Abstract: A process is described for rendering amino-group polymer solutions substantially odorless. In one embodiment, a solution of the terpolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl caprolactam and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate is treated with 0.1-10% by weight of an acidic compound or an acidic ion-exchange resin to render the solution substantially odorless. Other vinyl pyrrolidone polymer solutions in water and alcohol are treated similarly with equally effective results.

Abstract: The method of crosslinking polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) which comprises: copolymerizing vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) and an aminoalkene, a hydroxyalkene, or an aminoalkyl acrylamide or methacrylamide, to provide a crosslinkable, functional PVP copolymer as a starting material; then (a) condensing predetermined amounts of the starting material and a haloacetal under basic conditions to form a stable, crosslinkable PVP copolymer intermediate containing an acetal group as a functional appendant on the PVP polymer backbone; (b) acidifying the basic solution to hydrolyze the acetal group to an aldehyde group, and (c) crosslinking the aldehyde-functional PVP copolymer with the amine group of the amine-functional PVP copolymer, present on the polymer as free amine after step (a), or as added amine-functional copolymer to the reaction mixture, under basic conditions.

Abstract: A method for forming a water-in-oil emulsion of a water-soluble polymer by emulsion polymerization of the corresponding monomer in the presence of an initiator and an emulsifier which is a polysiloxane polyalkylene polyether copolymer. The polymerization of acidic monomer can be carried out without complete neutralization of the monomer beforehand and without adverse effects on the emulsion stability. The water-in-oil product emulsion is easily inverted to a stable oil-in-water emulsion.

Abstract: What is provided herein is a stabilized aqueous solution of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl vinyl ether and maleic acid copolymer which includes about 10-500 ppm of an inorganic reducing agent as a stabilizing additive, said reducing agent being effective to prevent oxygen from the air and peroxides contained in polymer system from degrading the copolymer. Preferably the reducing agent is sulfur dioxide and salts derived from sulfur dioxide and alkali metals such as, sodium or potassium bisulfite, sodium or potassium metabisulfite, sodium or potassium thiosulfite, or sodium or potassium sulfite.

Abstract: An emulsifier for an inverse emulsion polymerization to be produce a water-soluble polymer composed of a mixture of a non-ionic oil-soluble surfactant and an N-alkyl lactam or polymer of a N-vinyl lactam. The emulsifier is extremely useful in polymerizations wherein a water-in-oil polymeric product is obtained since the product is easily inverted to a stable oil-in-water emulsion. Methods for polymerization processes using the inventive emulsifier as well as emulsions obtained therefrom are also disclosed.

Abstract: Crosslinkable, functional polymers of vinylpyrrolidone and aminoalkyl acrylamides are provided herein. Such polymers are readily crosslinked with a crosslinking agent, e.g. a multi-aldehyde, such as a di-, tri- or tetra- aldehyde, preferably, glutaric dialdehyde, to form an aqueous gel of predetermined viscosity suitable for making hydrogels, adhesives and coatings.

Abstract: A hair spray fixative resin comprises a vinyl acetate/alkyl maleate half ester/N-substituted acrylamide terpolymer in a molar ratio of about 1.0 to 0.6-0.8 to 0.08-0.12, which is preferably produced by a suspension or solution polymerization process. Utilizing N-substituted acrylamides in place of isoborneol methacrylates in the terpolymer provides superior holding power over conventional hair fixative resins, at lower cost.

Abstract: What is provided herein are copolymers of a vinyl lactam and a hydroxy or amino alkene monomers, which contain a hydroxy or amino functionality therein. These copolymers are prepared by reaction between a vinyl lactam, e.g. vinylpyrrolidone (VP) or vinyl caprolactam (VCL), a functional polymerizable monomer, e.g. .omega.-amino-1-alkene (AA) or .omega.-hydroxy-1-alkene (HA), in water solution in the presence of a free radical initiator under predetermined reaction conditions.

Abstract: What is provided herein is a gelled acidizer composition which comprises an aqueous acid solution and a gelling agent therein which is a strongly swellable, moderately crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers in the form of fine, white powders characterized by (a) an aqueous swelling parameter defined by its gel volume of about 15 to 150 ml/g of polymer and (b) a Brookfield viscosity in 5% aqueous solution of at least about 10,000 cps.

Abstract: What is provided herein are cosmetic compositions for the care of hair and skin containing about 0.2 to 10% by wt. of a strongly swellable, moderately crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers in the form of fine, white powders characterized by (a) an aqueous swelling parameter defined by its gel volume of about 15 to 150 ml/g, (b) a Brookfield viscosity in 5% aqueous solution of at least about 10,000 cps, and (c) being prepared directly by a precipitation polymerization process in an organic solvent, in the presence of about 0.2 to 1% by weight of vinylpyrrolidone of a multifunctional crosslinking agent, preferably about 0.25 to 0.6%, and optimally, about 0.35 to 0.6%.

Abstract: What is provided herein are strongly swellable, moderately crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers in the form of fine, white powders characterized by (a) an aqueous swelling parameter defined by its gel volume of about 15 to 150 ml/g, (b) a Brookfield viscosity in 5% aqueous solution of at least about 10,000 cps, and (c) being prepared directly by a precipitation polymerization process in an organic solvent, in the presence of about 0.2 to 1% by weight of vinylpyrrolidone of a multifunctional crosslinking agent, preferably about 0.25 to 0.6%, and optimally, about 0.35 to 0.6%.

Abstract: Non-aerosol pump hair spray compositions herein are applied as a fine spray mist, without nozzle clogging, and dried rapidly, to provide superior hair holding power. The compositions includes a hair fixative resin which is a terpolymer of a vinyl ester, an alkyl maleate half ester, and an acrylate ester of a saturated, hydroxylated bicyclic hydrocarbon, in an amount between 6 and 20% solids, and at a relative viscosity of from 1.10 to below 1.30.

Abstract: Non-aerosol pump hair spray compositions herein are applied as a fine spray mist, without nozzle clogging, and dried rapidly, to provide superior hair holding power. The compositions includes a hair fixative resin which is a copolymer of maleic anhydride and an alkyl vinyl ether, and the ethyl and butyl half-esters thereof, in an amount of between 6 and 20% solids. In suitable embodiments of the invention, the resin is the C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkyl half-ester of maleic anhydride and C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl vinyl ether having a relative viscosity of about 1.20 to 1.35 (1% in ethanol).

Abstract: This invention relates to water soluble heterocyclic cationic graft polymers of cellulose containing units of the structure ##STR1## wherein R is the residue of a cellulosic polymer containing hydroxyl groups; R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl; R.sub.2.sup.+ is a quaternized amino amide, a quaternized amino ester or a quaternized 5 or 6 membered heterocyclic ring having up to 2 nitrogen atoms in the ring structure; R.sub.3 is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.8 alkylene group which is optionally substituted with methyl; R.sub.4 is hydrogen or hydroxy; x is an integer having a value of from 1 to 1000 and X is a halide anion.

Abstract: An improved hair spray resin comprising microspheres of vinyl acetate/mono-n-C.sub.4 -C.sub.5 alkyl maleate/ an isobornyl acrylate terpolymer in a molar ratio of about 1:0.35-1:0.05-0.25 and a one-step suspension polymerization process for the preparation of said resin in yields above 85%.

Abstract: Physical and photographic characteristics of silver halide emulsions containing salts of multivalent metals are improved by adding synthetic water-insoluble terpolymers of acrylic esters, glycidyl acrylates and acrylamides as emulsion additives. The crosslinkable terpolymers are highly compatible with silver halide emulsions containing multivalent metal salts when an acrylamide is a polymer component at less than 15 wt% and an anionic sulfate surfactant of the formula ##STR1## where R.sub.5 is a straight or branch-chain alkyl group of C.sub.4 -C.sub.12, R.sub.6 is a straight of branch-chain alkyl group of C.sub.8 -C.sub.20, n is an integer of 8 to 40, and M.sup.+ is an ammonium ion or, a monovalent metal ion such as potassium, sodium or cesium, is the dispersing agent during emulsion polymerization.