Plastisol compositions

Abstract: Free radical-curable compositions comprising a plastisol component and a copolymer containing free anhydride functionality and, optionally, other reactive diluents are provided. In particular, curable compositions employing a plastisol, preferably a polyvinyl chloride - containing plastisol, and a low molecular weight crosslinking copolymer component having free anhydride functionality and which is a partial esterification product of a terminally ethylenically unsaturated compound and a polymerizable maleic anhydride are provided. The compositions of the invention yield improved adhesives, sealants, coatings, and insulators for a wide variety of substrates and may be employed in a variety of coating and castings. Processes for preparing cured plastisol compositions from the disclosed free radical-curable compositions are also provided.

Description: The invention relates to free radical-curable compositions comprising a plastisol component and a copolymer containing free anhydride functionality and, optionally, other reactive diluents. In particular, this invention relates to curable compositions employing a polyvinyl chloride-containing plastisol, and a low molecular weight crosslinking copolymer component, having free anhydride functionality and being a partial esterification product of a terminally ethylenically unsaturated compound and a polymerizable maleic anhydride. It is generally understood in the art of making thermosetting plastics that plastisols are stable blends of a high molecular weight polymeric resin, typically polyvinyl chloride, in a nonvolatile, non:aqueous plasticizer. The polymeric resin forms the discontinuous phase of the plastisol dispersion or suspension, while the liquid plasticizer forms the continuous phase. Such liquid plasticizers are generally compatible with, but not solvents for, the polymeric resin. The presence of such plasticizers increases the workability and flexibility of the polymeric resin at normal room temperature storage and working temperatures, thereby maintaining the plastisol in a free-flowing state, though of variable viscosity. Plastisols are, therefore, generally considered to be stable dispersions of the two fore,going components, with or without additional volatile diluents and/ or other additives. When present, volatile diluents are employed in minor amounts, typically to reduce the viscosity of the plastisol and generally in amounts less than about ten percent (10 %) by weight. When volatile diluents are present, such polymeric resin dispersions are sometimes referred to as organosols. Also, when volatile solvents are utilized, they are norm:ally evaporated prior to thermal fusion of the plastisol. Once formed, a stable plastisol may be heated to form a thermoset polymer, which thermoset polymer may have a variety of physical properties; for example, the thermoset may be tacky, flexible or resilient. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the physical properties of the thermoset product may be controlled through the selection of the resin and plasticizer employed to form the plastisol. Starting with the stable plastisol dispersion. the material may be thickned to a pre-gelled dispersion through the application of moderate heat. At the minimum fluxing temperature, which will vary with the resin and plasticizer that is chosen, the plastisol is converted into a gelled dispersion. Upon the application of additional heat and subsequent cooling, the plastisol forms a thermosetting polymer. An object of the present invention is to provide free radical curable modified plastisol compositions. The polymeric resin component of such modified plastisol compositions is crosslinked with a low molecular weight acrylate-terminated, free anhydride-containing crosslinking copolymer, which copolymer preferably is an esterification product of a terminally ethylenically unsaturated compound and an anhydrous polymerizable anhydride in the presence of a free radical generating compound The crosslinking copolymers of the present. invention contain free anhydride functionality, as more fully set forth below. Such modified plastisol compositions are useful as improved adhesives, sealants, coatings, and insulators for a large variety of substrates, including glass ; metals, including electrodeposited steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminium, iron, gold, silver, platinum, brass, copper, magnesium, tin, and lead/tin blends and primed and treated metallic surfaces ; plastics ; fabrics ; paper ; and may be employed in a variety of coatings and castings, and the like. The curable compositions. of the invention may be applied by various conventional application means such ras by spraying, rolling, dipping, etc. Another object of the present invention is to provide thermally-curable plastisol compositions comprising : (1) a plastisol composition comprising a high molecular weight polymeric resin and a suitable plasticizer therefor, and optionally confining pigments, stabilizers and fillers and the like ; (2) a low-molecular weight partial ester of a free anhydride-containing copolymer, wich copolymer preferably is an esterification product of a terminally ethylenically unsaturated compound and an anhydrous polymerizable anhydride ; (3) a free radical generating initiator, and optionally (4) a reactive diluent, which thermally curable plastisol compositions yield thermally cured products having improved adhesive and physical properties, including improved tensile strength, elongation, modulus, cut resistance and oil resistance. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved processes for the preparation of such plastisol compositions and cured products and articles manufactured therefrom. It has been discovered that the foregoing objects are achieved in one aspect of the invention in which a free radical curable plastisol composition comprising a plastisol component, preferably a plastisol composition comprising a polyvinyl chloride resin or other suitable polymeric resin/plasticizer dispersion which forms a stable plastisol, and, optionally, containing blending and dispersion resins, fillers, stabilizers, pigments or other like constiuents, is blended with a crosslinking copolymer component comprising a low molecular weight partial esterification product of a terminally ethylenically unsaturated compound and a polymerizable maleic anhydride having free anhydride functionality, as hereinafter Described. The plastisol component and copolymer component blend is then preferably supplemented with a free radical-generating compound, preferably an organic peroxide and, optionally, may also contain other polyfunctional acrylate monomers, whereupon by application of heat followed by cooling the composition yields a thermosetting plastisol. In another aspect of the invention a polyvinyl chloride plastisol composition may be blended with a copolymer component having free anhydride functionality, comprising a low molecular weight partial esterification product of a terminally ethylenically unsaturated compound and a polymerizable maleic anhydride, as hereinafter described, which crosslinking copolymer is dispersed in a suitable liquid polyacrylate monomer, and which composition contains a suitable free radical-generating compound. Upon the application of heat the modified plastisol composition yields a thermosetting plastisol. Accordingly, the present invention broadly pertains to free radical-curable, modified plastisol compositions, cured modified plastisol compositions produced by, and the process of curing a blend comprising : (a) about 90 % to about 50 % (preferably about 95 % to about 75 %) by weight, based on the total weight of the free radical-curable, modified plastisol composition, of a plastisol composition derived from a homopolymer or copolymer of vinyl chloride monomers and a suitable plasticizer therefor, as heretofore stated ; (b) a crosslinking-effective amount, broadly about 1 % to about 50 %, and preferably about 1 % to about 10 % by weight, based on the total weight of said free radical-curable, modified plastisol composition, of a partial ester of a free anhydride-containing, terminally ethylenically unsaturated copolymer, preferably corresponding to the structural formula : wherein : R 1 and R 2 may be the same or different and each may independently be selected from hydrogen, alkyl groups containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl groups, containing from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, alkaryl groups containing from 7 to 14 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups containing from 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and halogen atoms (for example, chlorine, fluorine or bromine) and most preferably where R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is phenyl ; R 3 , R 4 and R 5 each may be the same or different and each independently may be selected from hydrogen and alkyl radicals containing from 1 to 5 carbon atoms (and most preferably where R 3 , R 4 are each hydrogen and R 5 is methyl) ; R 6 is selected from alkyl, arylalkyl, alkyl-substituted arylalkyl and oxyalkylated derivatives of each of such radicals containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in each oxyalkylene group, which group may be of 1 to 20 repeating units (and wherein R 6 preferably is an alkyl radical containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms); A is a linear or branched divalent alkylene of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an oxyalkylated derivative thereof containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in each oxyalkylene group, which group may be of 1 to 26 repeating units (and wherein A preferably is an alkylene hydrocarbon chain containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms and most preferably 2 carbon atoms), and subscripts X, Y, Z, m and p are each whole numbers such that the sum of X, Y, Z, m and p may range from 3 to about 20, with X, p and Y each being equal to or greater than 1, and m and Z may each be zero (and wherein preferably X ranges from about 8 to about 12, Y ranges from about 0 to about 4, Z is 0, p ranges from about 6 to about 12, and m is 0), said partial ester being characterized as exhibiting a number average molecular weight of between about 1,000 and 20,000 (preferably about 2,000 to about 4,000), an acid number of at least about 40 (preferably between about 100 and about 300), an acrylate equivalent per gram value of at least about 0.1 (preferably between about 1 and about 2) and a glass transition temperature of at least 40°C and preferably between 50°C and 100°C. (c) a cure-effective amount, broadly about 0.01 % to about 10 % and preferably about 0.1 % to about 1 % by weight, based on the total weight of said free-radical curable modified plastisol composition, of a free radical generating compound, preferably an organic peroxide, and most preferably a perbenzoate compound ; and (d) optionally, a reactive diluent in an amount sufficient to disperse said crosslinking copolymer therein, broadly about 1 % to about 10 % by weight, based on the total weight of said free radical curable modified plastisol composition. The plastisol dispersions (a) may generally be prepared in accordance with standard procedures known in the art such as described in H.A. Sarvetnick, "Plastisols and Organosols", Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York 1972. Polyvinyl chloride copolymers which may be used in the plastisol composition (a) include, for example, copolymers of vinyl chloride with maleic anhydride, vinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate or (meth)acrylic acids, as described in U.S. Patent No 4,251,618 or copolymers of vinyl chloride monomers with acrylic esters derived from saturated C 2 to C 10 aliphatic alcohols, as decribed in U.S. Patent No 4,882,376. Additional plastisols potentially usable in the present invention also include those described in U.S. Patent No 4,388,363 and the copolymer resins containing (meth)acrylate compounds of vinyl ester as described in U.S. Patent No 4,613,639. Preferred plastisol compositions contain a major amount of vinyl chloride monomeric units forming the resin. The manner in which vinyl chloride polymers are formed is not critical to the practise of the present invention. Plasticizers that are useful in the preparation of the plastisol composition (a) include any compound that is of low volatility and which produce dispersions of the polymeric resin particles in the plasticizer and which upon the application of moderate heat, permeate the polymeric resin particles to cause adherence of such particles. Upon the application of additional heat such plasticizers dissolve the resin causing fusion of the plasticizer and resin to yield a thermoset article. Typical plasticizers include normal and branched chain alcoholic esters and glycol esters of various mono-, di- and tribasic acids, for example, esters of phtalic, adipic, sebacic, azelaic, citric, trimellitic (and anhydride) and phosphoric acids ; chlorohydrocarbons ; esters of long chain alcohols ; liquid polyesters ; and epoxidized natural oils, such as linseed and soya oils. Representative phtalate plasticizers include : di-2-éthylhexyl phtalate, diisoctyl phtalate, diisodecyl phtalate, n-octyl-n-decyl phtalate, butylbenzyl phtalate, dihexyl phtalate, butyl octyl phtalate, dicapryl phtalate, and di-2-ethylhexyl isophtalate. Additional plasticizers include : di-2-ethylhexyl adipate, n-octyl-n-decyl adipate, diisodecyl adipate, di-2-ethylhexyl azelate, tri-2-ethylhexyl trimellitate, n-octyl-n-decyl trimellitate, tricresyl phosphate, cresyl diphenyl phosphate, 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate and decyl diphenyl phosphate. Ideally the plasticizer exhibits good aging stability and crosslinkability upon curing. Plasticizers are typically employed in plastisol compositions within very broad ranges. Generally, the amount of polymer solids incorporated into the liquid plasticizer dispersing medium, taking into consideration characteristics such as coatablitiy, wetting, ease of stirring, and the like, will be in the range of about 5 % to about 95 % by weight of the plastisol composition (a). The crosslinking copolymer (b) preferably is as described in U.S. Patent Nos 4,722,947 and 4,745,138. Briefly, about 0.1 to 49.9 %, preferably about 30 to 45 %, of the number of potential carboxyl groups present as acid anhydride groups in the anhydride-containing copolymer reactant are reacted with the hydroxyalkyl acrylyl compound, or an admixture thereof with an aliphatic or an aralkyl alcohol, to yield the crosslinking copolymer. In accordance with the teachings of U.S. Patent No 4,745,138, and to yield crosslinking copolymers wherein the diacid moiety "m" is a positive whole integer, the esterification reaction may be effected in the absence of any solvent for the reactants, but is generally carried out in the presence of a solvent capable of dissolving the reactants, at least at their boiling point. Solvents meeting such attributes rare well known in the art and include cyclic or acrylic dialkyl or aralkyl ethers, such as tetrahydrofuran 1,4-dioxane, 2-chlorethyl vinyl ether, and the like, aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene, xylene, and cumene, and halogenated alkanes and aromatics such as 1,1,2-trichloroethane, chlorobenzene, perchloroethylene, chlorobenzene and the like. Alternatively, U.S. Patent No 4,722,947 teaches the procedures for the manufacture of crosslinking copolymers wherein "m" is equal to 0. To produce such crosslinking copolymers, it is critical that the anhydride confining copolymer reactant utilized in the foregoing esterification reaction be anhydrous in nature and that anhydrous conditions be maintained throughout the esterification reaction. Thus if solvents are employed, such solvents should be capable of forming an azeotrope with water, while being substantially immiscible with water. Such solvents generally have a boiling point range of about 100°C and 150°C, preferably between about 100°C and 120°C at ambient pressure and should readily dissolve the copolymer at least at the boiling point of the solvent. Further, the solvents should be inert and therefore preclude hydrolysis of the anhydride and be inert to mild base, if employed, as catalyst. Solvents meeting such attributes are well known in the art. Illustrative examples include cyclic or acyclic dialkyl or arylalkyl ketones such as cyclopentanone, 3-pentene-2-one, 2-pentanone, 3-pentanone, methyl isobutyl ketone and the like ; cyclic or acyclic dihexyl or aralkyl ethers, such as 1,4-dioxane, 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether, and the like ; halogenated alkanes, such as 1,1,2-trichloroethane, chlorobenzene, perchloroethylene, and the like ; nitroalkanes such as nitroethane, nitropropane, and the like ; and organic esters, such as propyl acetate, ethyl carbonate, and the like. In the manufacture of the crosslinking copolymer of the present invention, the anhydride-containing copolymer reactant employed in preparing the partial ester crosslinking copolymer may be obtained by any conventional polymerization technique, such as bulk, emulsion, suspension, or solution polymerization. From about 0.5 to about 50 mole %, preferably about 2 to 20 mole %, of an anhydride monomer such as maleic anhydride, or lower alkyl substituted derivatives thereof, containing from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, may be reacted with from about 50 to 99.5 mole %, preferably from about 70 to about 98 mole %, of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer having the formula CH 2 = C(R 1 ) (R 2 ), wherein R 1 and R 2 are as above indicated. Illustrative ethylenically unsaturated monomers suitable for reaction with the anhydride monomer include ethylene, propylene, 1-octene, styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, p-tertiary-butylstyrene, vinylcyclohexane, and vinyl chloride. Especially preferred reactants for preparation of the aforementioned free-anhydride containing copolymers used in the invention are styrene/maleic anhydride copolymers having a mole ratio of styrene to maleic anhydride of about 1 : 1 to 4 : 1, preferably 1 : 1 to 2 : 1. Such copolymers have a number average molecular weight of between about 500 to 4,000 and preferably from about 1,000 to 3,000, the most preferred range being between about 1,500 and 2,500. Alternatively, anhydride-containing copolymer reactants in which the original anhydride groups have undergone hydrolysis may be reconstituted to the anhydride state by employing conventional procedures wherein water is removed from the copolymer reactant by azeotroping the copolymer reactant with any convenient solvent that readily dissolves the resin. As the hydroxyalkyl acrylyl compound used for esterification of the free-anhydride containing copolymer reactant, there may be used a hydroxyalkyl acrylate or a hydroxyalkyl methacrylate, as well oxyalkylene derivatives thereof containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in each alkylene oxide unit (which may be of 1 to 20 repeating units), having the following structural formula: wherein R 5 and A are as indicated hereinabove. They may be illustrated by hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, tripropylene glycol monoacrylate, tetrapropylene glycol monomethacrylate, tetrapropylene glycol monoacrylate, and the like. Alternatively, an admixture of the aforedescribed acrylyl compound and an aliphatic or an arylalkyl monohydric alcohol, or oxyalkylated derivative of such aliphatic or arylalkyl monohydric alcohol containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in each oxyalkylene group, which groups may be of 1 to 20 repeating units, preferably 1 to 6 repeating units, may be used in the esterification of the copolymer. Typical monohydric alcohols for such purpose include alkanols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, cyclohexyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, alpha-phenetyl alcohol, beta-phenetyl alcohol nonylbenzyl alcohol, as well as oxyalkylene derivatives of such alcohols wherein at least one, 1,2-alkylene oxide, such as ethylene oxide, 1,2-propylene oxide, or 1,2-butylene oxide has been condensed therewith. Although the anhydride-containing copolymer may be first reacted with the hydroxyalkyl acrylate and subsequently with the monohydric alcohol, or alternatively, first reacted with the monohydric alcohol and subsequently reacted with the hydroxyalkyl acrylate, preferred practise of the invention resides in the simultaneous reaction of admixture of the hydroxyalkyl acrylate and monohydric alcohol, thereby forming the desired partial ester of the anhydride-containing copolymer of the invention. When an admixture of the hydroxyalkyl acrylyl compound and monohydric alcohol is used to esterify the free anhydride-containing polymer, the molar ratio of monohydric alcohol to hydroxyalkyl acrylyl compound will generally range from between about 1 : 10 to 10 : 1, and preferably from between about 1 : 1 to 1 : 5. The esterification reaction is carried out at the reflux temperatures of the reaction admixture, generally at temperatures from about 50°C to 150°C and preferably from about 95°C to about 120°C. Although a catalyst need not to be used, the esterification reaction is normally effected in the presence of a suitable catalyst, such as an alkali metal alkanoate, e.g. sodium acetate, potassium propionate, or lithium acetate. To prevent radical polymerization of the resultant partial ester, there may also be included in the esterification reaction a radical-polymerization inhibitor present in amount of about 0.001 to 2 wt %, based on the weight of the partial ester. Illustrative inhibitors for such purpose include phenols exhibiting steric hindrance such as hydroquinone, hydroquinone monomethyl ether, 2,6-ditertiary butyl p-cresol, and the like. The modified free-radical curable plastisol compositions of the present invention may optionally contain reactive diluents, which serve as diluents for the crosslinking copolymer. Suitable reactive diluents comprise one or more free radical polymerizable, substanntially nonvolatile, liquid monomers or oligomers of up to about 2,000 molecular weight, selected from monoethylenically unsaturated and polyethylenically unsaturated materials and mixtures thereof. Suitable monoethylenically unsaturated materials include vinyl monomers such as the lower alkyl esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid including methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and isobutyl methacrylate ; vinyl esters such as vinyl acetate and vinyl propionate ; vinyl halides such as vinyl chloride and vinylidène chloride; and particularly high solvency monomers such as 2,2-ethoxyethoxyethyl acrylate, tetrahydrofurfuryl acrylate, n-laurylacrylate, 2-phenoxyethylacrylate, glycidyl acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, isodecyl acrylate, isoctyl acrylate, and the like. Other monosethylenically unsaturated reactive diluents include vinyl aromatics such as styrene ; alphamethylstyrene, vinyl toluene, indene and p-tert butyl styrene ; ethylenically unsaturated acids such as fumaric acid, maleic anhydride and the esters thereof ; and nitrogen containing monomers such as acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide, methacrylamide, N,N-dimethacrylamide, N-vinyl-pyrrolidine, N-vinylcaprolactam, and the like. The polyethylenically unsaturated reactive diluents include polyol polyacrylates and multi-functional methacrylates, such as alkane (C 2 - C 16 ) diol diacrylates, aliphatic (C 2 - C 16 ) polyacrylates, alkoxylated aliphatic polyacrylates such as described in U.S. Patent 4,382,135, polyether glycol diacrylates and the like. Typical of the foregoing are ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethyleneglycol di(meth)acrylate, triethylene glycol di(meth)acrylrate, tetramethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, neopentyl glycol di(meth)acrylate, 1,6-hexanediol di(meth)acrylate, 1,3-butylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, 1,4-butanediol di(meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate, ethoxylated bisphenol A di(meth)acrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate ; and the pentaerythritol-based polyacrylates or polymethacrylates described in U.S. Patent 4,399,192. Especially preferred polyethylenically unsaturated reactive diluents include ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, 1,3-butylene glycol dimethacrylate, and mixture thereof. The reactive diluents may exhibit free radical polymerization inhibitor content ranging from about 25 to 2,000 ppm. In addition to reactivity and the desired degree of crosslinkability, the reactive diluents will be selected on the basis of their solvency for the free-anhydride containing crosslinking copolymer component and their contribution to the viscosity of the resulting solutions. Generally, the less polar the reactive diluent the greater the solvency for said crosslinking copolymer. Solvency and viscosity can be determined conveniently by preparing mixtures over a range of concentrations, noting the clarity and compatibilities, and measuring the viscosities. In those cases where solvency in a single diluent is insufficient, one or more other diluents may be added to optimize compatibility. The higher the molecular weight of the copolymer, the less soluble the copolymer will be in some of the reactive diluents. Accordingly, the molecular weight of copolymer must be balanced with the ease with which solutions can be formed and the acceptability of the resulting viscosities and properties relative to the end uses with the plastisol component. The formulator of radiation curable compositions is well aware of all the foregoing and other considerations and can make appropriate selections of components of the compositions and proportions by routine experimentation and judgment is order to obtain a desired balance of properties. An inert solvent may also be added to the curable compositions to provide better flow or wetting and extremely thin films, e.g., less than 5 µm. The solvents may be flashed off before irradiation or left in the composition during the cure. Representative inert solvents are ketones such as methylethyl ketone, and haloalkanes such as dichloromethane. Curing agents which decompose to produce free radicals during the curing cycle may be advantageously used as curing agents in the present invention. Examples of such free-radical generating compounds include : peroxides, such as hydrogen peroxide ; percarbonates ; persulfates, such as ammonium persulfate and potassium persulfate ; perbenzoates, such as t-butyl perbenzoate and t-amyl perbenzoate ; azo compounds, such as 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile, 2,2'-azobis-2-methylvaleronitrile, 1,1′-azobis-1-cyclohexane dinitrile, and the like ; and a variety of organic peroxides. Tertiary perbenzoates, such as t-butyl perbenzoate and t-amyl perbenzoate, are generally preferred. Other di-tertiary peroxide agents and their homologs and analogs which could be used in the present invention correspond essentially to the following structural formula : wherein R groups may be alkyl (including straight, branched or cyclic) alkenyl or aryl groups, or mixtures of such groups, and may be further substituted by non-hydrocarbon groups, for example, ethers, additional peroxy groups, or halogen, such as chlorine. Illustrative organic peroxides include diacetyl peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide, dicapryl peroxide, di-(p-chlorobenzoyl) peroxide, didecanoyl peroxide, di-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl) peroxide, diisobutyl peroxide, diisononanoyl peroxide, dilauroyl peroxide, diperlargonyl peroxide, dipropynil peroxide, di(beta-carboxypropinoyl) peroxide, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, cyclohexanone peroxide, dihydroxy-dimethyl-dioxacyclopentane, t-butyl-peroxide, t-butyl peroxy (2-ethylhexanoate), t-butylperoxyisobutylate, 0,0-t-butyl-0-isopropylmonoperoxy-carbonate, t-butyl-peroxypivalate, dimethyl-di (benzoylperoxy)-hexane, t-butyl-peroxy (2-ethylbutylate), di-t-butyl peroxide, dicumyl peroxide, 2,5-bis (t-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethylhexane, t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumyl hydroperoxide, a,a'-bis-(t-butylperoxy) diisopropyl benzene, 1,1-di-t-butylperoxy-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane and n-butyl-bis (t-butylperoxy)-valerate and the like. The amount of the free radical-generating compound used in the curable plastisol compositions of the present invention may be varied depending on the crosslinking copolymer that is selected and the intended end use of the composition. The amount of free radical-generating compound required to practise the present invention is therefore readily ascertainable by one of ordinary skill in the art. Without departing from the scope of the present invention, and as appreciated by those skilled in the art, inert fillers, organic and inorganic pigments, soluble dyes, viscosity regulators, sedimentation inhibitors, oxidation inhibitors, flow improvers, extenders and other adjuvants used in plastisol and organosol technology may optionally be included in the curable plastisol compositions of the invention, insofar as they do not interfere with the free radical curing process described herein. The crosslinking copolymers improve the adhesion and physical properties of the plastisol compositions. Thus, the compositions of the invention provide thermally curable plastisol formulations for use in paintable automobile primers, automobile anticorrosion sealants, and the like. Such formulations afford an automobile protection from foreign objects such as rocks, salt, chemicals, and other sharp objects. Additional intended applications include use in adhesives, sealants, coatings, molded components, wire and cable coatings, and insulation materials, in which the plastisol composition may be blended with other ingredients to make a suitable coating, adhesive, sealant, molding compound or wire and cable insulation. When used in such applications, the modified plastisol compositions of the present invention improve the adhesion qualities of the coating, adhesive, sealant, molding compound or wire and cable insulation. Physical properties may also be improved such as tensile, elongation, modulus, cut resistance, oil resistance, etc. The modified plastisol compositions of the present invention may be applied to typical plastisol substrates using typical application methods such as spray, roll, bar, curtain, dip coating, etc. Typical substrates are aluminium, steel, electro-deposited steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel, glass, etc. The coating is applied at thicknesses ranting from 5 µm to 25 mm thick, with typical thicknesses of 12 µm to 6 mm. Following application of the plastisol compositions of the present invention, such applied compositions can then be cured by typical plastisol baking conditions, usually including temperatures from about 26° to 315°C, for periods of 10 minutes to as long as three hours. Baking can take place in air, under vacuum, or in an inert atmosphere, for example, under a nitrogen blanket. As a result of the crosslinking copolymer component of the present invention, the plastisol compositions have been modified to provide hydroxyl, carboxylic acids and ethylenic unsaturation reactive sites, which facilitate reactions with epoxies (oxiranes), amines, amides, isocyanates, bases, salts, other ethylenically unsaturated molecules, and thiols. The invention will be further clarified by the following examples, which are intended to be purely exemplary of the use of the invention. In these examples, the free radical curable modified plastisol compositions of the invention are generally prepared by blending the plastisol component, comprising a vinyl chloride homopolymer or copolymer dispersed in a plasticizer, and, optionally, containing other inert ingredients such as fillers, pigments and stabilizers, with the free anhydride-containing crosslinking copolymer disclosed herein, in a suitable blender. To this blend is added the free radical generating compound. The compositions are then thoroughly blended. The order of addition of ingredients is not particularly critical. For instance, it is permissible to add the free radical generating compound to an admixture of multi-functional methacrylate diluents, whereupon the free radical generating compound and reactive diluents are thoroughly blended. Such an admixture may be then blended with the selected plastisol components and crosslinking copolymer. In the following Tables, all of the ingredients are expressed in parts by weight, unless otherwise noted. Examples 1 to 3 Table 1 below sets forth the relative amounts of the crosslinking copolymer and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) as a reactive diluent. Component Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 PVC plastisol base compound (1) 90 90 90 crosslinking copolymer (2) 3.5 4.2 5.1 TMPTMA 6.5 5.8 4.9 t-butyl perbenzoate 0.5 0.5 0.5 (1) A suitable exemplary plastisol composition : Parts by weight Dioctyl phtalate 60 Polyvinyl chloride resin dispersion grade (e.g. B.F. Goodrich, Geon 121) 100 (2) The crosslinking copolymer used corresponds to the structural formula hereinabove stated. To prepare the foregoing modified plastisol compositions 0,5 grams of t-butyl perbenzoate was added to 10 grams of an admixture of the crosslinking copolymer identified above and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA), according to the proportions identified in Table 1. The crosslinking copolymer and the TMPTMA were blended in a suitable container by hand until they were mixed thoroughly and dispersed. The admixture of the free radical generating compound, crosslinking copolymer and reactive diluent, as aforesaid, was then blended with 90 grams of PVC plastisol base compound in a separate plastic beaker and mixed thoroughly with a wooden spatula. The modified plastisol formulations were separately applied to ED-11 electrocoated steel substrate using the drawdown method with a step gap applicator ranging from 10 to 50 µm. ED-11 is a steel substrate having an electrodeposited phosphate primer which has widespread use in automotive industry. The drawdown method is taking a wire wound metal rod and drawing it towards one's body with moderate pressure onto the substrate to "drawdown" the coating. (These "drawdown" rods apply various coating thicknessen dependent on coating solids and are well known to those skilled in the art). The test panels used were obtained from Advanced Coating Technologies, P.O. Box 735, 273 Industrial Drive, Hillsdale MI 4942. The coated substrates were then placed in a vented forced air drying oven at 163°C for 22 minutes. Plastisol coating adhesion was tested by placing a hard object such as a spatula or a tongue depressor, at a 45° angle against the substrate and moving the hard object across the coated substrate. The hard object peeled, or lifted, the plastisol which had no adhesion. When the adhesion passed, the hard object could not remove from the top layer of the substrate. Subsequently, the plastisol coating thickness was measured to the nearest 0.25 µm. The cured, coated substrates exhibited a coating to metal bond superior to that typically observed for formulations containing just TMPTMA monomer alone. Good adhesion (cohesive failure) was obtained at less than 25 µm coating thickness to ED-11 electrocoated steel for Example 3. Example 4 A modified plastisol composition the same as Example 1 was prepared, except 5 % by weight of the total formulation of the crosslinking copolymer/reactive diluent blend was used as set forth in Table 2 below : Component Parts by weight Example 4 PVC plastisol base compound 90 crosslinking copolymer 1.75 TMPTMA 3.25 t-butyl perbenzoate 0.5 Adhesion results obtained with the cured coating adhesion were still better than typical results for formulations containing 50 % by weight of only TMPTMA. Example 5 A modified plastisol composition was prepared by the same method as Example 1, except ethylene glycol dimethacrylate was added in addition to TMPTMA monomer, as set forth in Table 3 below : Component Wt.% PVC plastisol base compound 90 crosslinking copolymer 3.5 TMPTMA 1.5 EGDMA 5.0 t-butyl perbenzoate 0.5 This modified plastisol composition was applied to ED-11 electrocoated steel substrate using the drawdown method with a wire would Myer rod. The thickness of one edge of the substrate was built up with masking tape in order to get a coating thickness gradient of 12-36 µm across the substrate when the drawdown is made. Coated substrates were placed in a vented, forced air drying oven at 163°C for 2 minutes. Cured coated substrates exhibited good coating to metal adhesion at slightly more than 25 µm coating thickness. The cured coating appeared to be smoother and wetted the substrate better than examples 1-3 and slightly better than coatings containing TMPTMA monomer alone. Example 6 A modified plastisol composition the same as Example 5 was prepared except that 1,3 butylene glycol dimethacrylate was used in place of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the formulation. The cured coated substrates exhibited good coating to metal adhesion of about 25 µm coating thickness. The cured coating again appeared smoother and wetted the substrate better than Examples 1-3 and formulating containing TMPTMA monomer alone.

Claims: A free radical curable, modified plastisol composition, comprising : a) a plastisol comprising a vinyl chloride polymer and a suitable plasticizer for said polymer ; b) 0,01 % to 10 % by weight of a free radical generating compound ; c) 1 % to 50 % by weight of a partial ester of a free anhydride-containing, terminally ethylenically unsaturated, crosslinking copolymer. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the partial ester of a free anhydride-containing, terminally ethylenically unsaturated copolymer corresponds to the structural formula : wherein : R 1 and R 2 may be the same or different and each may independently be selected from hydrogen, alkyl groups containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl groups containing from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, alkaryl groups containing from 7 to 14 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups containing from 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and halogen atoms ; R 3 , R 4 and R 5 each may be the same or different and each may be independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl radicals containing from 1 to 5 carbon atoms ; R 6 is selected from alkyl, arylalkyl, alkyl-substituted arylalkyl and oxyalkylated derivatives of each of such radicals containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in each oxyalkylene group, which group may be of 1 to 20 repeating units ; A is a linear or branched divalent alkylene of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an oxyalkylated derivative thereof containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in each oxyalkylene group, which group may be of 1 to 20 repeating units, and subscripts X, Y, Z, m and p are each whole numbers such that the sum of X, Y, Z, m and p may range from 3 to 20, with X, p, m and Y each being equal to or greater than 1, and m and Z may each be zero. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said crosslinking copolymer has a number average molecular weight between 1,000 and 20,000. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said crosslinking copolymer has an acrylate equivalent per gram value of at least 0.1. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the acid number of said crosslinking copolymer is at least 40. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said vinyl chloride polymer is a vinyl chloride copolymer comprising a monomer selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride, vinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and acrylic esters of C 2 to C 10 aliphatic alcohols. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said plastisol component comprises from 5 % to 95 % by weight of a plasticizer. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said free radical generating compound is an organic peroxide. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said plastisol is present in an amount of from 99 % to 50 % by weight based on the total weight of said free radical curable modified plastisol composition. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said crosslinking copolymer is a styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer having a mole ratio of styrene to maleic anhydride of 1 : 1 to 4 : 1. A composition according to one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising 1 % to 10 % by weight of at least one reactive diluent. A composition according to claim 13, wherein said reactive diluent is selected from monoethylenically and polyethylenycally unsaturated monomers and oligomers. A composition according to claim 12, wherein said reactive diluent is selected from methacrylate compounds, monoacrylate compounds, multi-functional methyacrylate compounds and multi-functional acrylate compounds. A composition according to claim 13, wherein said reactive diluent is trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate. A cured plastisol composition provided by curing a composition according to one of claims 1 to 14. Application of a plastisol composition according to any of claims 1 to 15 to a substrate at a thickness ranging from 5 µm to 25 mm. Application according to claim 16, characterized in that the substrate is selected from aluminium, steel and glass.

Inventors: BAILEY MICHAEL A, MILLER HENRY C, WEAVER DAVID L, BAILEY, MICHAEL A., MILLER, HENRY C., WEAVER, DAVID L.
Applicants: SARTOMER CO INC, SARTOMER COMPANY, INC.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C08F299
IPC codes: C08F290, C08F259, C08F299