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: An aqueous coating composition (which optionally can coat plastic substrates) the composition comprising a block copolymer and a polymer P; where the block copolymer comprises at least blocks [A]x[B]y; where at least block [A] is obtained by a controlled radical polymerization of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer via a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) mechanism (optionally in solution in the presence of a control agent and a source of free radicals); and wherein block [A] comprises 20 to 100 mol % of ethylenically unsaturated monomer units bearing water-dispersing functional groups; wherein block [B] comprises 20 to 100 mol % of ethylenically unsaturated monomer units bearing plastic adhesion promoting functional groups; and wherein polymer P is prepared in the presence of blocks [A]x[B]y. The compositions may be used to coat plastic substrates, foam; surfaces having low surface energy, hydrophobic substrates and/or polyolefins.

Abstract: A process for obtaining an aqueous emulsion comprising a block copolymer by the solution polymerisation of vinyl monomers to obtain block [B] in the presence of a) a radical precursor; and b) an iodine atom containing block [A]; where block [A] and [B] together comprise 0 to 2 wt % of methacrylic acid; where block [A] and block [B] together comprise ?2.5 wt % of vinyl monomers bearing ionic or potentially ionic water-dispersing groups not including methacrylic acid; and performing a post polymerisation reaction on the block copolymer emulsion obtained in step II; and wherein said aqueous emulsion has a free vinyl monomer level <1000 ppm when having a solids content of ?20 wt %.

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 an aqueous urethane acrylate copolymer dispersion comprising a) from 10 to 95 wt-% of a polyurethane copolymer, and b) from 5 to 90 wt-% of a polyvinyl copolymer, where vinyl copolymer (b) comprises from 30 parts to 100 parts by weight of biorenewable monomer(s)—such as itaconic acid, itaconate diesters and/or diamides for example dimethyl itaconate (DMI) or dibutyl itaconate (DBI) and where optionally the composition has a residual monomer level of less than 5000 ppm.

Abstract: There is described a block copolymer comprising at least a block [A] and a block [B], where: (a) (i) block [A] comprises from 5 to 95 mole-% per mole-% of the block [A] of itaconate functional moieties; (b) (i) block [B] is substantially free of itaconate functional moieties. Preferably the block copolymer is made by a controlled radical polymerisation (CRP) such as reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT).

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: There is described a low number average molecular weight (MN<10 kD) and high glass transition temperature (>75° C.) copolymer (optionally a solid grade oligomer (SGO)) that comprises (a) at least 20 wt-% of itaconate functional monomer(s), (b) not more than 40% of a hydrophilic monomer, preferably an acid functional monomer(s) in an amount sufficient to achieve an acid value from 65 to 325 mg KOH per g of solid polymer; (c) optionally not more than 70% of other monomers not being either (a) or (b), having a max content of vinyl aromatic monomer(s) of 40 wt-% and/or max content of methacrylate(s) of 40 wt-%; where the weight percentages of monomers (a), (b) and (c) are calculated as a proportion of the total amount of monomers in the copolymer being 100%.

Abstract: There is described a process for preparing an silane-functional oligomer (such as an alkoxysilane polyurethane) suitable for use as a crosslinkable coating component, the process comprising the steps of: 1) reacting an aminoalkyl silane with a cyclic carbonate, lactone or lactam to form a hydroxyl (OH) or imino (NH) functional silane intermediate, 2) reacting the silane intermediate from step 1) (optionally immediately without isolation) with a diisocyanate (diNCO) to form a silane functional polyurethane; where in step 2) the molar ratio of the total amount OH or NH groups on the silane intermediate of step 1) to the diisocyanate is from 1.8 to 2.2 (preferably about 2.0) and the resultant silane polymer is substantially-free of isocyanate groups thereon.

Abstract: An aqueous, metal, coating composition (and process for obtaining it) comprising a block copolymer and a polymer P; wherein the block copolymer comprises at least blocks [A]x[B]y, where at least block [A] is obtained by a controlled radical polymerisation of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer via a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) mechanism in solution in the presence of a control agent and a source of free radicals; and where (a) block [A] comprises (i) 0 to 80 mol % of metal adhering ethylenically unsaturated monomers; (ii) 0 to 100 mol % of water dispersible ethylenically unsaturated monomers; (iii) 0 to 70 mol % of C1 to C30 hydrocarbo (meth)acrylate and/or styrenic monomers; (iv) 0 to 35 mol % of ethylenically unsaturated monomer different from i), ii)+iii); where the amount of at least one of i), ii), iii)+iv) is >0 mol %; block [A] has a Hansch parameter <1.

Abstract: An aqueous emulsion comprising at least a covalently bound vinyl oligomer and vinyl polymer, wherein said vinyl oligomer comprises 5 to 85 mol % of vinyl monomers bearing quaternary ammonium ion functional groups or quaternisable amine functional groups and is obtained by a controlled radical polymerisation of at least one vinyl monomer via a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer mechanism in solution in the presence of a control agent and a source of free radicals; wherein said vinyl polymer is obtained by emulsion polymerisation of vinyl monomers in the presence of the vinyl oligomer; wherein the weight % ratio of vinyl oligomer to vinyl polymer is in the range of from 0.5:99.5 to 65:35.

Abstract: A process for obtaining an aqueous emulsion comprising a block copolymer by the solution polymerisation of vinyl monomers to obtain block [B] in the presence of a) a radical precursor; and b) an iodine atom containing block [A]; where block [A] and [B] together comprise 0 to 2 wt % of methacrylic acid; where block [A] and block [B] together comprise ?2.5 wt % of vinyl monomers bearing ionic or potentially ionic water-dispersing groups not including methacrylic acid; and performing a post polymerisation reaction on the block copolymer emulsion obtained in step II; and wherein said aqueous emulsion has a free vinyl monomer level <1000 ppm when having a solids content of ?20 wt %.

Abstract: An aqueous polymer coating composition comprising at least: a vinyl polymer A having a wt average molecular wt Mw within the range of from 1,000 to 150,000 g/mol and an acid value >5 mgKOH/g; and a vinyl polymer B having a molecular wt Mw of at least 80,000 g/mol and an acid value <35 mgKOH/g; wherein I) the wt % of olefinically unsaturated monomers used to form polymer A and polymer B are in the ratio of 5:70 to 95:30 and add up to 100%; II) at least 20 wt % of at least one of polymer A and or polymer B is derived from at least one bio-renewable olefmically unsaturated monomer.

Abstract: An aqueous coating composition (which optionally can coat plastic substrates) the composition comprising a block copolymer and a polymer P; where the block copolymer comprises at least blocks [A]x[B]y; where at least block [A] is obtained by a controlled radical polymerisation of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer via a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) mechanism (optionally in solution in the presence of a control agent and a source of free radicals); and wherein block [A] comprises 20 to 100 mol % of ethylenically unsaturated monomer units bearing water-dispersing functional groups; wherein block [B] comprises 20 to 100 mol % of ethylenically unsaturated monomer units bearing plastic adhesion promoting functional groups; and wherein polymer P is prepared in the presence of blocks [A]x[B]y. The compositions may be used to coat plastic substrates, foam; surfaces having low surface energy, hydrophobic substrates and/or polyolefins.

Abstract: A process for preparing vinyl polymer beads said process comprising aqueous suspension polymerisation of olefinically unsaturated monomers using a free-radical initiator, wherein at least 20 wt % of the olefinically unsaturated monomers used is derived from at least one bio-renewable olefinically unsaturated monomer.