Patent ID: 7358325

Claim:
A sulfonated aromatic copolyester comprising an acid component, a glycol component, from 0 to about 5.0 mole percent of a polyfunctional branching agent selected from polyfunctional acid, glycol and mixtures thereof, and optionally an effective amount of a color reducing agent, wherein said acid component consists essentially of a. 98.9 to 1.0 mole percent of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid component based on 100 mole percent total acid component, and b. 1.0 to 99.0 mole percent of a hydroxyalkanoic acid component selected from lactic acid, glycolic acid and mixtures thereof, based on 100 mole percent total acid component, and c. about 0.1 to about 5.0 mole percent of a sulfonate component based on 100 mole percent total acid component, and wherein said glycol component comprises: a. about 99.0 to about 1.0 mole percent of a single first glycol component selected from ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol and 1,4-butanediol, and b. 1.0 to about 5.0 mole percent of one or more of a second glycol component based on 100 mole percent total glycol component.