, said graft copolymer being the product obtained by forming a mixture of said rubber, a portion of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and at least a portion of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer, polymerizing said mixture and adding quantities of a monomeric feed selected from the group consisting of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and mixtures of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and any of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer not present in said mixture, said monomeric feed being added to said mixture at a rate determined by the rate of polymer formation and such that the relative concentration of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and acrylonitrile in the reaction mixture remains at about the initial level and (B) a resin which comprises a homogeneous compolymer consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound, and 0 to 5% molar units of ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range of 1 to 50% by weight.

Claim 14

A blend comprising (A) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of up to 95% by weight of a substrate of a diene rubber containing from 40% to 100% molar of units from at least one conjugated 1,3-diene monomer and from 0% to 60% molar of units from at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith using free radical catalysts, and a homogeneous superstrate consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound, and 0 to 5% molar of units of ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, said graft copolymer being the product obtained by forming a mixture of said rubber, a portion of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and at least a portion of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer, polymerizing said mixture and adding quantities of a monomeric feed selected from the group consisting of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and mixtures of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and any of said acrylonitrile and said ethylenically unsaturated monomer not present in said mixture, said monomeric feed being added to said mixture at a rate determined by the rate of polymer formation and such that the relative concentration of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and acrylonitrile in the reaction mixture remains at about the initial level and (B) a resin which comprises a homogeneous compolymer consisting of 66.7 to 90% molar of units of acrylonitrile, randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound, and 0 to 5% molar units of ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with acrylonitrile and said monovinylidene aromatic compound using free radical catalysts, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range of 1 to 50% by weight.

Claim 15

A blend according to claim 11 in which the amount of rubber in the blend lies within the range 5 to 35% by weight.

Claim 16

A shaped article produced from the composition as claimed in claim 11.

Claim 17

A blend comprising (A) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of up to 95% by weight of a substrate of a diene rubber containing from 40% to 100% molar of units from at least one conjugated 1,3-diene monomer and from 0% to 60% molar of units from at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith using free radical catalysts, and a homogeneous superstrate consisting essentially of units of acrylonitrile and randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound, the amount of acrylonitrile being 66.7 to 90% molar, said graft copolymer being the product obtained by forming a mixture of said rubber, a portion of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and at least a portion of said acrylonitrile, polymerizing said mixture and adding quantities of a monomeric feed selected from the group consisting of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and mixtures of said monovinylidene aromatic compound with any of said acrylonitrile not present in said mixture, said monomeric feed being added to said mixture at a rate determined by the rate of polymer formation and such that the relative concentration of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and acrylonitrile in the reaction mixture remains at about the initial level and (B) a resin which comprises a homogeneous compolymer consisting essentially of units of acrylonitrile and randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compounds, the amount of acrylonitrile being 66.7 to 90% molar, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range 1 to 50% by weight. 2 and 9, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range 1 to 50% by weight.

Claim 18

A blend comprising (A) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of up to 95% by weight of a substrate of a diene rubber containing from 40% to 100% molar of units from at least one conjugated 1,3-diene monomer and from 0% to 60% molar of units from at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith using free radical catalysts, and a homogeneous superstrate consisting essentially of units of acrylonitrile and randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compound, the amount of acrylonitrile being 66.7 to 90% molar, said graft copolymer being the product obtained by forming a mixture of said rubber, a portion of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and at least a portion of said acrylonitrile, polymerizing said mixture and adding quantities of a monomeric feed selected from the group consisting of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and mixtures of said monovinylidene aromatic compound with any of said acrylonitrile not present in said mixture, said monomeric feed being added to said mixture at a rate determined by the rate of polymer formation and such that the relative concentration of said monovinylidene aromatic compound and acrylonitrile in the reaction mixture remains at about the initial level and (B) a resin which comprises a homogeneous compolymer consisting essentially of units of acrylonitrile and randomly distributed units of at least one monovinylidene aromatic compounds, the amount of acrylonitrile being 66.7 to 90% molar, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range 1 to 50% by weight. 2 and 9, and the amount of rubber in the blend being within the range 1 to 50% by weight.

Claim 19

A blend according to claim 14 which the amount of rubber in the blend lies within the range 5 to 35% by weight.

Claim 20

A shaped article produced from a composition as claimed in claim 14.