Abstract: A paint resin for powder coating is described which consists of modified high-pressure polyethylene (LDPE) and is characterized by(a) a content from 0.1 to 1 mol %, based on the total number of moles of all monomers, of unsaturated carboxylic acids present as copolymerized units, and/or the equivalent content of carboxylic anhydrides,(b) a neutralization degree of the carboxyl groups, which can also originate from anhydride groups, from 0 to less than 50%,(c) a termonomer content from 0 to 5 mol %, based on the total number of moles of all monomers,(d) a melt flow index from 20 to 200 g/10 minutes (190.degree. C.; 2.16 kp) and(e) a particle size from 1 to 600 .mu.m,as well as the use thereof in a process for powder coating.

Abstract: An ionomer-modified polyethylene, that is, an ethylene/carboxylic acid copolymer in which at least some of the acidic groups are neutralized, is preparable by a one-stage procedure by reacting ethylene with unsaturated carboxylic acids and salts of such unsaturated carboxylic acids in the presence of a free radical polymerization initiator, under the conditions employed in the production of high pressure polyethylene (LDPE). The concentration of salt which is incorporated in the polymer is kept at no more than 1 mol %, relative to converted ethylene and other comonomers respectively. Advantageously, the unsaturated carboxylic acids and their salts are added to the copolymerization reaction as a homogeneous solution in a suitable solvent.The ionomer-modified polyethylenes based on low density polyethylene (LDPE), in which 30-95% of the carboxyl groups are neutralized and the neutralized carboxyl groups represent 0.1-0.