POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS WITH SMALL AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL MONOMER

摘要

A polymer of an olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms is prepared which contains less than 0.2% by weight unreacted monomer in a solvent selected from acetone and lower alkyl acetates also in the presence with less than 5% of a crosslinker selected from polyalkenyl polyethers of polyhydric alcohols containing more than one alkenyl group per molecule wherein the polyhydric alcohol contains at least 4 carbon atoms and at least 3 hydroxyl groups and initiator selected from peroxides and peroxydicarbonates. Polymerization temperature is 40 to 85 DEG C and viscosity of the mixture after completing polymerization is less than 1000 cps. About 1 to 10% of the carboxyl groups on the polymer are neutralized.