Preparation of a Copolymer Polyahl Using an Addition Polymerizable Adduct of a Polymeric Monoahl and an Ethylenically Unsaturated Coreactant

This invention relates to a process for preparing dispersions of copolymers in polyahls and to the resulting copolymer dispersions and polyurethane products.

Polyurethanes constitute a broad class of polymeric materials having a wide range of physical characteristics. The polymers are produced by the reaction of a polyisocyanate with a polyfunctional compound having an active hydrogen in its structure. This active hydrogen compound is generally a liquid or solid capable of being melted at relatively low temperatures. Most commonly, the active hydrogen compound contains hydroxyl groups as the moieties having the active hydrogen and thus are termed polyols, e.g., the polyols of polyesters, polyester amides, or polyethers, or mixtures of two or more such materials. For reasons of commercial availability and cost, the polyols most commonly employed in the preparation of polyurethanes are the polyethers having hydroxyl terminated chains and hydroxyl terminated polyesters.

Although a wide variety of physical and chemical properties are obtainable by the proper selection of a polyisocyanate and the polyol as well as the conditions under which the polyurethane reaction is carried out, the resulting polyurethane often exhibits properties, e.g., load bearing and processability, which are unacceptable for some applications, particularly for foam applications as well as for elastomer and plastic applications.

To improve such properties, it has been the practice of the art to employ graft copolymer dispersions (often called polymer polyols) prepared from vinyl monomers and polyols in the preparation of polyurethanes as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,383,351; 3,304,273; 3,523,093; 3,652,639 and 3,823,201. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,273, a mixture of styrene and a polar monomer are copolymerized while dispersed in a polyol which is essentially free of ethylenic unsaturation. Unfortunately, stable dispersions cannot be prepared by this technique if high proportions of styrene monomer are employed. Subsequently, in order to overcome this problem, it was found desirable to employ polyols which contain a significant amount of ethylenic unsaturation. For example, as stated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,201, to Pizzini et al.,

" . . . the stability of dispersions obtained by the in situ polymerization of vinyl monomers in polyols is a result of the formation of surface stabilizing species. Without a stabilizing species which provides a repulsive barrier between the polymer particles, the polymerized material will agglomerate and form irregularly shaped lumps . . . the stabilizer is an amphipathic polymer consisting of lyophobic vinyl polymer and lyophilic polyether chains. The vinyl polymer part is absorbed and/or chemically built in the particle surface while the polyether part reaches out in the surrounding polyol phase providing a protective shield against coagulation."

Although it is desirable to have some unsaturation in the polyol, it has been found (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,639 to Pizzini et al.) that larger mole ratios of unsaturation to polyol such as 1:1 to 3:1 cause unacceptably high viscosities in the resultant dispersions.

Accordingly, it is highly desirable to provide a nonaqueous copolymer dispersion exhibiting increased stability and reduced viscosities.

In one aspect, the present invention is a method for making a stable dispersion of an addition copolymer in a polyahl. This method comprises polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer dispersed in a continuous liquid phase of a polyahl which contains a dispersion stabilizing amount of an addition polymerizable adduct of a monoahl and an active ethylenically unsaturated coreactant. The monoahl is an organic compound containing only one active hydrogen moiety capable of reacting with the coreactive moiety of the coreactant via a coupling reaction to form the adduct. Thus, the adduct contains only one ethylenically unsaturated moiety per molecule. When copolymerized with the ethylenically unsaturated monomer, this adduct stabilizes the resultant dispersed copolymers in the polyahl.

In another aspect, the present invention is a copolymer dispersion having improved stability and more uniform particle size distribution which comprises:

(A) a polyahl having a number average molecular weight less than 400 and dispersed therein; and

(B) an addition copolymerizate of (1) the adduct of the monoahl and the active ethylenically unsaturated coreactant (hereinafter called "coreactant monomer") and (2) at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer other than a coreactant monomer (hereinafter called "other monomer"); or

(C) a mixture of (1) an adduct of (i) the monoahl and (ii) an addition copolymer of the coreactant monomer with at least one "other monomer" which is nonreactive with the coreactive moiety of the coreactant monomer and the monoahl and (2) an ethylenic addition polymer of at least one "other monomer"; or

(D) a combination of (B) and (C); or

(E) a combination of (B) and/or (C) and a polymer of at least one "other monomer", said monoahl and coreactant monomer being present in reacted form in an amount sufficient to stabilize the dispersion.

For the purposes of this invention, a "polyahl" is a polyfunctional compound wherein at least two of the functional groups are active hydrogen moieties capable of reacting with an isocyanate moiety to form a urethane or similar moiety. In addition, the terms "dispersed" or "dispersion" as used herein are generic to include dispersions wherein the disperse phase constitutes colloidal size particles as well as true solutions wherein the disperse phase is at the molecular or ionic level. A stabilized or stable dispersion is a dispersion in which the dispersed particles do not coalesce upon standing.

Surprisingly, the copolymer dispersions made in the practice of the present invention exhibit excellent stability even at relatively low concentrations of ethylenically unsaturated moieties existing in the adduct of the monoahl and coreactant monomer. Even more surprising is the fact that such stable dispersions can contain a low molecular weight polyahl (i.e., those having an M.sub.n less than 400) or a mixture of polyahls as the continuous phase. Such preferred low molecular weight polyahls may contain high molecular weight portions (e.g., those having M.sub.N in range of 2,000 to 6,000) so long as M.sub.n for resultant mixture of polyahl is less than 400.

In yet a further aspect, this invention is a polyurethane composition, preferably in the form of a foam, prepared from the copolymer dispersion as well as a method for reacting the copolymer dispersion with polyisocyanate to form polyurethane foams and other polyurethane compositions.

The copolymer dispersions made in the practice of the present invention are usefully employed in the production of a wide variety of polyurethane products including cellular polyurethanes, polyurethane films and coatings as well as cast or molded articles of such polyurethanes. As used herein, the term "polyurethane" is to be broadly construed to include the polymeric reaction products of isocyanates with polyahls as hereinbefore defined.

The polyahl suitably employed as the continuous phase of the copolymer dispersion includes any organic compound having at least two active hydrogen moieties wherein the compound has a number average molecular weight (M.sub.n) of at least 62. Preferably, at least a portion of this continuous phase is a polyahl having an M.sub.n less than 400. Preferably the polyahl is a polymer having at least two active hydrogen moieties, an M.sub.n of at least 200 and at least three repeating units of a monomeric moiety. For the purposes of this invention, an active hydrogen moiety refers to a moiety containing a hydrogen atom which, because of its position in the molecule, displays significant activity according to the Zerewitnoff test described by Woller in the Journal of American Chemical Society, Vol. 49, page 3181 (1927). Illustrative of such active hydrogen moieties are --COOH, --OH, --NH.sub.2, .dbd.NH, --CONH.sub.2, --SH and --CONH--. Typical polyahls include polyols, polyamines, polyamides, polymercaptans, polyacids and the like, particularly as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,299.

Of the foregoing polyahls, the polyols are preferred. Examples of such polyols are the polyol polyethers, the polyol polyesters, hydroxy functional acrylic polymers, hydroxyl-containing epoxy resins, polyhydroxy terminated polyurethane polymers, polyhydroxyl-containing phosphorus compounds and alkylene oxide adducts of polyhydric thioethers including polythioethers, acetals including polyacetals, aliphatic and aromatic polyols and thiols including polythiols, ammonia and amines including aromatic, aliphatic and heterocyclic amines including polyamines as well as mixtures thereof. Alkylene oxide adducts of compounds which contain two or more different groups within the above-defined classes may also be used such as amino alcohols which contain an amino group and a hydroxyl group. Also alkylene adducts of compounds which contain one --SH group and one --OH group as well as those which contain an amino group and a --SH group may be used.

Polyether polyols which are most advantageously employed as the polyahl in the practice of this invention are the polyalkylene polyether polyols including the polymerization products of alkylene oxides and other oxiranes with water or polyhydric alcohols having from two to eight hydroxyl groups. Exemplary alcohols that are advantageously employed in making the polyether polyol include ethylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,4-butylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, 1,2-butylene glycol, 1,5-pentane diol, 1,7-heptane diol, glycerol, 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane, 1,1,1-trimethylolethane, hexane-1,2,6-triol, .alpha.-methyl glucoside, pentaerythritol, erythritol, pentatols and hexatols. Also included within the term "polyhydric alcohol" are sugars such as glucose, sucrose, fructose and maltose as well as compounds derived from phenols such as 2,2-(4,4'-hydroxyphenyl)propane, commonly known as bisphenol A. Illustrative oxiranes that are advantageously employed in the preparation of the polyether polyol include simple alkylene oxides such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and amylene oxide; glycidyl ethers such as t-butyl glycidyl ether and phenyl glycidyl ether; and random or block copolymers of two or more of these oxiranes. The polyalkylene polyether polyols may be prepared from other starting materials such as tetrahydrofuran and alkylene oxide tetrahydrofuran copolymers; epihalohydrins such as epichlorohydrin; as well as aralkylene oxides such as styrene oxide. The polyalkylene polyether polyols may have primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyl groups and, preferably, are polyethers prepared from alkylene oxides having from two to six carbon atoms such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide. The polyalkylene polyether polyols may be prepared by any known process such as, for example, the process disclosed by Wurtz in 1859 and Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 7, pp. 257-262, published by Interscience Publishers, Inc. (1951), or in U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,459. Also suitable are polyether polyols and processes for preparing them that are described in Schick, M. J., Nonionic Surfactants, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York (1967), U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,891,073; 3,058,921; 2,871,219 and British Pat. No. 898,306. Polyether polyols which are most preferred include the alkylene oxide addition products of water, trimethylolpropane, glycerine, pentaerythritol, sucrose, sorbitol, propylene glycol and blends thereof having hydroxyl equivalent weights of from about 250 to about 5000.

Polyhydric thioethers which are sometimes advantageously condensed with alkylene oxides include the reaction product of thiodiglycol with alkylene oxides or dihydric alcohols such as disclosed above.

Polyhydroxyl-containing phosphorus compounds which are optionally used include those compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,542. Preferred polyhydroxyl-containing phosphorus compounds are prepared from alkylene oxides and acids of phosphorus having a P.sub.2 O.sub.5 equivalency of from about 72 percent to about 95 percent.

Polyacetals (acetal resins) which are optionally reacted with alkylene oxides or other oxiranes include the reaction product of formaldehyde or other suitable aldehyde with a polyhydric alcohol or an oxirane such as those disclosed above. Polyacetals derived from acetone or from cyclic acetals are also suitably employed.

Aliphatic and aromatic thiols which are optionally reacted with alkylene oxides and other oxiranes include alkane thiols such as 1,2-ethane dithiol, 1,2-propane dithiol and 1,6-hexane dithiol; alkene thiols such as 2-butene-1,4-dithiol; and alkyne thiols such as 3-hexyne-1,6-dithiol; and arene thiols such as 1,4-benzene dithiol. Other thiols suitable for this purpose are hydrogen sulfide as well as thiol functional polymers such as polyvinylbenzyl thiol.

Acids and amides which are optionally reacted with alkylene oxides and other oxiranes include difunctional fatty acids such as hydroxystearic and dihydroxystearic acid as well as amides such as fatty acid alkanol amides, e.g., lauroyl monoethanolamide; diacids such as adipic and terephthalic acid; sulfonamides and other acids and amides set forth in Schick, supra.

Amines which are optionally reacted with alkylene oxides and other oxiranes include aromatic amines such as aniline, o-chloroaniline, p-amino aniline, 1,5-diamino naphthalene, methylene dianiline, the condensation products of aniline and formaldehyde and 2,4-diamino toluene; aliphatic amines such as methylamine, triisopropanolamine, isopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, ethylenediamine, 1,3-propylenediamine, 1,4-butylenediamine and 1,3-butylenediamine, mixtures thereof and the like.

Additional polyethers and methods for their preparation are set forth in Schick, supra.

Examples of suitable hydroxy-containing polyesters include those obtained from polycarboxylic acids and polyhydric alcohols. Examples of suitable polycarboxylic acids include oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, glutaconic acid, .alpha.-hydromuconic acid, .beta.-hydromuconic acid, .alpha.-butyl-.alpha.-ethyl-glutaric acid, .alpha.,.beta.-diethylsuccinic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, hemimellitic acid, and 1,4-cyclohexane-dicarboxylic acid. Any suitable polyhydric alcohol including both aliphatic and aromatic may be used such as ethylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,4-butylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, 1,2-butylene glycol, 1,5-pentane diol, 1,4-pentane diol, 1,3-pentane diol, 1,6-hexane diol, 1,7-heptane diol, glycerol, 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane, 1,1,1-trimethylolethane, hexane-1,2,6-triol, .alpha.-methyl glucoside, pentaerythritol and sorbitol. Also included within the term "polyhydric alcohol" are compounds derived from phenols such as 2,2-(4,4'-hydroxyphenyl)propane, commonly known as bisphenol A, bis(4,4'-hydroxyphenyl)sulfide and bis(4,4'-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone.

Other polyahls suitably employed include polylactones; hydroxy functional acrylic polymers such as polymers of hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate and hydroxypropyl methacrylate; polyvinyl acetate and other polymers of vinyl acetate and other ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids; hydroxyl-containing epoxy resins; urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde resins; hydroxyl-containing polycarbonates and polyurethanes; methylol resins; starches and other cellulosic polymers; esters of phosphoric, sulfonic, sulfuric and boric acid; and polypeptides; polyamines such as polyethyleneimines, polypropyleneimines and condensate polymers of aniline and formaldehyde; acrylamide polymers; amine-functional polyglycols; mercaptan-functional polyglycols and polyalkylene sulfides; carboxy-functional polymers such as polyacrylic acid and the like.

In the adducts of the copolymer dispersion, the monoahl includes any organic compound which has one active hydrogen moiety per molecule and stabilizes a dispersion of a polymer including the adduct in a continuous liquid phase. Most preferably, the monoahl is dispersible in the continuous phase of the dispersion, e.g., the polyahl. An active hydrogen moiety can contain one or two active hydrogens and is an active hydrogen moiety as defined hereinbefore for the polyahl. For the purposes of this invention, a monoahl is considered dispersible in the continuous phase of the dispersion if at least 0.01 mole of the monoahl disperses in a mole of the polyahl of the continuous phase to form a thermodynamically stable solution.

Examples of such monoahls include monohydric polyethers and monohydric polyesters which are similar in all respects to such polyols as defined hereinbefore except that monofunctional initiators such as monohydric alcohols are used as polymerization initiators instead of the polyfunctional initiators used to initiate polyol polyethers and polyol polyesters. Exemplary monohydric initiators include methanol, ethanol, butanol, and monohydric glycol ethers such as tripropylene glycol methyl ether, as well as phenols, acids, mercaptans, and the like. Other suitable monoahls include monohydroxyl epoxy resins, monohydroxyl polyurethane polymers, monohydroxyl phosphorus compounds, alkylene oxide adducts of monohydric thioethers including polythioethers, monohydric acetals including polyacetals, as well as monomercaptans, N-methylol amides, monoamines, and other compounds which are similar to the aforementioned polyahls except that they contain only one active hydrogen moiety. Of the foregoing monoahls, the monohydric polyethers are preferred.

For the purposes of this invention, the term "active ethylenically unsaturated coreactant" or "coreactant monomer" means a monomer having a coreactive moiety and an ethylenically unsaturated group capable of undergoing free radical initiated addition polymerization as readily as an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated isocyanate, preferably as readily as acryloyl. By "coreactive moiety" is meant a moiety such as an isocyanate (NCO), an acid halide (-COX) wherein X is halo such as chloro and bromo, isothiocyanate (-NCS), or another group capable of reacting with the active hydrogen moiety of the monoahl to form an adduct that is stable under the conditions of use described herein. In instances wherein a very active derivative of the monoahl is used such as a chloroformate, then the coreactive moiety may be hydroxyl, amide, mercaptan, amine, hydroxyalkyl amide and the like. Representative isocyanates are the isocyanatoalkyl esters of .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated isocyanates, monovinylidene aryl isocyanates and monovinylidene arylmethyl isocyanates, with the isocyanatoalkyl esters being preferred. Representative other coreactant monomers include .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated acid halides, .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated isothiocyanates, and the like.

Exemplary isocyanatoalkyl esters include 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate, 2-isocyanatoethyl acrylate, 3-isocyanatopropyl methacrylate, 1-methyl-2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate and 1,1-dimethyl-2-isocyanatoethyl acrylate with 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate being most preferred. Suitable methods of preparing said isocyanato esters are well known, e.g., as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,718,516 and 2,821,544 and British Pat. No. 1,252,099. Exemplary monovinylidene aromatic isocyanates and monovinylidene arylmethyl isocyanates include styrene isocyanate and vinylbenzyl isocyanate. Exemplary .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated isocyanates include vinyl isocyanate and isopropenyl isocyanate. Exemplary acid halides include acryloyl and methacryloyl chloride and exemplary isothiocyanates include vinyl isothiocyanate as well as isothiocyanate esters of unsaturated acid such as 2-isothiocyanatoethyl methacrylate.

The adduct of monoahl and coreactant monomer is the reaction product resulting from the reaction of an active hydrogen moiety of a monoahl with the coreactive moiety of an active ethylenically unsaturated coreactant. The adduct is advantageously miscible in the polyahl which is the continuous phase of the copolymer dispersion. Typically, the adduct has a polymer backbone corresponding to the polymer backbone of the monoahl and at least one pendant ethylenically unsaturated urethane group. When the monoahl is a monol and the coreactive moiety is isocyanate, the linkage is a urethane linkage represented by the formula: ##STR1## When the monoahl is monol and the coreactive moiety is a carboxyl acid halide, the linkage is an ester linkage represented by the formula: The more preferred adducts employed in the present invention are those represented by the formula:

wherein each A is individually --O--, --S-- or ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or alkyl, most preferably A is --O--; Y is oxyhydrocarbyl including oxyalkyl or oxyaryl, thiohydrocarbyl, aminohydrocarbyl oxycarbonylhydrocarbyl, or a residue of an active hydrogen moiety suitably employed as an initiator in preparation of a monoahl; Z is an oxycarbonylamino aliphatic hydrocarbyl ester of an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, an unsaturated carboxylate ester or other groups resulting from the reaction of the coreactant monomer with the active hydrogen moiety of the monahl; each R"' is individually alkylene, arylene, hydroxyalkylene, aminoalkylene, alkoxyalkylene, aryloxyalkylene, arylalkylene, hydroxyalkylene, hydroxyarylalkylene, or haloalkylene; and m is a whole number such that --R"'A).sub.m --R"'-- has a number average molecular weight (M.sub.n) from about 60 to about 100,000, more preferably from about 200 to about 10,000, most preferably from about 500 to about 4,000. For the purposes of this invention, hydrocarbyl is a monovalent hydrocarbon moiety such as aryl, alkyl, alkenyl and the like. Also, the terminology "each R"' is individually" means that the R"' groups in a particular polymer molecule may be the same or different. A corresponding interpretation applies to the terminology "each A is individually."

The most preferred adducts have polyalkyleneoxy backbones bearing one pendant ethylenically unsaturated urethane group represented by the formula: ##STR3## wherein each R is individually hydrogen, alkyl or a comparable inert substituent; M is an ethylenically unsaturated moiety such as ##STR4## each R' is individually hydrogen or lower alkyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4). Alternatively, the adduct has a polyalkyleneoxy backbone bearing one pendant ethylenically unsaturated ester represented by the formula: ##STR5## wherein M is as defined before.

The adduct (hereinafter called "mono-adduct") of coreactant monomer and monoahl is most advantageously prepared by reacting an active ethylenically unsaturated coreactant with a monoahl under conditions sufficient to cause the coreactant moiety of the coreactant monomer to react with an active hydrogen group of the monoahl to form the desired linkage. Advantageously, when the monoahl is a monol and the coreactive moiety is isocyanate, the reaction is carried out in the presence of a urethane catalyst such as amine or an organometallic catalyst, preferably an organometallic catalyst such as stannous octoate, lead octoate, stannous acetate, dibutyltin dilaurate and tin and zinc thiolates. The conditions employed in carrying out the urethane reaction involve maintaining the reaction mixture of the monoahl and isocyanate monomer, preferably neat, or alternatively dissolved in a nonreactive solvent such as ethyl acetate, toluene or cellosolve acetate at a temperature from ambient to 140.degree. C. in a vessel for a reaction time from a few seconds to about 24 hours. Also suitably employed are reactive solvents such as monoahl or other ethylenically unsaturated monomers. The equivalent ratio of active hydrogen moiety of the monoahl to isocyanate monomer is sufficient to enable the adduct to stabilize the copolymer dispersion but less than that which will deleteriously affect the physical properties of product made from the copolymer dispersions. In the preferred embodiments, the NCO:active hydrogen equivalent ratios are from about 1.1:1 to about 1:1.5, more preferably from 1.1:1 to 1:1.4, most preferably from 1:1.1 to 1:1.2. The resulting mono-adduct having a pendant ethylenically unsaturated urethane group is generally used without further purification. If a solvent has been used in the reaction, it can be removed, or the composition containing the solvent can be employed as is.

Alternatively, when the monoahl is monol and the coreactive moiety is a carboxylic acid chloride, the reaction to form the adduct is carried out by contacting monoahl with acrylyl chloride using acid or base catalysis. If a solvent has been used in the reaction, it can be removed, or the composition containing the solvent can be employed as is. Also, the adduct can be blended with additional monoahl or polyahl.

The adduct (hereinafter called "poly-adduct") of (i) the addition copolymer of isocyanate monomer with at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer and (ii) a monoahl is beneficially prepared by first copolymerizing the isocyanate monomer with other monomer(s) by polymerization techniques described hereinafter and then reacting the copolymer with monoahl using the procedures and conditions described hereinbefore to react the isocyanate monomer with the monoahl.

The resulting mono-adduct and/or poly-adduct are readily employed in preparing the copolymer dispersion by (1) mixing the adduct(s), polyahl and other ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s) and (2) subjecting the mixture to conditions of conventional addition copolymerization as exemplified hereinafter.

Suitable ethylenically unsaturated monomers (so-called "other monomers" or "other ethylenically unsaturated monomers") which are copolymerized in the presence of the aforementioned adducts include aliphatic conjugated dienes such as butadiene and isoprene; monovinylidene aromatic monomers such as styrene, .alpha.-methyl styrene, ar-methyl styrene, ar-(t-butyl)styrene, ar-chlorostyrene, ar-cyanostyrene and ar-bromostyrene; .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids and esters thereof such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, itaconic acid, maleic anhydride and the like; .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated nitriles and amides such as acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide, methacrylamide, N,N-dimethyl acrylamide, N-(dimethylaminomethyl) acrylamide, and the like; vinyl esters such as vinyl acetate; vinyl ethers; vinyl ketones; vinyl and vinylidene halides as well as a wide variety of other ethylenically unsaturated materials which are copolymerizable with the aforementioned mono-adduct, many of which have heretofore been employed in the formation of copolymer polyols as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,823,201 and 3,383,351. It is understood that mixtures of two or more of the aforementioned "other monomers" are also suitably employed in making the copolymer. Of the foregoing "other monomers," the monovinylidene aromatic monomers, particularly styrene, and the ethylenically unsaturated nitriles, particularly acrylonitrile, are especially preferred.

In the preparation of the dispersion, the adduct(s) is employed in an amount sufficient to stabilize the dispersion of resulting polymer of "other monomer(s)" in the polyahl. Preferably, the amount of adduct(s) is from about 0.0002 to about 30, most preferably from about 0.02 to about 5 weight percent, based on the weight of the dispersion. The amounts of polyahl and "other monomer(s)" employed are not particularly critical, and are usually about the same as in conventional copolymer dispersions. Generally, sufficient polyahl is used to constitute the continuous phase of the dispersion, preferably from about 50 to about 95, most preferably from about 60 to about 90, weight percent based on the dispersion. Preferably, the amount of "other monomer(s)" is from about 5 to about 50, most preferably from about 10 to about 30, weight percent based on the dispersion. The particular method of mixing the adduct(s), other monomer(s) and polyahl is not particularly critical. For example, a uniform mixture is easily achieved by conventional mixing means such as a simple mechanical stirrer.

The copolymerization is readily carried out by simultaneously adding at a steady or constant rate a monomer(s) and a free radical catalyst to a mixture of the mono-adduct and/or poly-adduct and the polyahl under conditions sufficient to cause free radical addition polymerization. The temperature of the copolymerization is dependent upon the initiator and is preferably in the range from about 25.degree. C. to about 190.degree. C., most preferably from about 110.degree. C. to about 130.degree. C., when azo-type catalysts are used. Alternatively, the free radical catalyst may be dispersed in a portion of the polyahl and thereafter added along with monomer to the remaining portion of the polyahl containing the mono-adduct. Other polymerization processes, both continuous and batch, may be suitably employed.

Suitably, the concentration of polymerization catalyst is any amount sufficient to cause copolymerization of the mono-adduct and the "other ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s)." Preferably, however, the concentration of catalyst is in the range from about 0.1 to about 20, more preferably from about 0.5 to about 5, weight percent based on the combined weight of the monoadduct and "other monomer(s)."

Catalysts suitably employed in the practice of the copolymerization are free radical type polymerization catalysts such as the peroxides, persulfates, perborates, percarbonates, azo compounds and the like. Examples of such catalysts include hydrogen peroxide, di(t-butyl)peroxide, t-butyl peroctoate, lauroyl peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, azobis(isobutyronitrile) as well as mixtures of such catalysts. Of the foregoing catalysts, azobis(isobutyronitrile) is preferred.

In addition to the foregoing catalysts, chain transfer agents such as mercaptans, e.g., dodecanethiol, and carbon tetrahalides such as carbon tetrachloride may be employed in conventional amounts to control molecular weight of the copolymerizate.

In preparing a copolymer dispersion containing a combination (aforementioned combination (D)) of the aforementioned poly-adduct (C) and aforementioned copolymerizate (B) of mono-adduct and "other monomer(s)," a dispersion containing the poly-adduct and a dispersion of the copolymerizate (B), are physically mixed. A copolymer dispersion (aforementioned combination (E)) containing (1) one or both of the poly-adduct (C) and the copolymerizate (B) and (2) a polymer of "other monomer(s)" is advantageously prepared by first preparing a dispersion of the poly-adduct (C) and/or the copolymerizate (C) in the aforementioned polyahl (A) by one of the foregoing methods and then adding the "other monomer(s)" to the dispersion and subjecting the resulting formulation to polymerization conditions. The poly-adduct (C) and/or the copolymerizate (B) stabilize the resulting dispersion containing combination (E) in much the same manner as conventional polymeric stabilizers stabilize copolymer dispersions.

Any of the aforementioned copolymer dispersions is readily reacted with an organic polyisocyanate to form desired polyurethane products using conventional polyurethane reaction conditions and procedures. Such reaction and procedures are optionally carried out in the presence of additional polyahls, chain extending agents, catalysts, surface active agents, stabilizers, blowing agents, fillers and/or pigments. In the preparation of foamed polyurethane, suitable procedures for the preparation of same are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 24,514, which is incorporated herein by reference. When water is added as the blowing agent, corresponding quantities of excess isocyanate to react with the water and produce carbon dioxide may be used. It is also possible to proceed with the preparation of the polyurethane plastics by a prepolymer technique wherein an excess of organic polyisocyanate is reacted in a first step with the graft copolymer dispersion of the present invention to prepare a prepolymer having free isocyanate groups which is then reacted in a second step with water to prepare a foam. Alternately, the components may be reacted in a single working step commonly known as the "one-shot" technique of preparing polyurethanes. Furthermore, instead of water, low boiling hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane, heptane, pentene, and heptene; azo compounds such as azohexahydrobenzodinitrile; halogenated hydrocarbons such as dichlorodifluoromethane, trichlorofluoromethane, dichlorodifluoroethane, vinylidene chloride and methylene chloride may be used as blowing agents.

The foams may also be prepared by the froth technique as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,755,212; 3,849,156 and 3,821,130 which are also incorporated herein by reference.

Organic polyisocyanates which may be employed include aromatic, aliphatic and cycloaliphatic polyisocyanates and combinations thereof. Representative of these types are the diisocyanates such as m-phenylene diisocyanate, tolylene-2,4-diisocyanate, tolylene-2,6-diisocyanate, hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate, tetramethylene-1,4-diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, hexahydrotolylene diisocyanate (and isomers), naphthylene-1,5-diisocyanate, 1-methoxyphenyl-2,4-diisocyanate, diphenylmethane-4,4-diisocyanate, 4,4'-biphenylene diisocyanate, 3,3'-dimethoxy-4,4'-biphenyl diisocyanate, 3,3'-dimethyl-4,4'-biphenyl diisocyanate, and 3,3'-dimethyldiphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate; the triisocyanates such as 4,4', 4'-triphenylmethane triisocyanate, polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate and tolylene-2,4,6-triisocyanate; and the tetraisocyanates such as 4,4'-dimethyldiphenylmethane-2,2', 5,5'-tetraisocyanate. Especially useful due to their availability and properties are tolylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate and polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate.

Crude polyisocyanate may also be used in the practice of the present invention, such as crude toluene diisocyanate obtained by the phosgenation of a mixture of toluene diamines or crude diphenylmethylene diisocyanate obtained by the phosgenation of crude diphenylmethylenediamine. The preferred undistilled or crude isocyanates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,215,652.

The copolymer dispersions of this invention are preferably employed in combination with other polyahl(s) commonly employed in the art. Accordingly, any of the polyahls which are described above for use in the preparation of the polymer dispersions of the present invention may be employed.

Chain-extending agents which may be employed in the preparation of the polyurethane compositions of the present invention include those compounds having at least two functional groups bearing active hydrogen atoms such as water, hydrazine, primary and secondary diamines, amino alcohols, amino acids, hydroxy acids, glycols or mixtures thereof. A preferred group of chain-extending agents includes water and primary and secondary aromatic diamines which react more readily with the isocyanate than does water such as phenylenediamine, bis(3-chloro-4-aminophenyl)methane, 2,4-diamino-3,5-diethyl toluene, trisecondary butanolamine, isopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, N-(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine, and N,N'-di(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine.

The urethane reaction of polyisocyanate with the copolymer dispersion is advantageously carried out in the presence of an amount of a urethane-type catalyst which is effective to catalyze the reaction of the polyahl of the copolymer dispersion with the polyisocyanate. Preferably, the amount of urethane catalyst is an amount comparable to that used in conventional urethane-type reactions.

Any suitable urethane catalyst may be used including tertiary amines, such as, for example, triethylenediamine, N-methyl morpholine, N-ethyl morpholine, diethyl ethanolamine, N-coco morpholine, 1-methyl-4-dimethylaminoethyl piperazine, 3-methoxy-N-dimethylpropylamine, N,N-dimethyl-N',N'-methyl isopropyl propylenediamine, N,N-diethyl-3-diethylaminopropylamine, dimethyl benzylamine and the like. Other suitable catalysts are, for example, tin compounds such as stannous chloride, tin salts of carboxylic acids such as dibutyltin di-2-ethyl hexoate, as well as other organometallic compounds such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,408.

A wetting agent(s) or surface-active agent(s) is generally necessary for production of high grade polyurethane foam according to the present invention, since in the absence of same, the foams collapse or contain very large uneven cells. Numerous wetting agents have been found satisfactory. Nonionic surfactants and wetting agents are preferred. Of these, the nonionic surface-active agents prepared by the sequential addition of propylene oxide and then ethylene oxide to propylene glycol and the solid or liquid organosilicones have been found particularly desirable. Other surface-active agents which are operative, although not preferred, include polyethylene glycol ethers of long chain alcohols, tertiary amine or alkylolamine salts of long chain alkyl acid sulfate esters, alkyl sulfonic esters and alkyl arylsulfonic acids.

The following examples are given to illustrate the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope thereof in any manner. All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Into a 2-liter, 3-neck round-bottom flask equipped with addition funnel, stirrer, condenser, and thermocouple is charged 1430 g (0.5 equivalent) of a butanol-initiated poly(oxyalkylene)glycol ether (0.59 percent hydroxyl) (Monoahl I) made from propylene oxide, 0.02 g of dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) and 1.43 g of 2,6-di(t-butyl)-4-methyl phenol (IONOL). The resulting mixture is heated to 70.degree. C. and 54 g (0.35 equivalent) of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IEM) is added over a 25-minute period to the mixture with stirring. After an additional 70 minutes, an additional 0.18 g of DBTDL is added to the mixture and the reaction is completed within 30 minutes to form the mono-adduct (Mono-Adduct I). At this time, a 100-g portion of Mono-Adduct I and 1000 g (0.2 mol) of a glycerine-initiated polyoxyalkylene polyol made from propylene oxide and ethylene oxide (hydroxyl no. of 34) (Polyol I) are combined in the aforementioned reaction vessel wherein the addition funnel is modified to add its contents at the liquid surface in the vessel. The mixture of Polyol I and the mono-adduct is purged with N.sub.2 and heated to 120.degree. C. A mixture of 350 g of styrene, 100 g of Polyol I and 7 g of azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AZO) is added to the reaction vessel over a 105-minute period. Then a mixture of 1 g of AZO and 100 g of Polyol I is added over a period of one hour and the reaction mixture is digested for 30 minutes. The reaction product is subjected to vacuum for an hour to remove volatiles. The final product is a stable copolymer dispersion having a Brookfield viscosity (Model RV, spindle #3 at rpm of 10 and a temperature of 25.degree. C.) of 2530 cps.

For purposes of comparison, the foregoing procedure is followed except that no IEM is added at any point during the process. Upon subjecting the reaction mixture containing no IEM to polymerization conditions, a very poor dispersion is formed containing relatively large chunks (>1 mm) of polystyrene. During the later stages of the reaction, the reaction mixture becomes so viscous that the stirrer can no longer operate. The resulting reaction mass exhibits poor fluidity and cannot be classified as a stable dispersion.

The stable copolymer dispersion of Example 1 is converted to a urethane thermoset elastomer by mixing 110 g of the dispersion with (1) 6.9 g of a reaction product of 10 parts of toluene diisocyanate and 2.5 parts of glycerine-initiated polypropylene oxide (M.sub.n -260, hydroxy equivalent weight (HEW) of 86.7 (Polyol II)) and (2) 0.1 g of stannous octoate. The resulting mixture is poured into a beaker and heated at 80.degree. C. for 15 minutes to form the elastomer.

Into an 0.5-liter, 3-neck, round-bottom flask fitted with an eight-inch water condenser and mechanical stirrer is charged 0.4 g (2000 ppm based on monol) of 2,6-di-(t-butyl)phenol (DTBP), 200.9 g (0.07 mole) of a butanol-initiated poly(oxyalkylene)glycol ether (Monol I) and 6.4 g (0.01 mole) of dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL). This mixture is stirred at 85.degree. C. until a homogenous solution is formed at which time 7.4 g (0.07 mole) of methacryloyl chloride is added. This mixture (Mono-Adduct II) is stirred at 85.degree. C. for 1 hour and subjected to reduced pressure to remove hydrogen chloride.

An 1175-g portion (0.24 mole) of Polyol I is charged into a 2-liter, 3-neck, round-bottom flask equipped with an addition funnel, stirrer, condenser, thermocouple and nitrogen sparge. The addition funnel is modified to permit addition of liquid from funnel directly onto the surface of liquid in the flask. The Polyol I is heated to 120.degree. C., purged with nitrogen, and a mixture of 180 g of styrene , 120 g of acrylonitrile and 6 g of azobisisobutyronitrile is added with stirring under nitrogen to the flask over a period of 1 hour. The reaction is allowed to proceed at 120.degree. C. for an additional hour and then subjected to reduced pressure of <1 mm of Hg for 1 hour at 120.degree. C. The resulting stable dispersion has viscosity and particle size as stated in Table I (Sample No. C).

For purposes of comparison, several additional dispersions (Sample Nos. 1-4) are prepared following the aforementioned procedure except that different amounts of the Mono-Adduct II prepared in part A of this example are added to the Polyol I prior to addition to the 2-liter flask. The properties of this resulting dispersion are also reported in Table I.

Using the 0.5-liter flask used in part A of Example 3, 0.4 g (2000 ppm) of DTBP, 200.9 g (0.07 mole) of Monol I and 6.4 g (0.01 mole) of DBTDL is added to the flask with stirring and heated to 80.degree. C. until a homogeneous solution is formed. Then 7.2 g (0.08 mole) of acryloyl chloride is added and the mixture is stirred for 20 hours at 80.degree. C. The mixture is subjected to reduced pressure (15 mm Hg) for 2 hours at 80.degree. C. to remove hydrogen chloride to yield a clear yellow liquid (Mono-Adduct III).

Into the 2-liter flask used in Example 3 are charged 980 g of Polyol I and 20 g of Mono-Adduct III. The reactants in the flask are heated to 120.degree. C. and a mixture of 65 g of styrene, 260 g of acrylonitrile, 6.5 g of AZO and 200 g of additional Polyol I is added with stirring to the flask over a 1-hour period. The resulting dispersion (Sample No. 5) is tested for viscosity and the result is reported in Table I.

For purposes of comparison, several additional dispersions (Sample Nos. 6-9) are prepared by the foregoing procedure except that the molar ratio of styrene to acrylonitrile is varied over the range of 30/70 to 60/40. The viscosities of these dispersions are also reported in Table I.

Into a one-liter, 3-neck flask equipped with a reflux condenser, a pressure equalizing addition funnel and a magnetic stirrer are charged 200 g (0.07 mole) of Monol I, 22 g (0.28 mole) of pyridine and 200 ml of anhydrous diethyl ether. Under a static nitrogen purge with cooling to .about.2.degree. C., 14.4 g of toluene sulfonyl chloride dissolved in 25 ml of diethyl ether is added with stirring over a period of one half of an hour. The reaction mixture is allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for 12 hours. Thereafter, the diethyl ether is removed under reduced pressure at temperatures less than 40.degree. C. The reaction mixture is filtered to remove pyridine hydrochloride and then charged into a one-liter, 3-neck flask equipped with a reflux condenser, gas sparge addition tube and a magnetic stirrer. To this flask is added with stirring 200 ml of dichloromethane and anhydrous ammonia is sparged through the reaction mixture for 11/2 hours followed by sparging with nitrogen for 2 hours. The reaction mixture is filtered and then subjected to reduced pressure to remove dichloromethane. Into the aforementioned flask are added the reaction product, 200 ml of dichloromethane and 7.0 g (0.07 mole) of triethylamine. To the resulting solution is added with stirring and refluxing, 7.9 g (0.075 mole) of methacryloyl chloride diluted in 25 ml of dichloromethane over a period of 30 minutes and stirred overnight. The resulting product is cooled and subjected to reduced pressure to remove dichloromethane. To this product is added 200 ml of diethyl ether, then filtered and subjected to reduced pressure to remove diethyl ether thereby providing the aforementioned desired adduct.

Into a 2-liter, 4-neck flask equipped with an addition funnel, a reflux condenser, a thermometer and a mechanical stirrer are added 510 g (0.104 mole) of Polyol I and 15.5 g (0.005 mole) of the aforementioned adduct. Under a static nitrogen flow, the contents of the vessel are stirred and heated to 120.degree. C. Thereafter, 134.0 g (0.78 mole) of styrene containing 2.7 g (0.016 mole) of AZO is added dropwise with stirring over 1.5 hours. After addition, the reaction mixture is maintained at 120.degree. C. and then subjected to reduced pressure (<1 mm Hg at 120.degree. C.) for 2 hours. The resulting dispersion has a Brookfield viscosity of 1,510 cps.

Using the copolymer dispersions of Examples 1 and 2, several polyurethane foams are prepared according to the following procedure. A formulation of 63.3 parts of Polyol I, 36.7 parts of the copolymer dispersion, 3.3 parts of water, 0.7 part of a silicone surfactant sold by Union Carbide under the trade name L5303, 0.04 part of a second silicone surfactant sold by Dow Corning under the trade name DCF-1-1630, 0.185 part of triethylenediamine, 0.1 part of bisdimethylaminoethyl ether, 0.005 part of Fomrez UL-1 sold by Witco Chemical are blended with 39.4 parts of an 80/20 mixture of toluene diisocyanate and polymeric methylene diphenyl isocyanate sold by Mobay Chemical Company under the tradename Mondur MR. The mixture is poured into a paper paint bucket and allowed to stand for 5 minutes at room temperature. Then the foam is cured for 10 additional minutes in a 120.degree. C. oven. After crushing the foam, it is cured for an additional 15 minutes at 120.degree. C. In each of the foam samples, satisfactory polyurethane foam is obtained.