Patent ID: 6339117
Filing Date: 2002-01-15
Classification: C08F,D21H,Y10T

Abstract:
A polymer whitened with optical brighteners obtained by(a) emulsion polymerizing acrylonitrile with or without a comonomer in the presence of one or more graftable substrates selected from the group consisting of (1) polymeric emulsifiers containing sulfonic acid groups selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formulas â€ƒwherein M denotes a cation-forming radical, n is 1 or 2, R denotes a hydrocarbon chain having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aromatic radical having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, R1 denotes H or CH3, R2 denotes H, C1-C16 alkyl, or phenyl, and x and y are chosen such that the average molecular weight Mw of the polymers of formulas (I) and (II) is from 2000 to 500,000 g/mol and the ratio x:y is from 1:4 to 1:1, and (2) graftable polyurethanes or oligourethanes that undergo free-radically initiated emulsion polymerization, and (b) adding an optical brightener before, during, or after the emulsion polymerization.