Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous polymer emulsion comprising at least 30 wt. % of a vinyl copolymer (A), said vinyl copolymer comprising: (I) from 10 to 90 wt. % of 2-octyl acrylate monomer; (II) from 10 to 90 wt. % of at least one itaconate ester monomer according to formula (1) in which A and B may be different or the same and A and B are independently an alkyl group or an aryl group; and (III) from 0 to 80 wt. % of ethylenically unsaturated monomer other than (I) and (II); whereby the summed amount of (I), (II) and (III) is 100 wt. % and whereby the amount of vinyl copolymer (A) is given relative to the total weight amount of the polymers present in the emulsion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous polymer emulsion comprising at least 30 wt. % of a vinyl copolymer (A), said vinyl copolymer comprising: (I) from 10 to 90 wt. % of 2-octyl acrylate monomer; (II) from 10 to 90 wt. % of at least one itaconate ester monomer according to formula (1) in which A and B may be different or the same and A and B are independently an alkyl group or an aryl group; and (III) from 0 to 80 wt. % of ethylenically unsaturated monomer other than (I) and (II); whereby the summed amount of (I), (II) and (III) is 100 wt. % and whereby the amount of vinyl copolymer (A) is given relative to the total weight amount of the polymers present in the emulsion.

Abstract: There are described a dispersion of polymeric beads where the beads comprise a copolymer composition comprising (preferably consisting essentially of): copolymers (and processes for making them) comprising (a) at least 8.5 wt-% preferably >=20 wt-% of a higher itaconate diester (preferably dibutyl itaconate—DBI); (b) less than 23 wt-% acid monomer but also sufficient to have an acid value less than 150 mg KOH/g of polymer, (c) optionally with less than 50 wt-% of other itaconate monomers, and (d) optionally less than 77 wt-% of other monomers not (a) to (c). The DBI may be biorenewable. A further embodiment is an aqueous suspension polymerization process for preparing vinyl polymer beads from olefinically unsaturated monomers and a free-radical initiator, where at least 10 wt-% of the monomer is DBI.

Abstract: There are described q oligomer-polymer composition [optionally substantially free of styrene (<1.5 wt-% of copolymer)] comprising oligomer composition O having a weight average molecular weight of from 1000 to 150,000 g/mol (measured by GPC) and polymer composition P having a weight average molecular weight of at least 80,000 g/mol (measured by GPC) the oligomer composition O and the polymer composition P each independently comprising a copolymer composition comprising: (a) at least 8.5 wt-% preferably >=20 wt-% of a higher itaconate diester (preferably dibutyl itaconate—DBI); (b) less than 23 wt-% acid monomer but also sufficient to have an acid value less than 150 mg KOH/g of polymer, (c) optionally with less than 50 wt-% of other itaconate monomers, and (d) optionally less than 77 wt-% of other monomers not (a) to (c). The DBI may be biorenewable. One embodiment is an aqueous dispersion of vinyl sequential polymer of two phases: A) 40 to 90 wt-% of a vinyl polymer A with Tg from ?50 to 30° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous emulsion comprising at least a vinyl polymer, said vinyl polymer comprising: a) 45 to 99 wt % of itaconate ester monomers having formula (I), wherein R and R? are independently an alkyl or an aryl group; b) 0.1 to 15 wt % of ionic or potentially ionic unsaturated monomers; c) 0 to 54 wt % of unsaturated monomers, different from a) and b); and 0.9 to 54.9 wt % by weight of total monomers of a chaser monomer composition added subsequently and polymerized after the polymerization of monomers a), b) and c); wherein a)+b)+c) and the chaser monomer composition add up to 100%; and wherein the aqueous emulsion contains less than 0.5 wt % free itaconate ester monomers of formula I based on the total weight of the aqueous emulsion.

Abstract: There is described a method of preparing a post-modified polymer the method comprising the steps of: (1) polymerising a monomer composition comprising from 2.5 to 75% by weight of the total monomer composition of at least one itaconic anhydride, precursor thereof and/or derivative thereof in a polymerisation method to obtain an itaconate Polymer A; (2) reacting in a post modification step at least 10 mole-% of the anhydride groups, anhydride precursor groups and/or anhydride derived groups of the Polymer A obtained from step (1) with a Nucleophile B to form a post-modified Polymer C, and optionally using said polymer C as seed or stabiliser in a further step (3) to form a sequential Polymer D.

Abstract: There are described q oligomer-polymer composition [optionally substantially free of styrene (<1.5 wt-% of copolymer)] comprising oligomer composition O having a weight average molecular weight of from 1000 to 150,000 g/mol (measured by GPC) and polymer composition P having a weight average molecular weight of at least 80,000 g/mol (measured by GPC) the oligomer composition O and the polymer composition P each independently comprising a copolymer composition comprising: (a) at least 8.5 wt-% preferably >=20 wt-% of a higher itaconate diester (preferably dibutyl itaconate—DBI); (b) less than 23 wt-% acid monomer but also sufficient to have an acid value less than 150 mg KOH/g of polymer, (c) optionally with less than 50 wt-% of other itaconate monomers, and (d) optionally less than 77 wt-% of other monomers not (a) to (c). The DBI may be biorenewable. One embodiment is an aqueous dispersion of vinyl sequential polymer of two phases: A) 40 to 90 wt-% of a vinyl polymer A with Tg from ?50 to 30° C.

Abstract: There is described a polymer blend of a first and second polymer comprising: a) a first polymer of: vinyl (co)polymer; alkyd; urethane acrylic copolymer; polyurethane and/or polyester; b) a second copolymer from: b1) optionally at least 10 wt-% of one or derivatives of itaconic acid and/or isomers thereof; b2) up to 20 wt-% of one or more acid functional (or potentially acid functional) monomer(s) and b3) vinyl monomer(s) where wt % of each monomer (b1 to b3) is based on total (b) and where at least one of the first and second polymer is obtained from an itacon-functional monomer such as itaconic acid and/or its derivatives.

Abstract: There is described use of a biorenewable copolymers in one or more of: in a topical and/or personal care composition, as a binder for toner, as an encapsulating agent for a colorant, as a hybrid colorant, as additive for sheet moulding compounds, as a plastic pigment, as a filler for composite materials such as concrete, as a filler for coatings and/or waxes; and/or as a spacer in a display; where the biorenewable copolymer comprises (a) at least 8. 5 wt-% preferably >=20 wt-% of a higher itaconate diester (preferably dibutyl itaconate—DBI); (b) less than 23 wt-% acid monomer but also sufficient to have an acid value less than 150 mg KOH/g of polymer, (c) optionally with less than 50 wt-% of other itaconate monomers, and (d) optionally less than 77 wt-% of other monomers not (a) to (c). The DBI may be biorenewable. One embodiment is an aqueous dispersion of vinyl sequential polymer of two phases: A) 40 to 90 wt-% of a vinyl polymer A with Tg from ?50 to 30° C.

Abstract: There are described vinyl sequential copolymers (and processes for making them) comprising (a) at least 8. 5 wt-% preferably >=20 wt-% of a higher itaconate diester (preferably dibutyl itaconate—DBI); (b) less than 23 wt-% acid monomer but also sufficient to have an acid value less than 150 mg KOH/g of polymer, (c) optionally with less than 50 wt-% of other itaconate monomers, and (d) optionally less than 77 wt-% of other monomers not (a) to (c). The DBI may be biorenewable. One embodiment is an aqueous dispersion of the vinyl sequential polymer of two phases: A) 40 to 90 wt-% of a vinyl polymer A with Tg from ?50 to 30° C.; and B) 10 to 60 wt-% of a vinyl polymer B with Tg from 50 to 130° C.; where DBI is used to prepare A and/or B and polymer A has from 0.1 to 10 wt-% of at least one acid-functional olefinically unsaturated monomer.

Abstract: There are described a dispersion of polymeric beads where the beads comprise a copolymer composition comprising (preferably consisting essentially of): copolymers (and processes for making them) comprising (a) at least 8.5 wt-% preferably >=20 wt-% of a higher itaconate diester (preferably dibutyl itaconate—DBI); (b) less than 23 wt-% acid monomer but also sufficient to have an acid value less than 150 mg KOH/g of polymer, (c) optionally with less than 50 wt-% of other itaconate monomers, and (d) optionally less than 77 wt-% of other monomers not (a) to (c). The DBI may be biorenewable. A further embodiment is an aqueous suspension polymerisation process for preparing vinyl polymer beads from olefinically unsaturated monomers and a free-radical initiator, where at least 10 wt-% of the monomer is DBI.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous emulsion comprising at least a vinyl polymer, said vinyl polymer comprising: a) 45 to 99 wt % of itaconate ester monomers having formula (I), wherein R and R? are independently an alkyl or an aryl group; b) 0.1 to 15 wt % of ionic or potentially ionic unsaturated monomers; c) 0 to 54 wt % of unsaturated monomers, different from a) and b); and 0.9 to 54.9 wt % by weight of total monomers of a chaser monomer composition added subsequently and polymerised after the polymerisation of monomers a), b) and c); wherein a)+b)+c) and the chaser monomer composition add up to 100%; and wherein the aqueous emulsion contains less than 0.5 wt % free itaconate ester monomers of formula I based on the total weight of the aqueous emulsion.