Patent ID: 7132469

Claim:
A method of preparing a shelf-stable composition which comprises: a) mixing a solid thermoplastic elastomer thickener which is a thermoplastic ionomer that has secondary bonding with one or more reactive liquid monomers, liquid oligomers, liquid polymers or a combination thereof which polymerizes in the presence of an activated free-radical polymerization initiator, wherein said secondary bonding comprises ionic bonds wherein said solid thermoplastic elastomer thickener is free of active free-radical polymerization initiators, absorbs said reactive liquid monomers, liquid oligomers, liquid polymers or combination thereof, and reacts with said reactive liquid monomers, liquid oligomers, liquid polymers or combination thereof, in the presence of an activated free-radical polymerization initiator; and b) aging the mixture of solid thermoplastic elastomer thickener, and reactive liquid monomers, liquid oligomers, liquid polymers or combination thereof, for at least 24 hours to allow absorption of the reactive liquid monomer, liquid oligomer, liquid polymer or combination thereof by the solid thermoplastic elastomer thickener.