Patent GB-1140542-A (GB)
Title: Reinforced poly(alkyl methacrylate) compositions
IPC: C08F279/02
Filed: 1966-01-06
Abstract: 1,140,542. Reinforced polyalkyl methacrylate compositions. MONSANTO CO. 6 Jan., 1966 [6 Jan., 1965], No. 653/66. Heading C3P. Reinforced methacrylate polymer compositions are prepared by polymerizing an alkyl methacrylate monomer in the presence of a free radical catalyst and a boron complex of the formula Z-BR 3  where each R is the same or different and is H, hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyloxy, halogen, -OBR<SP>1</SP> 2  or -BR<SP>1</SP> 2 , in which R<SP>1</SP> is H, hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyloxy or halogen, and Z is derived from a weakly basic complexing agent having an ionization constant of 10<SP>-5</SP> to 10<SP>-11</SP>, and in the presence of a reinforcing material which is sufficiently dispersed throughout the monomer to serve as an effective heat sink for the exothermic heat of polymerization. (The reinforcing agent is capable of being bonded to the polymer through a coupler component, e.g. a poly-functional organosilicon compound.) The alkyl methacrylate may be copolymerized with another alkyl methacrylate and/or an alkyl acrylate, a polymethacrylate monomer, or with different monomers such as styrene, substituted (e.g. methyl) styrenes, bisalkyl, acrylonitrile, maleic anhydride, 2- hydroxyalkyl methacrylates and methacrylonitrile. The reinforcing agent is preferably waterinsoluble and inorganic, e.g. minerals, metals, metal oxides, metal aluminates and silicates and other siliceous materials; however, organic materials, e.g. cellulosic and polyamide materials, can also be used. Suitable free radical catalysts include peroxides, hydroperoxides, hydrazine derivatives, amine oxides, alkali metal and ammonium per-salts, > C=N- containing compounds, oxygen, and reaction products of organometallic compounds with oxygen. The basic Z component of the boron complex is preferably pyridine; also suitable are alkyl-amines, picolines, aniline, dimethylaniline, toluidines, triethylenediamine, tetrahydrofuran, triphenylphosphine, beryllium hydroxide, nicotine, strychnine, codeine, cocaine and novacaine. As indicated previously, a coupler may be included in the polymerization process, particularly one of the formula where Z 1  is a polymerizable group such as vinyl, allyl, acryloxy or methacryloxy, Y is hydrocarbyl, X is a radical capable of reaction with the surface of the reinforcing agent, e.g. halogen, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxy carbonyl, alkyl or aryl carboxylate or hydroxy, n is an integer from 1-20, a is an integer from 1-3, b is an integer from 0-2, c is an integer from 1-3 and a+b+c = 4. Other suitable types of couplers are P-based couplers (see Specification 1,089,700), chromium co-ordination complexes, sodium methacrylate, allyl chloride, methyl ester of 3,4-epoxybutanoic acid and 1-hexenol-6. An anionic, cationic or non-ionic surfactant may be included in the polymerization to reduce the viscosity of the reaction mixture. A rubbery polymer can also be included, e.g. diene polymers and copolymers and olefin copolymers. The reinforced polymethacrylate compositions are particularly useful in the production of sheet materials.