Pigment dispersants for coating compositions

Claim 2

A dispersant compatible with a variety of resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, crotonic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid and mixtures thereof; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alkyl fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR6## where R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which can be either reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) or polymerized with monomer (i) through (iv) or (2) an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard, of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 3

A dispersant compatible with a variety of resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said compound being an alkyl acrylate; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alkyl fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with water to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the alkyl acrylate monomer and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR7## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water or (2) an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard, of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 4

A dispersant compatible with a variety of resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said compound being an alkyl acrylate; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alkyl fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with water to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the alkyl acrylate monomer and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR7## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water or (2) an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard, of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 5

A dispersant compatible with a variety or resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said monomer being an unsaturated carboxylic anhydride; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alky fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with water, alcohol or amine to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the unsaturated carboxylic anhydride monomer and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR8## where R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water, alcohol or amine or (2) an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water, alcohol or amine and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 6

A dispersant compatible with a variety or resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said monomer being an unsaturated carboxylic anhydride; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alky fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with water, alcohol or amine to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the unsaturated carboxylic anhydride monomer and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR8## where R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water, alcohol or amine or (2) an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the water, alcohol or amine and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 7

A dispersant compatible with a variety of resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said monomer being a hydroxy-containing monomer; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alkyl fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with anhydride to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the hydroxy-containing monomer (iii) and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR9## where R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride or (2) an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard, of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 8

A dispersant compatible with a variety of resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said monomer being a hydroxy-containing monomer; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alkyl fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with anhydride to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the hydroxy-containing monomer (iii) and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR9## where R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride or (2) an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard, of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 9

A dispersant compatible with a variety of resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group: (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said monomer being an amine containing monomer; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alkyl fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with anhydride to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the amine containing monomer (iii) and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR10## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride or (2) an aliphatic or alicylic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard, of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 10

A dispersant compatible with a variety of resin-containing coating compositions and especially adapted for dispersing pigments therein, said dispersant being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 20 percent to about 85 percent of an alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group: (ii) from about 5 percent to about 60 percent of a hardening monomer selected from the group consisting of a styrene, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group, said monomer being an amine containing monomer; and (iv) from about 1 percent to about 25 percent of a monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to a carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of a monohydroxy alkyl acrylate, monohydroxy alkyl methacrylate, monohydroxy alkyl crotonate, monohydroxy alkyl fumarate, dihydroxy alkyl fumarate, monohydroxy alkyl itaconate, dihydroxy alkyl itaconate, monohydroxy alkyl maleate, dihydroxy alkyl maleate and mixtures thereof; wherein the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) is further reacted with anhydride to provide carboxyl functionality from the units provided by the amine containing monomer (iii) and (v), wherein (v) is a compound which provides an amine or amine salt functional moiety on the polymerization product at a level of from about 0.1 percent to about 15 percent is provided by (1) a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound having the formula ##STR10## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl, R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl and n is 0 or 1, which is reacted with the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride or (2) an aliphatic or alicylic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moieties of the polymerization product of monomers (i) through (iv) after said product has been reacted with the anhydride and further wherein said dispersant has a weight average molecular weight, determined by gel permeation chromotography, using a polystyrene standard, of from about 1,000 to about 10,000.

Claim 11

The dispersant of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 40 percent to about 80 percent of the alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 15 percent to about 40 percent of the hardening monomer; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 20 percent of the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or the monomer which provides the carboxyl functionality when further reacted; (iv) from about 1 percent to about 15 percent of the monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to the carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group; and (v) from about 0.5 percent to about 3 percent of the compound providing an amine or amine salt functional moiety.

Claim 12

The dispersant of claim 6 wherein monomer (iv) is a hydroxyl-containing alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate wherein the alkyl group contains from 2 to 20 carbon atoms.

Claim 13

The dispersant of claim 7 wherein monomer (iii) is the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid.

Claim 14

The dispersant of claim 8 wherein the alkyl methacrylate is a branched chain methacrylate.

Claim 15

The dispersant of claim 9 wherein the alkyl methacrylate is isobutyl methacrylate.

Claim 16

The dispersant of claim 9 wherein the hardening monomer is styrene or methyl methacrylate.

Claim 17

The dispersant of claim 11 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.

Claim 18

The dispersant of claim 7 wherein the hydroxyl-containing alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate contains from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.

Claim 19

The dispersant of claim 13 wherein the hydroxyl-containing alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate is hydroxyethyl acrylate.

Claim 20

The dispersant of claim 6 wherein the component providing an amine or amine salt functional moiety is an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moiety of the interpolymer.

Claim 21

The dispersant of claim 6 wherein the amine or amine salt functional moiety is provided by a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound.

Claim 22

The dispersant of claim 6 additionally consisting essentially of from about 1 percent to about 30 percent of a monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl esters of acrylic acid wherein the alkyl group contains from 3 to 20 carbon atoms, alkyl esters of methacrylic acid wherein the alkyl group contains from 9 to 20 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof.

Claim 23

The dispersant of claim 12 being the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 60 percent to about 80 percent of the alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 20 percent to about 35 percent of the hardening monomer; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 15 percent of the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or the monomer which provides the carboxyl functionality when further reacted; (iv) from about 1 percent to about 10 percent of the monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to the carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group; and (v) from about 0.5 percent to about 3 percent of the compound providing an amine or amine salt functional moiety.

Claim 24

The dispersant of claim 18 wherein the alkyl methacrylate is isobutyl methacrylate, the hardening monomer is styrene or methyl methacrylate, the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid and the monomer having the carbonyl group and the alpha-beta unsaturation to the carbonyl group is hydroxyethyl acrylate.

Claim 25

The dispersant of claim 19 wherein the dispersant has a weight average molecular weight of from about 2,000 to about 6,000.

Claim 26

A pigment dispersion composition adapted for dispersing pigments in a film-forming resin-containing coating composition wherein said pigment dispersion composition consists essentially of: (a) from about 1 percent to about 50 percent of the dispersant of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; (b) from about 10 percent to about 90 percent of a pigment; and (c) the balance a liquid carrier.

Claim 27

The composition of claim 21 wherein the dispersant is the polymerization product of a mixture of monomers consisting essentially of: (i) from about 40 percent to about 80 percent of the alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 15 percent to about 40 percent of the hardening monomer; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 20 percent of the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or the monomer which provides the carboxyl functionality when further reacted; (iv) from about 1 percent to about 15 percent of the monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to the carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group; and (v) from about 0.5 percent to about 3 percent of the compound providing an amine or amine salt functional moiety.

Claim 28

The composition of claim 22 wherein monomer (iv) is a hydroxyl-containing alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate wherein the alkyl group contains from 2 to 20 carbon atoms.

Claim 29

The composition of claim 22 monomer (iii) is the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid.

Claim 30

The composition of claim 24 wherein the alkyl methacrylate is a branched chain methacrylate.

Claim 31

The composition of claim 25 wherein the alkyl methacrylate is isobutyl methacrylate.

Claim 32

The composition of claim 25 wherein the hardening monomer is styrene or methyl methacrylate.

Claim 33

The composition of claim 27 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.

Claim 34

The composition of claim 23 wherein the hydroxyl-containing alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate contains from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.

Claim 35

The composition of claim 29 wherein the hydroxyl-containing alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate is hydroxyethyl acrylate.

Claim 36

The composition of claim 21 wherein the component providing an amine or amine salt functional moiety is an aliphatic or alicyclic amine compound which forms a salt with the carboxyl moiety of the interpolymer.

Claim 37

The composition of claim 22 wherein the amine or amine salt functional moiety is provided by a nitrogen-containing ring opening compound.

Claim 38

The composition of claim 22 wherein the dispersant additionally consists essentially of from about 1 percent to about 30 percent of a monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl esters of acrylic acid wherein the alkyl group contains from 3 to 20 carbon atoms, alkyl esters of methacrylic acid wherein the alkyl group contains from 9 to 20 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof.

Claim 39

The composition of claim 28 wherein the dispersant is the polymerization product of: (i) from about 60 percent to about 80 percent of the alkyl methacrylate having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (ii) from about 20 percent to about 35 percent of the hardening monomer; (iii) from about 1 percent to about 15 percent of the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or the monomer which provides the carboxyl functionality when further reacted; (iv) from about 1 percent to about 10 percent of the monomer having a double bond alpha-beta to the carbonyl group and at least one hydroxyl group; and (v) from about 0.5 percent to about 3 percent of the compound providing an amine or amine salt functional moiety.

Claim 40

The composition of claim 34 wherein the alkyl methacrylate is isobutyl methacrylate, the hardening monomer is styrene or methyl methacrylate, the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid and the monomer having the alpha-beta unsaturation to the carbonyl group is hydroxyethyl acrylate.

Claim 41

The composition of claim 35 wherein the dispersant has a molecular weight of from about 2,000 to about 6,000.

Claim 42

The composition of claim 22 consisting essentially of: (a) from about 3 percent to about 30 percent of the dispersant; (b) from about 15 percent to about 80 percent of the pigment; and (c) the balance a liquid carrier.

Claim 43

The composition of claim 37 wherein the carrier is an organic solvent.

Claim 44

The composition of claim 21 wherein the pigment is ground into the dispersant.