Plastic composition and method of preparing same

Claim 2

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said alkenyl aromatic monomer and said acrylic monomer are present in a weight ratio in the range of 1-4 to 1.

Claim 3

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said alkenyl aromatic monomer is styrene and said acrylic monomer acrylonitrile.

Claim 4

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein the weight ratio between the styrene and the acrylonitrile is within the range of 72:28 to 78:22.

Claim 5

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said alpha-monoolefin is propylene.

Claim 6

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said polyene compound is a polyunsaturated bridged-ring hydrocarbon having at least one carbon-to-carbon in a bridged ring.

Claim 7

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said polyene compound is a polyunsaturated derivative of a compound selected from the group consisting of bicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane, bicyclo-(2, 2,2)-octane, bicyclo-(3,2,1)-octane, bicyclo-(3,3,1)-nonane and bicyclo(3,2,2)-nonane.

Claim 8

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said polyene compound is a 5-alkylidene-2-norbornene.

Claim 9

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said elastomeric terpolymer is a terpolymer of ethylene, propylene and 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene.

Claim 10

A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said seed mixture constitutes from 20-60 percent by weight of the reaction mixture.

Claim 11

In a process for preparing improved plastic compositions wherein 99 to 50 parts by weight of an alkenyl aromatic monomer and an acrylic monomer having the formula wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1 to C5 alkyl and X is selected from the group consisting of wherein R'' is C1 to C9 alkyl wherein the weight ratio between the alkenyl aromatic monomer and the acrylic monomer is within the range of 0.2 to 5, and 1 to 50 parts by weight of an elastomeric interpolymer of ethylene, at least one straight chain alpha-monoolefin containing three to 16 carbon atoms and a compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and cycloaliphatic polyenes are reacted in an inert organic solvent selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, their alkyl- and halogen-substituted derivatives, aliphatic hydrocarbons and their halogen-substituted derivatives and mixtures thereof in the presence of a free radical catalyst, the improvement comprising reacting said monomers and said interpolymer in the presence of 15-75 percent by weight of a seed mixture comprising a mixture of said monomers and said interpolymer which has been reacted to 15-75 percent conversion based upon said monomers.

Claim 12

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said seed mixture has been reacted to a conversion within the range of 20-60 percent based upon said monomers.

Claim 13

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said seed mixture constitutes from 15-75 percent by weight of the reaction mixture.

Claim 14

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said seed mixture constitutes from 20-60 percent by weight of the reaction mixture.

Claim 15

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said alpha-monoolefin is propylene.

Claim 16

A process as defined In claim 12 wherein said polyene compound is a polyunsaturated bridged-ring compound having at least one carbon-to-carbon in a bridged ring.

Claim 17

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said polyene coumpound is a polyunsaturated derivative of a compound selected from the group consisting of bicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane, bicyclo-(2, 2,2)-octane, bicyclo-(3,2,1)-octane, bicyclo-(3,3,1)-nonane and bicyclo(3,2,2)-nonane.

Claim 18

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said polyene compound is 5-alkylidine-2-norbornene.

Claim 19

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said terpolymer is a terpolymer of ethylene, propylene, and 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene.

Claim 20

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said alkenyl aromatic monomer is styrene and said acrylic monomer is acrylonitrile.

Claim 21

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein the weight ratio between the alkenyl aromatic monomer and acrylic monomer is 1-4 to 1.

Claim 22

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein the reaction mixture contains 4-25 parts by weight of said terpolymer for each 96-75 parts by weight alkenyl aromatic monomer and said acrylic monomer.

Claim 23

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein said solvent is a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic solvent.

Claim 24

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature within the range of 40*-150* C.

Claim 25

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein an aliphatic solvent is added to the reaction mixture in at least one increment during the reaction.

Claim 26

A process as defined in claim 26 wherein said increment is added at a time falling within one-seventh and six-sevenths of the total reaction time required to achieve at least 90 percent conversion based on said monomers.

Claim 27

A process as defined in claim 12 wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature within the range of 70*-80* C.