NEW POLYMERS, PROCESS FOR MAKING THEM AND COATING COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING THEM, ESPECIALLY THERMOSETTING ACRYLIC GEL COAT COMPOSITIONS

摘要

An invention is disclosed which pertains to components for gel coat compositions, a process for making such gel coat compositions, and a process for making gel coated articles. Low molecular weight unsaturat ed polymers which incorporate multiple pendent and/or terminal acrylic or methacrylic vinyl groups are made by the addition polymerization of acrylate/methacrylate monomers with epoxy acrylates such as glycidyl methacrylate, followed by ring opening of the oxirance via actio n of a (meth)acrylic acid in combination with a ring-opening catalyst to produce the final unsaturated polymer. Gel coat compositions containing such polymers possess improved rheological properties and may be used to create durable in-mold coatings for articles requiring go od hydrolytic stability and UV resistance.