Rubber modified high nitrile polymers and polymer blends produced thereby

Claim 2

A POLYMERIC COMPOSITION COMPRISING: A. A BUTADIENE-STYRENE RUBBERY SUBSTRATE HAVING A BUTADIENE CONTENT OF 68 TO 72 PERCENT BY WEIGHT AND A STYRENE CONTENT OF 28 TO 32 PERCENT BY WEIGHT BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE BUTADIENE-STYRENE RUBBERY SUBSTRATE WHICH RUBBERY SUBSTRATE IS FURTHER CHARACTERIZED AS HAVING A REFRACTIVE INDEX IN THE RANGE OF FROM 1.5375 TO 1.5425, A PARTICLE SIZE IN THE RANGE OF FROM 0.06 TO 0.2 MICRON, A GEL CONTENT IN THE RANGE OF FROM 40 TO 95 PERCENT, A SWELLING INDEX IN THE RANGE OF FROM 10 TO 40, AND A SECOND ORDER TRANSITION TEMPERATURE (TG) LESS THAN -40*C, AND B. A SUPERSTRATE GRAFTED ONTO THE RUBBERY SUBSTRATE IN TWO SEPARATE STAGES WHICH SUPERSTRATE COMPRISES:

Claim 3

AS THE FIRST STAGE GRAFT, THE POLYMERIZATION PRODUCT OF A FIRST POLYMERIABLE MONOMER COMPOSITION COMPRISING: A. FROM 0 TO 2 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN NONCONJUGATED DIOLEFIN MONOMER, B. FROM 0 TP 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED NITRILE MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACRYLONITRILE, AND MIXTURES OF ACRYLONITRILE AND METHACRYLONITRILE WHICH CONTAIN UP TO 20 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF METHACRYLONITRILE, C. FROM 40 TO 60 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A VINYLIDENE SROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER, AND D. FROM 20 TO 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ALKYL ESTER OF ACRYLIC OR METHACRYLIC ACID WHEREIN THE ALKYL GROUP CONTAINS FROM 1 TO 8 CARBON ATOMS, WHEREIN THE PERCENT BY WEIGHT IS BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE MONOMER IN THE FIRST POLYMERIZABLE MONOMER MIXTURE, AND

Claim 4

AS THE FIRST STAGE GRAFT, THE POLYMERIZATION PRODUCT OF A FIRST POLYMERIABLE MONOMER COMPOSITION COMPRISING: A. FROM 0 TO 2 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN NONCONJUGATED DIOLEFIN MONOMER, B. FROM 0 TP 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED NITRILE MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACRYLONITRILE, AND MIXTURES OF ACRYLONITRILE AND METHACRYLONITRILE WHICH CONTAIN UP TO 20 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF METHACRYLONITRILE, C. FROM 40 TO 60 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A VINYLIDENE SROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER, AND D. FROM 20 TO 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ALKYL ESTER OF ACRYLIC OR METHACRYLIC ACID WHEREIN THE ALKYL GROUP CONTAINS FROM 1 TO 8 CARBON ATOMS, WHEREIN THE PERCENT BY WEIGHT IS BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE MONOMER IN THE FIRST POLYMERIZABLE MONOMER MIXTURE, AND

Claim 5

AS THE ECOND STAGE GRAFT, A SECOND POLYMERIZABLE MONOMER COMPOSITION COMPRISING FROM 55 TO 85 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED NITRILE MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACRYLONITRILE AND MIXTURES OF ACRYLONITRILE AND METHACRYLONITRILE WHICH CONTAIN UP TO 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF METHYACRYLONITRILE BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF ACRYLONITRILE AND METHACRYLONITRILE AND FROM 15 TO 45 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A MONOVINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER WHEREIN THE PRECENT BY WEIGHT IS BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE MONOMERS IN THE SECOND POLYMERIZABLE MIXTURE: WHEREIN THE GRATED SUPERSTRATE CONTAINS A TOTAL OF AT LEAST 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED NITRILE MONOMER AND WHEREIN THE RATIO OF GRATED SUPERSTRATE TO SUBSTRATE IS IN THE RANGE OF FROM 15-200:100.

Claim 6

AS THE ECOND STAGE GRAFT, A SECOND POLYMERIZABLE MONOMER COMPOSITION COMPRISING FROM 55 TO 85 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF AN ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED NITRILE MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACRYLONITRILE AND MIXTURES OF ACRYLONITRILE AND METHACRYLONITRILE WHICH CONTAIN UP TO 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF METHYACRYLONITRILE BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF ACRYLONITRILE AND METHACRYLONITRILE AND FROM 15 TO 45 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A MONOVINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER WHEREIN THE PRECENT BY WEIGHT IS BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE MONOMERS IN THE SECOND POLYMERIZABLE MIXTURE: WHEREIN THE GRATED SUPERSTRATE CONTAINS A TOTAL OF AT LEAST 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED NITRILE MONOMER AND WHEREIN THE RATIO OF GRATED SUPERSTRATE TO SUBSTRATE IS IN THE RANGE OF FROM 15-200:100.

Claim 7

as the second stage graft, a second polymerizable monomer composition comprising from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and mixtures of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile which contain up to 20 percent by weight of methacrylonitrile based on the total weight of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile and from 15 to 45 percent by weight of a monovinylidene aromatic hydrocarbon monomer wherein the percent by weight is based on the total weight of the monomers in the second polymerizable monomer mixture; wherein the grafted superstrate contains a total of at least 40 percent by weight ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer and wherein the ratio of grafted superstrate to substrate is in the range of from 15-200:100.

Claim 8

as the second stage graft, a second polymerizable monomer composition comprising from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and mixtures of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile which contain up to 20 percent by weight of methacrylonitrile based on the total weight of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile and from 15 to 45 percent by weight of a monovinylidene aromatic hydrocarbon monomer wherein the percent by weight is based on the total weight of the monomers in the second polymerizable monomer mixture; wherein the grafted superstrate contains a total of at least 40 percent by weight ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer and wherein the ratio of grafted superstrate to substrate is in the range of from 15-200:100.

Claim 9

A polymeric composition as in claim 1 wherein the first polymerizable monomer mixture contains acrylonitrile, styrene, methyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate.

Claim 10

as the second stage graft, a second polymerizable monomer composition comprising from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and mixtures of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile which contains up to 20 percent by weight of methacrylonitrile based on the total weight of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile and from 15 to 45 percent by weight of a monovinylidene aromatic hydrocarbon monomer wherein the percent by weight is based on the total weight of the monomers in the second polymerizable monomer mixture; wherein the grafted superstrate contains a total of at least 40 percent by weight ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer and wherein the ratio of grafted superstrate to substrate is in the range of from 15-200:100; and C. a matrix polymer containing from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile which contain up to 20 percent by weight of methacrylonitrile based on the tOtal weight of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile and from 15 to 45 percent of a monovinylidene aromatic hydrocarbon monomer; wherein the amount of rubbery substrate in the polymeric composition is in the range of from 3 to 50 percent by weight based on the weight of the polymeric composition.

Claim 11

as the second stage graft, a second polymerizable monomer composition comprising from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and mixtures of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile which contains up to 20 percent by weight of methacrylonitrile based on the total weight of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile and from 15 to 45 percent by weight of a monovinylidene aromatic hydrocarbon monomer wherein the percent by weight is based on the total weight of the monomers in the second polymerizable monomer mixture; wherein the grafted superstrate contains a total of at least 40 percent by weight ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer and wherein the ratio of grafted superstrate to substrate is in the range of from 15-200:100; and C. a matrix polymer containing from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile which contain up to 20 percent by weight of methacrylonitrile based on the tOtal weight of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile and from 15 to 45 percent of a monovinylidene aromatic hydrocarbon monomer; wherein the amount of rubbery substrate in the polymeric composition is in the range of from 3 to 50 percent by weight based on the weight of the polymeric composition.

Claim 12

A polymeric composition as in claim 1 wherein the second polymerizable monomer mixture contains acrylonitrile and styrene.

Claim 13

A polymeric composition as in claim 1 wherein the nitrile monomer used in the first polymerizable monomer is a mixture of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile.

Claim 14

A polymeric composition as in claim 1 wherein the nitrile monomer used in the second polymerizable monomer is a mixture of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile.

Claim 15

A polymeric composition as in claim 1 wherein there is additionally included a matrix polymer containing from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile and mixtures of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile which contain up to 20 percent by weight of methacrylonitrile based on the total weight of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile and from 15 to 45 percent of a mono-vinylidene aromatic hydrocarbon monomer.

Claim 16

A polymeric composition as in claim 1 wherein up to 5 percent by weight of the butadiene in the rubbery substrate is replaced with acrylonitrile.

Claim 17

A polymeric composition comprising: A. a butadiene-styrene rubbery substrate having a butadiene content of 68 to 72 percent by weight and a styrene content of 28 to 32 percent by weight based on the total weight of the butadiene-styrene rubbery substrate which rubbery substrate is further characterized as having a refractive index in the range of from 1.5375 to 1.5425, a particle size in the range of from 0.06 to 0.2 micron, a gel content in the range of from 40 to 95 percent, a swelling index in the range of from 10 to 40, and a second order transition temperature (Tg) less than -40*C.; B. a superstrate grafted onto the rubbery substrate in two separate stages which superstrate comprises:

Claim 18

A polymeric composition comprising: A. a butadiene-styrene rubbery substrate having a butadiene content of 68 to 72 percent by weight and a styrene content of 28 to 32 percent by weight based on the total weight of the butadiene-styrene rubbery substrate which rubbery substrate is further characterized as having a refractive index in the range of from 1.5375 to 1.5425, a particle size in the range of from 0.06 to 0.2 micron, a gel content in the range of from 40 to 95 percent, a swelling index in the range of from 10 to 40, and a second order transition temperature (Tg) less than -40*C.; B. a superstrate grafted onto the rubbery substrate in two separate stages which superstrate comprises:

Claim 19

A polymeric composition as in claim 8 wherein the first polymerizable monomer mixture contains acrylonitrile, styrene, methyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate.

Claim 20

A polymeric composition as in claim 8 wherein the second polymerizable monomer mixture contains acrylonitrile and styrene.

Claim 21

A polymeric composition as in claim 8 wherein the nitrile monomer used in the first polymerizable monomer is a mixture of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile.

Claim 22

A polymeric composition as in claim 8 wherein the nitrile monomer used in the second polymerizable monomer is a mixture of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile.

Claim 23

A polymeric composition as in claim 8 wherein up to 5 percent by weight of the butadiene in the rubbery substrate is replaced with acrylonitrile.