Abstract: The present invention relates to a production method for efficiently obtaining an acrylic acid-based polymer having a narrow molecular mass distribution and a low molecular mass, without using a large amount of chain transfer agent. A method for continuously producing an acrylic acid-based polymer obtained by continuously polymerizing a monomer having acrylic acid as an essential component, characterized in that a liquid feed pump applies a mechanical load of 0.5 to 2.5 kJ/L to the liquid discharged from the outlet of a reactor. An acrylic acid-based polymer having fewer high-molecular-mass components, excellent dispersion and other properties, and a low molecular mass is thereby obtained.

Abstract: Oily hyperbranched polymers derived from ethylene, propylene, butene and/or a C5-C24 &agr;-olefin, and a method for their synthesis, are disclosed. The polymers have non-regular microstructures and are characterized by a ratio ()of methyl hydrogens centered around 0.85 ppm on the 1H-NMR spectra of the polymers relative to total aliphatic hydrogens of from about 0.40 to about 0.65 for polymers derived from ethylene or butene, and a ratio ()of from greater than 0.50 to about 0.65 for polymers derived from propylene. A method for grafting hyperbranched polymers derived from ethylene, propylene, butene and/or a C5-C24 &agr;-olefin onto aromatic rings in organic molecules and polymers, and the resulting grafted materials, are also disclosed. The hyperbranched polymers and grafted materials are useful, for example, as lubricants and lubricant additives.

Abstract: A surfactant-modified polymer and method of making the same. The surfactant-modified polymer has a polycarboxylate backbone with non-ionic surfactant chemically associated therewith and is formed by the reaction of a reactant compound selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids and mixtures thereof in an aqueous media in the presence of a nonionic surfactant.

Abstract: Latexes are thickened by compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is an aliphatic, substituted aliphatic, aromatic, or substituted aromatic radical having a valence of from 2 to 8; each of B.sub.1 -B.sub.8 is independently an ester, amide, amine, ether, sulfide, disulfide, thiocarbamate, urea, thiourea, urethane, sulfate, phosphate, carbonyl, methylene, thioamide, carbonate, or imide linkage; each of X.sup.1 -X.sup.8 is independently -A.sub.1 -R.sup.2 -A.sub.2 - or -A.sub.1 - wherein each of A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 is independently an ester, amide, amine, ether, sulfide, disulfide, urethane, thiocarbamate, urea, thiourea, sulfate, phosphate, carbonyl, methylene, thioamide, carbonate, or imide linkage and R.sup.2 is a divalent aliphatic, substituted aliphatic, aromatic, or substituted aromatic radical with the proviso that only one of B.sub.1 -B.sub.8 is urethane and that when one of B.sub.1 -B.sub.8 is urethane, one of A.sub.1 and A.sub.

Abstract: A novel polymer composition comprising the reaction product of:(a) between about 75 and about 99.9 weight percent of a monocarboxylic acid or salt monomer;(b) between about 0 and about 25 weight percent of a dicarboxylic acid, anhydride or salt monomer; and(c) between about 0.1 and about 5.0 weight percent of an acrylic monomer which contains one or more sulfoalkyl groups, where alkyl represents an alkyl moiety containing between 1 and 6 carbon atoms or salt thereof;the sum of the weight percents of (a), (b) and (c) being 100 percent is provided. The polymer demonstrates excellent soil redeposition properties and is particularly useful as a detergent builder.

Abstract: Polymeric carboxy hydroxamic acids useful as detergent additives are disclosed which are advantageously prepared from polyacrylic acid by first dehydrating the polyacrylic acid to form polyacrylic anhydride followed by reaction with a hydroxylamine compound.