GB874168A - Improvements in and relating to polymerization - Google Patents

Abstract

Interpolymers of 45-89 weight per cent of an alkyl acrylate in which the alkyl group contains 1-4 carbon atoms, 0-44 weight per cent of methyl or ethyl methacrylate, 3-12 weight per cent of acrylic or methacrylic acid and 8-25 weight per cent of N-methylol acrylamide or N-methylol methacrylamide may be prepared by polymerizing the monomers in anhydrous low molecular weight aliphatic alcohols, e.g. methanol, ethanol, propanols and butanols, in the presence of a catalyst, e.g. hydrocarbon peroxides and hydroperoxides, organic peracids and peresters, acyl peroxides, ketone peroxides, azo compounds, nuclear radiation, X-rays, ultra-violet rays and ultrasonic waves. They may be converted to salts with volatile nitrogenous bases, e.g. ammonia, hydrazine and low boiling amines. Preferably water and the base are added to the alcoholic solution of the interpolymer, and the alcohol and excess base distilled off to give an aqueous solution of the polymer salt, which may be used in coating, impregnating and dyeing woven and non-woven fabrics and in the manufacture of papers and paints. The interpolymers may be insolubilized by heating. Examples describe the preparation of aqueous solutions of the ammonium salts of interpolymers of acrylic acid, ethyl acrylate and N-methylol acrylamide with (I, III and V) and without (II and IV) methyl methacrylate.