Emulsified mannich acrylamide polymers

Abstract

Mannich (alk)acrylamide microparticles are produced at high solids contents without a significant increase in bulk viscosity by inverse microemulsion polymerization and provide superior dewatering characteristics.

We claim:  
     
       1. A  In a composition comprising (alk)acrylamide-containing polymeric microparticles, said (alk)acrylamide polymer being  a Mannich ( alk ) acrylamide - based polymer  substituted with at least about 1 mole percent of tertiary aminomethyl groups and  which polymer undergoes extensive interpolymer crosslinking, the improvement comprising preparing said polymer as polymer micelles having an average particle size of from about 200 to about 4000 Å in diameter, which aminomethyl groups continually self cross-link the polymer at ambient conditions  wherein said polymer micelles are derived from a microemulsion. 
     
     
       2. A composition as defined in claim  1  wherein said average particle size is from about 300 to about 2000 Å in diameter. 
     
     
       3. A composition as defined in claim  1  wherein said average particle size is from about 350 to about 1000 Å in diameter. 
     
     
       4. A microemulsion  composition comprising the polymer  as defined in claim  1  wherein the polymer solids content is greater than 10 percent, by weight, based on said composition. 
     
     
       5. A microemulsion  composition as defined in claim  4  wherein said solids content is greater than 20 percent, by weight, based on said composition. 
     
     
       6. A composition as defined in claim  1  comprising a  an (alk)acrylamide monomer copolymerized with an ethylenically unsaturated comonomer. 
     
     
       7. A composition as defined in claim  1  wherein the (alk)acrylamide polymer is polyacrylamide. 
     
     
       8. A composition as defined in claim  1  wherein the  said tertiary aminomethyl groups are derived from a formaldehyde and dimethylamine. 
     
     
       9. A composition according to claim  1  wherein said tertiary aminomethyl groups are quaternized. 
     
     
       10. A microemulsion  composition according to claim  4  wherein said tertiary aminomethyl groups are quaternized. 
     
     
       11. In a composition comprising water and ( alk ) acrylamide - based polymer, said  ( alk ) acrylamide polymer being substituted with at least about  1  mole percent of tertiary aminomethyl groups which continually self cross - link the polymer at ambient conditions, the improvement wherein the polymer comprises polymer micelles derived from a microemulsion, which micelles have an average particle size of from about  300  to  2000 ° Å in diameter.    
     
     
       12. The composition of claim  11  wherein the polymer solids content is greater than  10 %  by weight based on said composition.    
     
     
       13. The composition of claim  11  wherein the average particle size of said polymer micelles is about  350  to  1000  Angstroms in diameter.  
     
     
       14. The composition of claim  11  wherein said ( alk ) acrylamide is acrylamide.    
     
     
       15. The composition of claim  11  wherein said tertiary aminomethyl groups are quaternized.  
     
     
       16. In a composition comprising water and ( alk ) acrylamide - based polymer, said  ( alk ) acrylamide polymer being substituted with at least about  1  mole percent of tertiary aminomethyl groups which continually self cross - link the polymer at ambient conditions, the improvement wherein the composition is a microemulsion having dispersed polymer micelles of average diameter from about  350  to about  1000  Å.    
     
     
       17. The composition of claim  16  wherein the composition contains greater than  10  percent, by weight, of polymer solids based on said composition.  
     
     
       18. The composition of claim  16  wherein said ( alk ) acrylamide is acrylamide.    
     
     
       19. The composition of claim  16  wherein said tertiary aminomethyl groups are quaternized.  
     
     
       20. An inverse microemulsion comprising dispersed polymer micelles containing water and an acrylamide- based polymer substituted with at least about  1  mole percent of quaternized tertiary aminomethyl groups which are capable of continually self cross - linking the polymer at ambient conditions, said microemulsion containing greater than  10  percent, by weight, of polymer solids based on said microemulsion and said polymer micelles having average diameters from about  300  to about  2000  Å.    
     
     
       21. The microemulsion of claim  20  wherein said solids content is greater than  20  percent by weight, based on said microemulsion.