Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
A polymerization process to produce a graft polymer useful in the production of a thermoset coating, the graft polymer being characterized as having at least one main chain and a plurality of side chains attached thereto, the polymerization process comprising the steps of: combining in a solvent, at an elevated temperature and for a predetermined period of time an (1) addition-polymerizable monomer that is also a free-radical initiator together with an (2) ethylenically-unsaturated monomer having a nucleophilic or an electrophilic moiety, the elevated temperature being effective for initiating addition copolymerization of the addition-polymerizable monomer with the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, wherein propagation by the addition-copolymerization reaction forms the main chain of the graft polymer; while also combining in the solvent a polymerizable, carbonyl carbon-containing, ringed molecule at a pressure effective, at the elevated temperature, to cause the ring portion of the ringed molecule to open in the vicinity of the carbonyl carbon thereof in response to the presence of the nucleophilic or the electrophilic moiety of the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, for initiating ionic-copolymerization of the polymerizable, ringed molecule with the nucleophilic-containing or electrophilic-containing moiety of the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, wherein propagation by the ionic-copolymerization reaction forms the side chains of the graft polymer; and terminating both of the addition-copolymerization and the ionic-copolymerization reactions when the thus-produced graft polymer attains a predetermined number-average and/or weight-average molecular weight, the polymerization process being characterized in that each of the main-chain and side-chain propagations occurs substantially simultaneously, relative to the other, and wherein the polymerization process is further characterized in that the ionic-copolymerization reaction occurs expressly excluding utilization of a catalyst for the carbonyl carbon-containing ringed molecule.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
269 words
A polymerization process to produce a graft polymer useful in the production of a thermoset coating, the graft polymer being characterized as having at least one main chain and a plurality of side chains attached thereto, the polymerization process comprising the steps of: combining in a solvent, at an elevated temperature and for a predetermined period of time an (1) addition-polymerizable monomer that is also a free-radical initiator together with an (2) ethylenically-unsaturated monomer having a nucleophilic or an electrophilic moiety, the elevated temperature being effective for initiating addition copolymerization of the addition-polymerizable monomer with the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, wherein propagation by the addition-copolymerization reaction forms the main chain of the graft polymer; while also combining in the solvent a polymerizable, carbonyl carbon-containing, ringed molecule at a pressure effective, at the elevated temperature, to cause the ring portion of the ringed molecule to open in the vicinity of the carbonyl carbon thereof in response to the presence of the nucleophilic or the electrophilic moiety of the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, for initiating ionic-copolymerization of the polymerizable, ringed molecule with the nucleophilic-containing or electrophilic-containing moiety of the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, wherein propagation by the ionic-copolymerization reaction forms the side chains of the graft polymer; and terminating both of the addition-copolymerization and the ionic-copolymerization reactions when the thus-produced graft polymer attains a predetermined number-average and/or weight-average molecular weight, the polymerization process being characterized in that each of the main-chain and side-chain propagations occurs substantially simultaneously, relative to the other, and wherein the polymerization process is further characterized in that the ionic-copolymerization reaction occurs expressly excluding utilization of a catalyst for the carbonyl carbon-containing ringed molecule.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: separating the polymer from the solvent; and recovering the polymer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the elevated temperature is about 100° to about 350° Centigrade, when styrene monomer is the addition-polymerizable monomer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the elevated temperature is about 150° to about 300° Centigrade, when styrene monomer is the addition-polymerizable monomer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the elevated temperature is about 190° to about 270° Centigrade, when styrene monomer is the addition-polymerizable monomer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the combining steps take place utilizing agitation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of butyl acetate, MAK, PM acetate, toluene, xylene, dimethyl cellosolve, glyme, diglyme, triglyme, diethyl carbitol, diethyl cellosolve, and cellosolve acetate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymerizable, carbonyl carbon-containing ringed molecule is selected from the group consisting of caprolactam, cyclic ether, cyclic anhydride, cyclic carbonate, cyclic oxalate, and lactone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymerizable, carbonyl carbon-containing ringed molecule is selected from the group consisting of beta-propiolactone, alpha,alpha-bis(chloromethyl)propiolactone, beta-butyrolactone, delta-valerolactone, alpha,beta,gamma-trimethoxy-delta-valerolactone, 1,4-dioxane-2-one, glycolide, lactide, 1,4-dithiane-2,5-dione, trimethylene carbonate, neopentyl carbonate, ethylene oxalate, beta-methyl-epsilon-isopropyl-epsilon-caprolactone, propylene oxalate, epsilon-caprolactone, and lactones of 4-hydroxylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid, cis-disalicylide, di-o-cresotide, and trisalicylide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the nucleophilic moiety comprises a hydroxyl moiety.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the monomer having the hydroxyl moiety is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyalkyl acrylates, hydroxyalkyl methacrylates, and methyl alpha-hydroxyalkyl acrylates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer is selected from the group consisting of an acrylate, a methacrylate, and other monomers capable of being polymerized by free-radical addition polymerization.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymerizable free-radical initiator is selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, vinyl toluene, para-methyl styrene, and tertiary-butyl styrene.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the terminating step is effected when the number-average molecular weight of the polymer is about 700 to about 15,000.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the terminating step is effected when the number-average molecular weight of the polymer is about 1,000 to about 10,000.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the terminating step is effected when the number-average molecular weight of the polymer is about 1,500 to about 7,000.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
10 words
Polyol polymer made according to the process of claim 1.