Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
288 words
A process for preparing a water-soluble polymer having a weight average molecular weight of from about 2,500 to 50,000 comprising reacting, under an ambient atmosphere and in an aqueous solution system wherein there is present from about 0.1 to about 1.5 parts by weight of water for each part, by weight, of monomer, said reaction conducted at a temperature up to the boiling point of said system, from about 40% to about 60%, by weight, based on the total weight of the reaction solution, of a water-soluble monomer selected from the class consisting of (a) acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylamide, methacrylamide and mixtures thereof, and (b) water-soluble comonomers of one or more of the monomers of (a) with from about 5 to 50% by weight of the total monomers present of a comonomer selected from the class consisting of itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, hydroxypropylmethacrylate, hydroxyethylacrylate, hydroxypropylacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, t-butylaminoethyl acrylate, 4-vinyl pyridine, betahydroxyethyldimethylaminoethyl methacrylate salt, t-butylaminoethyl methacrylate, and mixtures thereof in the presence of a catalyst system consisting essentially of a water-soluble initiator, a tertiary amine in a molar ratio of up to about 1 of amine to 10 of catalyst initiator, and at least one metal salt selected from the class consisting of water-soluble salts of (1) copper, iron, manganese, cobalt, chromium, silver, gold, titanium, lead and cerium and (2) one or more metal salts of (1) with metal salts of zinc or calcium, and wherein the molar ratio of said initiator to metal ion is from 10 to 1 to 150 to 1 and said initiator is present in an amount of from about 0.5 weight percent to about 35 weight percent based on the weight of monomer present.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
288 words
A process for preparing a water-soluble polymer having a weight average molecular weight of from about 2,500 to 50,000 comprising reacting, under an ambient atmosphere and in an aqueous solution system wherein there is present from about 0.1 to about 1.5 parts by weight of water for each part, by weight, of monomer, said reaction conducted at a temperature up to the boiling point of said system, from about 40% to about 60%, by weight, based on the total weight of the reaction solution, of a water-soluble monomer selected from the class consisting of (a) acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylamide, methacrylamide and mixtures thereof, and (b) water-soluble comonomers of one or more of the monomers of (a) with from about 5 to 50% by weight of the total monomers present of a comonomer selected from the class consisting of itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, hydroxypropylmethacrylate, hydroxyethylacrylate, hydroxypropylacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, t-butylaminoethyl acrylate, 4-vinyl pyridine, betahydroxyethyldimethylaminoethyl methacrylate salt, t-butylaminoethyl methacrylate, and mixtures thereof in the presence of a catalyst system consisting essentially of a water-soluble initiator, a tertiary amine in a molar ratio of up to about 1 of amine to 10 of catalyst initiator, and at least one metal salt selected from the class consisting of water-soluble salts of (1) copper, iron, manganese, cobalt, chromium, silver, gold, titanium, lead and cerium and (2) one or more metal salts of (1) with metal salts of zinc or calcium, and wherein the molar ratio of said initiator to metal ion is from 10 to 1 to 150 to 1 and said initiator is present in an amount of from about 0.5 weight percent to about 35 weight percent based on the weight of monomer present.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said monomer is acrylic acid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble polymer is an acid polymer and is neutralized with a base.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said initiator is present in an amount of from about 1% to about 20% based on the weight of monomer present.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the monomer is present in an amount of from about 45% to about 55% of the total weight of the reaction solution.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said monomers include up to about 5% by weight of the total monomers present of a monomer selected from the class consisting of vinyl acetate, styrene, vinyl toluene, alpha methyl styrene, N,N-dialkylacrylamides, N-alkylacrylamide, acrylate esters and methacrylate esters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the reaction is conducted at a temperature of from about 70° C. to about 100° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said tertiary amine is selected from the class consisting of aromatic amines, aliphatic amines, cycloaliphatic amines, heterocyclic amines, alkanol amines and tertiary amino acids.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said amine is triethanolamine.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said amine is dimethylamino ethanol.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said metal salt is cupric sulfate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said metal salt is ferrous sulfate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said metal salt is manganese acetate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said initiator is hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said initiator is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of initiator to metal salt is from about 40:1 to about 80:1.