Microgels combined with functional additives

Abstract

The invention relates to a composition comprising at least one microgel and at least one functional additive, to processes for the preparation thereof, to uses of the compositions, and to microgel-containing polymers, rubbers, lubricants, coatings, etc. prepared therefrom.

1 . Composition, containing at least one microgel (B) and at least one functional additive (C).  
   
   
       2 . Composition according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one non-crosslinkable organic medium (A).  
   
   
       3 . Composition according to either  claim 1  or  claim 2 , characterised in that the primary particles of the microgel (B) have approximately spherical geometry.  
   
   
       4 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterised in that the deviation in the diameter of an individual primary particle of the microgel (B), defined as  
       [( d 1 −d 2)/ d 2]×100,  
     wherein d1 and d2 are two arbitrary diameters of the primary particle and d1>d2, is less than 250%.  
   
   
       5 . Composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the above-mentioned deviation is less than 50%.  
   
   
       6 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , characterised in that the primary particles of the microgel (B) have an average particle size from 5 to 500 nm.  
   
   
       7 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , characterised in that the primary particles of the microgel (B) have an average particle size of less than 99 nm.  
   
   
       8 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , characterised in that the microgels (B) comprise fractions which are insoluble in toluene at 23° C. of at least approximately 70% by weight.  
   
   
       9 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  8 , characterised in that the microgels (B) have a swelling index of less than 80 in toluene at 23° C.  
   
   
       10 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , characterised in that the microgels (B) have glass transition temperatures from −100° C. to +120° C.  
   
   
       11 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  10 , characterised in that the microgel (B) is a crosslinked microgel not crosslinked by high-energy radiation.  
   
   
       12 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  11 , characterised in that the microgels (B) have a glass transition range greater than approximately 5° C.  
   
   
       13 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  12 , characterised in that the microgels (B) are obtainable by emulsion polymerisation.  
   
   
       14 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  13 , characterised in that the microgel (B) is based on rubber.  
   
   
       15 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  14 , characterised in that the microgel (B) is based on homopolymers or random copolymers.  
   
   
       16 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  15 , characterised in that the microgel (B) is modified by functional groups reactive toward C═C double bonds.  
   
   
       17 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  16 , wherein the functional additive (C) is at least one compound containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of sulphur, phosphorus, halogen, oxygen and metals.  
   
   
       18 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  17 , wherein the functional additive (C) is at least one compound containing at least two heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of sulphur, phosphorus, halogen, oxygen and metals.  
   
   
       19 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  16 , wherein the functional additive (C) is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: compounds suitable as high-pressure additives such as organic polysulphides based on sulphurized olefins, organic polysulphides based on sulphurized triglycerides, fatty acid esters, fatty alcohols, etc., organic polysulphides based on sulphurized oils; other sulphur-containing compounds such as xanthogenates, thiourea derivatives, etc.; organic chlorine compounds such as, for example, chlorinated paraffins, etc.; organic nitrogen compounds such as, for example, carbamic acid esters, etc.; compounds suitable as antiwear additives such as phosphorus-containing components, for example phosphoric acid esters, phosphonates, alkyl aryl phosphines, phosphites, etc.; phosphorus- and sulphur-containing derivatives such as, for example, metal dialkyl dithiophosphates, diaryl and dialkyl dithiophosphates, monoalkyl and monoaryl dithiophosphates, etc.; phosphorus- and nitrogen-containing compounds such as, for example, amine-neutralised phosphoric acid derivatives, etc.; phosphorus- and chlorine-containing compounds such as, for example, chlorine-containing phosphorus compounds; compounds suitable as antiwear additives such as neutralised alkali and alkaline-earth salts of sulphonic acids and the derivatives thereof such as, for example, esters, etc., neutralised monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids such as, for example, naphthenic acid, salicylic acid, etc., and the derivatives thereof such as, for example, alkali and alkaline-earth salts, esters, amides, etc.; fatty oil and fatty acid derivatives; compounds suitable as non-ferrous metal inhibitors such as triazole derivatives, for example benzotriazole, thiadiazole derivatives such as, for example, dimercaptothiadiazoles, etc.; compounds suitable as antioxidants such as alkyl/aryl-substituted phenol derivatives, alkyVaryl-substituted amine derivatives; other phosphorus or sulphur-containing phenol/amine derivatives; compounds suitable as friction modifiers such as metal-containing organic compounds such as, for example, molybdenum, antimony, dithiocarbamates or dithiophosphates, etc.; fatty acid or fatty alcohol derivatives such as, for example, fatty acid amides, polyolesters, phthalates, sebacates, benzoates, adipates, etc.; compounds suitable as surface-active substances such as detergents, for example alkyl/aryl fatty acid derivatives, alkyVaryl sulphonic acid derivatives, alkyl phenol derivatives, etc.; compounds suitable as dispersing agents such as, for example, esterification products of dicarboxylic acids and glycols, etc.; also pour-point depressants, viscosity index improvers, defoaming agents, deaerators, flow control agents, tackifiers, etc.; compounds suitable as catalysts such as, for example, accelerators such as, for example, mercaptobenzothiadiazole derivatives, etc., compounds suitable as crosslinking agents such as, for example, urea, triazine, carbamic acid derivatives, etc.  
   
   
       20 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  19 , wherein at a temperature of 120° C. the functional additive has a viscosity of less than 1,000 mPas.  
   
   
       21 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  20 , containing no component (A).  
   
   
       22 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  21 , consisting of the components (B) and (C).  
   
   
       23 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  22 , containing from 0.1 to 99.9, preferably from 10 to 90, % by weight of the microgel (B), based on the total quantity of the composition.  
   
   
       24 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  23 , characterised in that it contains from 0.1 to 99.9, preferably from 10 to 90, % by weight of the functional additive (C).  
   
   
       25 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  24 , characterised in that it additionally contains fillers.  
   
   
       26 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  21 , characterised in that it was prepared by mixing the functional additive (C), the microgel (B) and optionally also the non-crosslinkable organic medium (A) using a homogeniser, a bead mill (attrition mill), a triple roller, a single or multiple extruder screw, a kneader, an Ultra-Turrax device and/or a dissolver.  
   
   
       27 . Composition according to  claim 26 , characterised in that it was prepared using a homogeniser, a bead mill (attrition mill), a triple roller or a dissolver.  
   
   
       28 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  27 , characterised in that it has a viscosity from 2 mPas up to 50,000,000 mPas at a speed of rotation of 5 s −1 , determined using a cone-and-plate measuring system to DIN 53018 at 20° C.  
   
   
       29 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  28 , characterised in that the microgel (B) has a swelling index from 1 to 15 in toluene at 23° C.  
   
   
       30 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  29 , characterised in that the microgels (B) comprise fractions which are insoluble in toluene at 23° C. of at least 95% by weight.  
   
   
       31 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  30 , characterised in that the microgel is not modified by hydroxyl groups.  
   
   
       32 . Composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  31 , characterised in that the microgel is not modified.  
   
   
       33 . Use of the composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  32  for incorporation into thermoplastic polymers, rubbers or thermoplastic elastomers.  
   
   
       34 . Use of the composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  22  for the preparation of microgel-containing polymers.  
   
   
       35 . Use according to  claim 34  for the preparation of microgel-containing rubbers.  
   
   
       36 . Use according to  claim 34  for the preparation of microgel-containing thermoplastic elastomers.  
   
   
       37 . Use of the compositions according to any one of  claims 1  to  32  for the preparation of lubricants, mouldings or coatings.  
   
   
       38 . Use of the composition according to  claim 37  for the preparation of lubricating grease or modified lubricating oils.  
   
   
       39 . Use of the compositions according to any one of  claims 1  to  32  as an additive for plastics materials, rubbers, coating agents or lubricants.  
   
   
       40 . Plastics materials, rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, coating agents or lubricants containing the compositions according to any one of  claims 1  to  32 .