Abstract: A method for forming chrome-free retanned leather including: (a) contacting wet white (chrome-free tanned hide) with a retanning mixture comprising from 2% to 15%, by solids weight, based on the wet weight of the wet white, of an amphoteric polymer composition comprising amine functional units and acid functional units; and (b) applying a polymeric overcoat containing an acrylic copolymer with one or more metal transition elements, with a thickness of no greater than 100 microns, to the retanned wet white, is provided. The present invention also provides a chrome-free retanned leather formed by the method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process comprising the step of contacting an aqueous dispersion of swelled polymer particles with a rheology modifier and a binder to form a coatings composition with a VOC of less than 50 g/L. The swelled polymer particles arise from neutralization of alkali swellable polymer particles having a high acid core content and a low Tg shell. The composition arising from the process of the present invention is useful for improving open time, especially for low VOC coatings applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a coatings composition with an open time additive comprising the steps of a) contacting an aqueous dispersion of alkali swellable polymer particles with a rheology modifier and a binder to form a coatings composition with a VOC of less than 50 g/L; and b) neutralizing the alkali swellable particles with a non-volatile base after or upon contact with the rheology modifier and the binder to form swelled multi-staged polymer particles; wherein the alkali swellable polymer particles comprise a shell having a Tg of not greater than 25° C. and an acid functionalized core; and wherein the core-to-shell ratio is in the range of from 1:3.2 to 1:10. The composition arising from the process of the present invention is useful for improving open time, especially for low VOC coatings applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of multistage polymer particles with a first phase comprising structural units of a carboxylic acid monomer and a nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer; and a second phase with a calculated Tg of less than 50° C. and comprising a mixture of polymers which together comprise structural units of styrene or methyl methacrylate or both; structural units of one or of n-butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, or n-butyl methacrylate; and structural units of a carboxylic acid monomer. The composition is useful as an open time additive in coatings formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of a) contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions vinyl acetate; a cyclic ketene acetal monomer; and a monoethylenically unsaturated acid monomer or a salt thereof; to form an aqueous dispersion of copolymer particles comprising structural units of vinyl acetate, the cyclic ketene acetal, and the monoethylenically unsaturated acid monomer or a salt thereof; wherein the cyclic ketene acetal monomer is characterized by following structure: where n and the R groups are as defined herein. The method of the present invention provides a water-borne dispersion that is substantially free of volatile organic solvents and that provides a readily degradable polymer that is useful, for example, in the manufacture of biodegradable packaging products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of copolymer particles comprising structural units of vinyl acetate, a cyclic ketene acetal monomer, and a monoethylenically unsaturated acid monomer, or a salt thereof; wherein the cyclic ketene acetal monomer is characterized by following structure: where n and the R groups are as defined herein. The composition of the present invention provides a water-borne dispersion that is substantially free of volatile organic solvents and that provides a readily degradable polymer that is useful, for example, in the manufacture of biodegradable packaging products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of: a) contacting an acrylate monomer, a carboxylic acid monomer, and a chain transfer agent under free radical polymerization conditions to form a solution of a polymer having an Mn in the range of from 5,000 to 50,000 Daltons; b) contacting the solution with a base and an ethylenically unsaturated glycidyl functionalized monomer to form a solution of an ethylenically unsaturated acrylate polymer; c) contacting the solution of the ethylenically unsaturated functionalized acrylate polymer with water to form an aqueous dispersion of ethylenically unsaturated functionalized acrylate polymers; and d) removing the organic solvent. The method of the present invention provides a composition suitable for use as a UV curable coating that achieves an excellent balance of hardness, flexibility, and warmth with less reliance on costly MFAs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process comprising the step of contacting an aqueous dispersion of swelled polymer particles with a rheology modifier and a binder to form a coatings composition with a VOC of less than 50 g/L. The swelled polymer particles arise from neutralization of alkali swellable polymer particles having a high acid core content and a low Tg shell. The composition arising from the process of the present invention is useful for improving open time, especially for low VOC coatings applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous dispersion of neutralized multistage polymer particles comprising the steps of contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions a) an aqueous dispersion of first polymer particles with b) first monomers to form an aqueous dispersion of 2-stage polymer particles; then contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions the aqueous dispersion of 2-stage polymer particles with second monomers comprising to form an unneutralized aqueous dispersion of 3-stage polymer particles; then neutralizing the unneutralized aqueous dispersion of 3-stage polymer particles with a base to form an aqueous dispersion of neutralized 3-stage polymer particles, wherein the first and second monomers form a shell having a calculated Tg of less than 50° C. The process of the present invention is useful in preparing a composition that is useful as an open time additive in coatings formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising an aqueous dispersion of polymer particles having a backbone comprising structural units of an acrylate monomer and a carboxylic acid monomer, wherein a portion of the structural units of the carboxylic acid monomer are functionalized with glycidyl methacrylate, wherein the glycidyl methacrylate functionalized polymer particles have a number average molecular weight in the range of 5,000 to 50,000 Daltons. The composition of the present invention provides a UV curable coating that achieves an excellent balance of hardness and flexibility, with less reliance on the use of multifunctional acrylates.

Abstract: A method for forming chrome-free retanned leather including: (a) contacting wet white (chrome-free tanned hide) with a retanning mixture comprising from 2% to 15%, by solids weight, based on the wet weight of the wet white, of an amphoteric polymer composition comprising amine functional units and acid functional units; and (b) applying a polymeric overcoat containing an acrylic copolymer with one or more metal transition elements, with a thickness of no greater than 100 microns, to the retanned wet white, is provided. The present invention also provides a chrome-free retanned leather formed by the method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of copolymer particles comprising structural units of vinyl acetate, a cyclic ketene acetal monomer, and a monoethylenically unsaturated acid monomer, or a salt thereof; wherein the cyclic ketene acetal monomer is characterized by following structure: where n and the R groups are as defined herein. The composition of the present invention provides a water-borne dispersion that is substantially free of volatile organic solvents and that provides a readily degradable polymer that is useful, for example, in the manufacture of biodegradable packaging products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of a) contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions vinyl acetate; a cyclic ketene acetal monomer; and a monoethylenically unsaturated acid monomer or a salt thereof; to form an aqueous dispersion of copolymer particles comprising structural units of vinyl acetate, the cyclic ketene acetal, and the monoethylenically unsaturated acid monomer or a salt thereof; wherein the cyclic ketene acetal monomer is characterized by following structure: where n and the R groups are as defined herein. The method of the present invention provides a water-borne dispersion that is substantially free of volatile organic solvents and that provides a readily degradable polymer that is useful, for example, in the manufacture of biodegradable packaging products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a coatings composition with an open time additive comprising the steps of a) contacting an aqueous dispersion of alkali swellable polymer particles with a rheology modifier and a binder to form a coatings composition with a VOC of less than 50 g/L; and b) neutralizing the alkali swellable particles with a non-volatile base after or upon contact with the rheology modifier and the binder to form swelled multi-staged polymer particles; wherein the alkali swellable polymer particles comprise a shell having a Tg of not greater than 25° C. and an acid functionalized core; and wherein the core-to-shell ratio is in the range of from 1:3.2 to 1:10. The composition arising from the process of the present invention is useful for improving open time, especially for low VOC coatings applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous dispersion of neutralized multistage polymer particles comprising an alkali metal base or a high boiling point amine salt of a carboxylic acid functionalized first stage, and a low Tg second stage (shell). The dispersion is useful as an open time additive.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous dispersion of neutralized multistage polymer particles comprising the steps of: 1) contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions a) a aqueous dispersion of first polymer particles comprising structural units of a carboxylic acid monomer, and structural units of a nonionic monomer with b) first monomers comprising styrene or methyl methacrylate or a combination thereof, and a carboxylic acid monomer; to form an aqueous dispersion of 2-stage polymer particles; then 2) contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions the aqueous dispersion of first multistage polymer particles with second monomers comprising a) methyl methacrylate; b) n-butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, or n-butyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof; c) a carboxylic acid monomer; and d) less than 20 weight percent styrene, to form an unneutralized aqueous dispersion of 3-stage polymer particles; then 3) neutralizing the unneutralized aqueous disp

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of multistage polymer particles with a first phase comprising structural units of a carboxylic acid monomer and a nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer; and a second phase with a calculated Tg of less than 50° C. and comprising a mixture of polymers which together comprise structural units of styrene or methyl methacrylate or both; structural units of one or of n-butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, or n-butyl methacrylate; and structural units of a carboxylic acid monomer. The composition is useful as an open time additive in coatings formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising an aqueous dispersion of polymer particles having a backbone comprising structural units of an acrylate monomer and a carboxylic acid monomer, wherein a portion of the structural units of the carboxylic acid monomer are functionalized with glycidyl methacrylate, wherein the glycidyl methacrylate functionalized polymer particles have a number average molecular weight in the range of 5,000 to 50,000 Daltons. The composition of the present invention provides a UV curable coating that achieves an excellent balance of hardness and flexibility, with less reliance on the use of multifunctional acrylates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of: a) contacting an acrylate monomer, a carboxylic acid monomer, and a chain transfer agent under free radical polymerization conditions to form a solution of a polymer having an Mn in the range of from 5,000 to 50,000 Daltons; b) contacting the solution with a base and an ethylenically unsaturated glycidyl functionalized monomer to form a solution of an ethylenically unsaturated acrylate polymer; c) contacting the solution of the ethylenically unsaturated functionalized acrylate polymer with water to form an aqueous dispersion of ethylenically unsaturated functionalized acrylate polymers; and d) removing the organic solvent. The method of the present invention provides a composition suitable for use as a UV curable coating that achieves an excellent balance of hardness, flexibility, and warmth with less reliance on costly MFAs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermally printable paper article with an elastomeric underlayer, which imparts improved printing performance.