PROCESS FOR DECOLORIZING OF RESINOUS POLYMERS

Abstract: Vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene copolymers having polymer chains which end with an alkali metal and which are obtained by the polymerization in solution of at least one vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and of a conjugated diene in the presence of a catalyst based on an alkali metal are decolorized by treating the copolymer with a carboxylic acid of general formula (Y) 2-n - X - (R-COOH) n in which X is S, S-CH₂-S, or (S-S), and Y and R are alkyl radicals having 1 to 16 carbon atoms and n is 1 or 2.

Description: (1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a process for decolorizing resinous polymers of the vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene block copolymer type. In particular the present invention relates to a process for decolorizing of such polymers the chains of which comprise terminal alkali metals resulting from the initiation of the polymerization or copolymerization. (2) DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART As is well known for decolorizing rubbery hydrogenated polymers it is necessary to use a mineral acid or a mono- or polycarboxylic acid to remove the deep colour imparted by hydrogenation catalysts; this treatment results in transparent but yellowish polymers. With regard to resinous types of copolymers, particularly those described in US patents 3639517 and 4091053, the colour is mainly due to the presence of initiation agents as well as to the presence of agents employed in the process which is used to couple the polymer chains (vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) to each other. It is very important, not only for appearance but also for uses of the polymers with foodstuffs, to make this yellowish coloration disappear and to obtain perfectly transparent and colourless copolymers. Methods are known for obtaining transparent copolymers by treating solutions of coupled copolymers with CO₂ and water. However, this necessitates distillation of the solvent, to separate water and CO₂ from the solvent, before it can be recycled for the polymerization, since these materials act as poisons of the initiator. However, one must take into account not only transparency and decoloration, but also the fact that the polymer must retain all its impact strength properties, and this is not necessarily evident with the recommended solutions. It is also known that it is necessary to add to these compositions an anti-oxidant additive to stabilize the butadiene phase during the polymer transformation stage. Indeed the temperatures employed during this stage may involve degradation of the polybutadiene phase; however, the type of additive used may evidently cause discoloration of the polymeric material. It has also been proposed in European Patent 84795 to treat the copolymers with dicarboxylic acids. It is understood that with this kind of process it is possible to satisfy practically all the conditions of decoloration mentioned above, but without providing a solution to the problem of addition of an anti-oxidant additive. It will therefore be desirable to have available a process for treating the vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene copolymers so as to ensure their perfect transparency, to retain appropriate impact strength properties, and moreover to satisfy the extremely demanding conditions involved in food supply, and to give then an anti-oxidant activity without requiring a significant amount of anti-oxidant additive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a process for decolorizing vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene copolymers in a way which satisfies the criteria mentioned above. A further object of the present invention is to provide a process for decolorizing vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene copolymers which yields perfectly transparent copolymers, having good impact strength properties, and which satisfy the demanding criteria set by the food-supply industry. Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for decolorizing vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene copolymers while reducing the amount of anti-oxidant additive. According to the present invention there is provided a process for decolorizing vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene copolymers which have polymer chains which end with an alkali metal, which process comprises treating the copolymer with a carboxylic acid of general formula (I) (Y) 2-n - X - (R-COOH) n (I) in which X is S, S-CH₂-S, or (S-S), and Y and R are alkyl radicals having 1 to 16 carbon atoms and n is 1 or 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The process of the present invention is equally applicable to copolymers of the resinous kind as to those of the elastomeric kind prepared by the polymerization in solution of vinyl aromatic and conjugated diene monomers in the presence of initiators of the kind consisting of alkali metals, polymerization occurring in such a way as to form a block copolymer, it being understood that one or more branches of this block copolymer may be constituted by a random copolymer. This type of polymerization is generally performed in solution in the presence of a solvent and of an initiator which is a compound of an alkali metal. Moreover, during the course of polymerization coupling agents are added so as to couple the polymers. The copolymers thus formed most often occur in a linear of radial form, but possess a coloration which is not acceptable for the desired end uses of the copolymers. Typical of the polymerization processes which lead to polymers of the type suitable for treatment by the process of the present invention are those described in U.S. patents 3619537 and 4091053 and in European patent 84795. This polymerization process may however be easily summarized as follows: The polymerization is performed in solution at a temperature of from -100°C to +150°C, in the presence of a solvent and at a pressure sufficient to maintain the medium in the liquid phase. The solvents employed may be paraffinic, cycloparaffinic or aromatic. Most frequently cyclohexane or a mixture of hexane and cyclohexane is used. Thus, first of all a block or non-elastomeric polymer is formed by feeding in vinyl aromatic monomer with a defined quantity of organolithium initiator to form long chains of reactive polymers having a terminal lithium atom on the chain. Then the chains or reactive polymers are contacted with conjugated diene monomers to form chains of polymers with elastomeric and non-elastomeric blocks. Copolymers with a structure A-B (A = vinyl aromatic, B = conjugated diene) are then contacted with coupling agents to form polymers having a structure A-B-C-B-A in the case of a linear structure, where C is a moiety derived from the coupling agent. It is understood that copolymers with radial or linear structure may be formed, and that the blocks may be formed of pure homopolymers or random copolymers. Whatever the copolymers obtained may be depending on the various polymerization processes in solution, the process of the invention is suitable for decolorizing these copolymers. Examples of suitable conjugated diene monomers are those having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, such as 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene piperylene, 3-butyl-1,3-octadiene and other analogues. Examples of suitable vinyl aromatic monomers are styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, vinylnaphthalene and other analogues. Since the process applies equally well to resinous copolymers as to elastomeric copolymers, the conjugated diene/vinyl aromatic ratio by weight may vary within wide limits and particularly from 1/99 to 85/15. The coupling agents are chosen from amongst polyvinyl aromatic compounds, polyepoxides, polyisocyanates, polyimines, polyaldehydes, polyketones, polyhalides such as silicon tetrahalide and halosilanes, polyanhydrides and polyesters. Combinations of different kinds of coupling agents may also be used. Examples of suitable polyvinyl aromatic compounds include divinylbenzene, 1,2,4-trivinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylnaphthalene, 1,3,5-trivinylnaphthalene, 2,4-divinylbiphenyl, and analogues thereof. Polyepoxide compounds can equally be employed. In general, polymers of epoxidised hydrocarbons are used such as epoxidised liquid polybutadiene or epoxidised vegetable oils such as epoxidised soya oil and epoxidised linseed oil. Other epoxy compounds such as 1,2, 5,6; 9,10;-triepoxydecane may also be used. Examples of suitable polyisocyanates are benzene-1,2,4-triisocyanate, naphthalene-1,2,5,7-tetraisocyanate and analogues thereof. Examples of suitable polyimines are oxides or sulphides of triaziridinyl phosphine such as tri(1-aziridinyl) phosphine oxide, tri(2-methyl-1-aziridinyl) phosphine oxide, (2-ethyl-3-decyl-1-aziridinyl) phosphine sulphide, and analogues thereof. 1,4,7-Naphthalenetricarboxaldehyde, 1,7,9-anthracenetricarboxaldehyde, 1,1,5-pentanetricarboxaldehyde, and analogues thereof are examples of suitable polyaldehydes. 1,4,9,10-Anthracenetetraone, 2,3-diacetonylcyclohexanone, and analogues thereof are examples of suitable polyketones. Pyromellitic dianhydride, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, and analogues thereof are examples of suitable polyanhydrides. Examples of suitable polyesters are diethyl adipate, triethyl citrate, 1,3,5-tricarbethoxybenzene, and analogues thereof. Examples of suitable polyhalides are tetrahalides of silicon such as SiCl₄, SiBr₄ and SiI₄, trihalosilanes such as trifluorosilane, trichlorosilane, trichloroethylsilane, tribromobenzylsilane, and analogues thereof, and halogen-substituted hydrocarbons such as 1,3,5-tri(bromomethyl)benzene, 2,5,6,9-tetrachloro-3,7-decadiene, and analogues thereof. Examples of compounds having more that one functional group comprise 1,3-dichloro-2-propanone, 2,2-dibromo-3-decanone, 3,5,5-trifluoro-4-octanone, 2,4-dibromo-3-pentanone, 1,2;4,5-diepoxy-3-pentanone, 1,2; 4,5-diepoxy-3-hexanone, 1,2; 11,12-diepoxy-8-pentadecanone, 1,3; 18,19-diepoxy-7,14-eicosanedione, and analogues thereof. It is also possible to use other metal halides such as those of tin, lead or germanium as well as polyalkoxides of metals such as silicon tetraethoxide. A difunctional coupling agent may be employed when a linear polymer is desired rather than a branched polymer. In general, the total quantity of coupling agent is from 0.5 to 1.5 parts per hundred parts of polymer. According to the process of the invention, the coupled copolymer thus obtained is treated to decolorize it by making the impurities formed by the lithium compounds and other coupling agents react with the monocarboxylic acids used in accordance with the process of the present invention. The process of the invention may be used in a very advantageous manner when the process for recovering the copolymer is based on direct elimination of the solvent. Obviously, part of the polymerization solvent may be removed before subjecting the polymer to the decolorisation treatment of the invention. Thus, the coupled polymer is treated with a carboxylic acid of general formula (I) (Y) 2-n - X - (R-COOH) n (I) in which X is S, S-CH₂-S, or (S-S), Y and R are alkyl radicals having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, and n is 1 or 2. Generally, thiodipropionic or thiodiglycollic acid or methylenebis(thiopropionic acid)or methylenebis(thioacetic acid) is used as the acid of formula (I). The quantity of acid to be employed is usually from 0.02 to 2.0 parts per 100 parts of polymer and preferably from 0.1 to 0.5 parts per 100 parts of polymer. According to the process of the present invention the acids may be added to the polymer solution singly or as mixtures and, if appropriate, with a solvent such as cyclohexane. The applicant has now found that by using the thiocarboxylic or dithiocarboxylic acids of the invention, a perfectly transparent polymer is obtained, and in addition, the polymer acquires a certain anti-oxidant activity which allows a considerable reduction in the amount of secondary anti-oxidant additive, usually of the phosphite type or similar. The following examples are given to illustrate the process of the present invention more clearly but without in any way limiting its scope. Example 1 A copolymer of the S/B type was prepared, having a ratio of styrene/butadiene of 75/25 by weight, in a 100 1 capacity reactor equipped with a stirring system. 400 parts of a mixture of cyclohexane and non-polymerizable C₄ hydrocarbons was introduced into a reactor. Also introduced were 0.07 parts of tetrahydrofuran and 52.5 parts of styrene monomer. Polymerization of the styrene was performed in the presence of 0.0336 parts of n-butyllithium as catalyst at a temperature of 50°C for 15 minutes. Then a fresh quantity of styrene corresponding to 22.5 parts by weight was added, which was polymerized in the presence of 0.103 parts of n-butyllithium as catalyst at a temperature of 65°C for 10 minutes. At the end of this reaction, 25 parts of butadiene were added which were copolymerized with the active polystyrene at a temperature of 75°C for 10 minutes. Coupling of the chains of copolymers formed was then performed by adding 0.51 parts of epoxydised soya oil and carrying out the reaction at a temperature of 80°C for 15 minutes. The copolymers thus obtained were then treated with an acid of the invention, in this case octylthiopropionic acid used at a rate of 0.52 parts by weight. Treatment was performed at a temperature of 80°C for 15 minutes. To this solution were added 0.3 parts of BHT (2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methylphenol), 0.2 parts of TNPP (tris(p-nonylphenyl)phosphite) and 0.3 parts of Irganox 1076 (Trade Mark for octadecyl ester of 3,5-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxybenzene propanoic acid) as anti-oxidant. The solution obtained after about 30 minutes stirring was perfectly colourless. Then the styrene/butadiene copolymer was recovered by removal of the volatile solvent by evaporation. Plates of the copolymer about 3 mm thick were prepared by evaporation of a part of the solution previously obtained. The plate was treated for 20 minutes at 160°C and was then evaluated for transparency, colour and physical properties. The results obtained are shown in Table 1 in a comparison with the properties of a conventional resin not treated with the acid of the invention and containing 0.3 parts of BHT, 0.7 parts TNPP and 0.3 parts of Irganox 1076. Resin of Example 1 Untreated resin Traction Elastic limit (MPa) 18 19 Rupture (MPa) 27 22 Lengthening (%) 240 190 Modulus (MPa) 650 675 Bending Load max. (MPa) 23 24 Modulus (MPa) 1090 1105 Impact strength Charpy (notched) (kJ/m²) 15 12 Fluidity when hot MFI (190°C - 5 kg) (g/10 min.) 3.5 3.0 Optical properties Colour colourless yellow Transmittance (%) 90.5 84.1 Haze 5.0 9.4 The results show that the physical properties of the resin treated in accordance with the invention are improved relative to the conventional resin whilst less anti-oxidant is used (about 50% less). Methods of testing Traction DIN 53455 Rate of elongation : 5 mm/min. Bending DIN 53452 Rate of deformation : 5 mm/min. Supported with a spacing of 50 mm. Charpy DIN 53453 Melt flow inde x (MFI) ASTM D 1238 (190°C - 5 kg) Transmittance/Haze ASTM D 1003 Colour Visual examination Example 2 A S/B type copolymer was prepared having a styrene/butadiene ratio of 75/25 by weight as described in Example 1 except that the copolymer was treated with 0.204 parts of 3,3′-thiodipropionic acid for 10 minutes at a temperature of 80°C. To this solution were added 0.3 parts BHT, 0.4 parts TNPP and 0.3 parts Irganox 1076 as anti-oxidant. The solution obtained after about 30 minutes stirring was perfectly colourless. The styrene/butadiene copolymer was recovered and plates of this prepared as indicated in Example 1. The physical properties and the transparency obtained are shown in Table 2 Traction Elastic limit (MPa) 20 Rupture (MPa) 28 Lengthening (%) 275 Modulus (MPa) 698 Bending Load max. (MPa) 26 Modulus (MPa) 1185 Impact strength Charpy (notched) (kJ/m²) 19 Fluidity when hot MFI (190°C - 5 kg) (g/10 min.) 4.3 Optical properties Colour colourless Transmittance(%) 91.8 Haze 4.5 Example 3 A S/B type block copolymer having a styrene/butadiene ratio of 75/25 by weight was prepared as described in Example 1 except that the copolymer was treated with 0.236 parts of methylenebis(thioacetic acid) for 12 minutes at a temperature of 80°C. To this solution were added 0.3 parts BHT, 0.15 parts TNPP and 0.3 parts Irganox 1076 as anti-oxidant. The solution obtained after about 30 minutes stirring was perfectly colourless. The styrene/butadiene copolymer was recovered and plates of this prepared as indicated in Example 1. The physical properties and the transparency obtained are shown in Table 3 Traction Elastic limit (MPa) 17 Rupture (MPa) 26 Lengthening (%) 237 Modulus (MPa) 640 Bending Loading (MPa) 24 Modulus (MPa) 1120 Impact strength Charpy (notched) kJ/m²) 21 Fluidity when hot MFI (190°C - 5 kg) (g/10 min.) 5.1 Optical properties Colour colourless Transmittance 90.2 Haze 4.0 For comparison stearic acid was employed at a rate of 0.720 parts per hundred parts of polymer instead of methylenebis(thioacetic acid). The solution of the polymer was clear yellow and the plates obtained were opaque. This shows that acids which do not fall within the definition of the invention do not give the desired properties.

Claims: A process for decolorizing vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene copolymers which have polymer chains which end with an alkali metal and are obtained by solution polymerisation of at least one vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene in the presence of a catalyst based on an alkali metal, which process comprises treating the copolymer with a carboxylic acid of general formula (I) (Y) 2-n - X - (R-COOH) n (I) in which X is S, S-CH₂-S, or (S-S), Y and R are alkyl radicals having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, and n is 1 or 2. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the copolymer is treated with an acid chosen from the group consisting of octyl thiopropionic acid, thiodipropionic acid, thiodiglycollic acid, methylenebis(thiopropionic acid) and methylenebis(thioacetic acid). A process according to Claim 1, wherein the conjugated diene is chosen from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene and 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon is chosen from the group consisting of styrene, alphamethylstyrene and vinyltoluene. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the copolymer is a conjugated diene/vinyl aromatic block copolymer in which the ratio by weight is from 1:99 to 85:15. A process according to Claim 5, wherein the block copolymer is a butadiene/styrene copolymer. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acid is employed at a rate of 0.02 to 2 parts per 100 parts of copolymer, and preferably 0.1 to 0.5 parts per 100 parts of polymer. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acid is added directly to the solution of copolymer.

Inventors: LANZA, EMMANUEL, NAVEAU, JEAN M.M.G.
Applicants: FINA RESEARCH S.A.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: C08F6
IPC codes: C08F297, C08F6, C08F212, C08F236