Abstract: The instant invention relates to a process for controlling the viscosity of organic liquids by incorporating in said liquid a minor amount of an ionic polymer, and a cosolvent for the ionic groups of said polymer. The ionic polymer comprises a backbone which is substantially soluble in said organic liquid, and pendant ionic groups which are substantially insoluble in said organic liquid. A cosolvent is selected which will solubilize the pendant ionomeric groups and provide a reasonably homogeneous mixture of solvent, cosolvent and ionomeric polymer. The preferred compositions prepared by the method of the instant invention comprise an organic liquid having a solubility parameter of from 6 to 10.5 in combination with a sulfonated polymer containing from 0.2 up to 10.0 mole % ionic groups which has been neutralized by a basic material selected from Groups IA and IIA, IB and IIB of the Periodic Table of the Elements (and also lead, tin and antimony) and a nonvolatile alcohol or amine cosolvent.

Abstract: This invention relates to thermoplastic, multiphase copolymers selected from the group consisting of copolymers represented by graft copolymers having the general formula ##STR1## AND BLOCK COPOLYMERS HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA XB--[AB].sub.n --yA wherein n is an integer .gtoreq. 1, m is > 1, x and y are 0 or 1, and y is 1 when n is 1, A is a thermoplastic, hydrophobic polymer block having a softening point (i.e., a glass transition or cyrstalline melting point) of at least 35.degree. C and a molecular weight of at least 2,000, and B is a thermoplastic, hydrophilic polymer block having a softening point of at least about 35.degree. C and a molecular weight of at least about 6,000, which comprises from about 30-97 wt % of said copolymer. The novel polymers of this invention are useful for making water containing gels. Preferably, the thermoplastic multiphase copolymer is a styrene-ethylene oxide copolymer.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to compositions comprising a copolymer of sulfur dioxide and one or more olefins in combination with a hydrocarbon oil which is a mixture of paraffinic, aromatic and naphthenic hydrocarbons having a solubility parameter of about 7 to about 8.5. The olefins are alpha olefins, at least one having a carbon number of 20 or more, more preferably a carbon number of from 20 to 40. The copolymers useful in preparing the compositions of the instant invention are crystalline solids, which are combined with a sufficient amount, preferably from about 5 to 24 pph, of the hydrocarbon oil to yield flexible materials. The above compositions are useful as coatings.

Abstract: This invention relates to thermoplastic, multiphase copolymers selected from the group consisting of copolymers represented by graft copolymers having the general formula ##STR1## AND BLOCK COPOLYMERS HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA XB--[AB].sub.n --yA wherein n is an integer .gtoreq.1, m is >1, x and y are 0 or 1, and y is 1 when n is 1, A is a thermoplastic, hydrophobic polymer block having a softening point (i.e., a glass transition or crystalline melting point) of at least 35.degree. C and a molecular weight of at least 2,000, and B is a thermoplastic, hydrophilic polymer block having a softening point of at least about 35.degree. C and a molecular weight of at least about 6,000, which comprises from about 30-97 wt % of said copolymer. The novel polymers of this invention are useful for making water containing gels. Preferably, the thermoplastic multiphase copolymer is a styrene-ethylene oxide copolymer.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a plastic, which plastic is either a thermoplastic ionomer or a multiphase graft or block copolymer of the ABA, ##STR1## or (AB).sub.n wherein n is greater than 1 and wherein the polymer blocks (A and B) are thermoplastic, incompatible with one another, and have different softening points, both softening points being substantially above room temperature when using the latter class of polymers. The material is first heated to a temperature above both softening points and formed into any desired shape, then cooled and re-formed into a new desired shape at a temperature between that of the softening points of the two blocks and finally cooled to a temperature below both softening points thereby retaining the shape last achieved. When using thermoplastic ionomers the process is similar. The material is heated above the softening point of the thermoplastic backbone and plasticizers are employed to disrupt the ionic domains.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a plastic, which plastic is either a thermoplastic ionomer or a multiphase graft or block copolymer of the ABA, ##STR1## or (AB).sub.n wherein n is greater than 1 and wherein the polymer blocks (A and B) are thermoplastic, incompatible with one another, and have different softening points, both softening points being substantially above room temperature when using the latter class of polymers. The material is first heated to a temperature above both softening points and formed into any desired shape, then cooled and re-formed into a new desired shape at a temperature between that of the softening points of the two blocks and finally cooled to a temperature below both softening points thereby retaining the shape last achieved. When using thermoplastic ionomers the process is similar. The material is heated above the softening point of the thermoplastic backbone and plasticizers are employed to disrupt the ionic domains.

Abstract: Ionically crosslinked polymers are plasticized by blending the ionic compositions with a plasticizer which is normally liquid and non-volatile, the plasticizer compounds having a solubility parameter of at least 9.0. The plasticizers are preferential plasticizers for their ionic domains and do not ordinarily plasticize the polymeric backbone.

Abstract: This invention relates to processable ionic elastomer compositions having improved compression set properties, especially at elevated temperatures. In this invention an intractable ionic elastomer, for example, a sulfonated elastomer is blended with from 10 to 70 parts per hundred of a crystalline polyolefin to yield novel compositions having the above properties. Preferably the ionic elastomer is a sulfonated ethylene propylene terpolymer having from about 0.2 to 20 mole percent sulfonate groups, at least 95% of which are combined with counterions selected from the group consisting of Groups IA, IIA, IB, and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements, aluminum, antimony, lead, and mixtures thereof. The sulfonated polymer is combined with said counterions by neutralization of a polysulfonic acid precurser with a basic material in which the desired counterion is present as the cation thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to blends of sulfonated elastomers with crystalline polyolefins. The sulfonated elastomer comprises from about 0.2 to about 20 mole percent sulfonate groups, at least 95% of which are combined with metal counter ions selected from the group consisting of Groups I and II of the Periodic Table of the Elements, aluminum, and lead; organic amines; and mixtures thereof. The crystalline polyolefin is preferably selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, including high and low density polyethylenes, and polypropylene. The crystalline polyolefin comprises a minor portion of said blends.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel foamed polymeric products which are prepared by foaming an ionic polymer in the presence of a volatile polar compound which acts as a plasticizer for the ionic groups present in said ionic polymer. The ionic polymer comprises from about 0.4 to 10 mole % pendant acid groups, especially sulfonic acid groups which have been neutralized to a degree of at least 97%, preferably 100%. In a most preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the foamed polymeric product is prepared from a sulfonated polystyrene polymer. This high strength, low density foam of the instant invention can be reprocessed by admixing with a low boiling solvent for the sulfonate groups, e.g., methanol, and repeating the above foaming process.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a plastic, which plastic is either a thermoplastic ionomer or a multiphase graft or block copolymer of the ABA, ##EQU1## or (AB).sub.n wherein n is greater than 1 and wherein the polymer blocks (A and B) are thermoplastic, incompatible with one another, and have different softening points, both softening points being substantially above room temperature when using the latter class of polymers. The material is first heated to a temperature above both softening points and formed into any desired shape, then cooled and re-formed into a new desired shape at a temperature between that of the softening points of the two blocks and finally cooled to a temperature below both softening points thereby retaining the shape last achieved. When using thermoplastic ionomers the process is similar. The material is heated above the softening point of the thermoplastic backbone and plasticisers are employed to disrupt the ionic domains.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to novel block copolymers containing olefin sulfur-dioxide segments and a process for their preparation. The olefin of choice is a "strained" olefin thus capable of reaction with SO.sub.2 in the presence of radicals at very high rates. Examples of strained olefins include cyclopropene, cyclobutene, norbornene, and the derivatives thereof. The novel block copolymers are prepared by contacting the olefin and the sulfur dioxide with a polymer under conditions of shearing degradation whereby said polymer is broken down into radical-containing segments which subsequently combine with the olefin and sulfur dioxide to form the novel copolymers described above. The polymer may be selected from the group consisting of polyisobutylene, poly(ethylene oxide), ethylene-propylene copolymers, poly(propylene oxide), polybutadiene, polyisoprene, etc.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to a process for controlling the viscosity of organic liquids by incorporating in said liquid a minor amount of an ionic polymer, and a cosolvent for the ionic groups of said polymer. The ionic polymer comprises a backbone which is substantially soluble in said organic liquid, and pendant ionic groups which are substantially insoluble in said organic liquid. A cosolvent is selected which will solubilize the pendant ionomeric groups and provide a reasonably homogeneous mixture of solvent, cosolvent and ionomeric polymer. The preferred compositions prepared by the method of the instant invention comprise an organic liquid having a solubility parameter of from 6 to 10.5 in combination with a sulfonated polymer containing from 0.2 up to 10.0 mole % ionic groups which has been neutralized by a basic material selected from Groups IA and IIA, IB and IIB of the Periodic Table of the Elements (and also lead, tin and antimony) and a nonvolatile alcohol or amine cosolvent.