Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)stabilized polymerized epoxy compositions and process for irradiating same

Claim 2

The composition of claim 1, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides and a lactone.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 3, in which said lactone is gamma-butyro-lactone.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 1, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides and a vinyl-containing compound.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 1 wherein said inhibitor is a poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) having the general formula:

Claim 6

The composition of claim 6 wherein R1 is alkyl, R2, R5 and R are alkyl and R3, R4 and R6 are hydrogen.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 6 wherein R1 is aryl, R2, R5 and R are alkyl and R3, R4 and R6 are hydrogen.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 6 in which R1, R3, R5 and R are alkyl and R2, R4, and R6 are hydrogen.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 9 in which said alkyl radical is a methyl group.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 7 in which said alkyl radical is a methyl group.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 6 in which R1 is aryl, R3, R5 and R are alkyl and R2, R4 and R6 are hydrogen.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 12 in which said aryl radical is a phenyl group.

Claim 13

The composition of claim 1, in which said catalyst precursor is present in an amount equal to between about 0.5 percent and about 5 percent of the weight of said polymerizable material present in the composition.

Claim 14

The composition of claim 1, in which said gelation inhibitor is present in an amount by weight equal to between about 0.02 percent and about 1.5 percent of the weight of the composition.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 1, in which the total amount of any unpolymerizable volatile solvents present in said composition is less than about 4 percent by weight of the composition.

Claim 16

A stabilized polymerizable composition, comprising: a liquid monomeric or prepolymeric epoxide material or mixtures of epoxide materials with a monomer selected from the group consisting of gamma butyrolactone, styrene and dodecyl vinyl ether, said mixture being polymerizable to higher molecular weights through the action of a cationic catalyst; an aromatic diazonium salt of a complex halogenide which decomposes upon application of energy to provide a halide Lewis acid effective to initiate polymerization of said epoxide material, said salt being present in an amount equal to between about 0.5 percent and about 5 percent of the weight of said epoxide material present in said composition; and a gelation inhibitor for counteracting prematurely formed Lewis acid, said inhibitor being selected from the group consisting of 3-substituted poly(vinylpyrrolidones) wherein the substituents are alkyl or aryl, present in an amount by weight equal to between about 0.02 percent and about 1.5 percent of the weight of said composition.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 17, in which the total amount of any unpolymerizable volatile solvent present in said composition is less than about 4 percent by weight of the liquid composition.

Claim 18

The composition of claim 17, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides and gamma-butyrolactone.

Claim 19

The composition of claim 17, in which thE polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides and dodecyl vinyl ether.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 17, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides and dodecyl vinyl ether.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 17, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides.

Claim 22

The process of polymerizing a polymerizable material consisting essentially of a monomeric or prepolymeric epoxide, or mixture of said epoxides or mixture thereof with a monomer selected from the group consisting of lactones and vinyl-containing compounds of the formula

Claim 23

The process of claim 23, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides.

Claim 24

The process of claim 23, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides and a lactone.

Claim 25

The process of claim 23, in which the polymerizable material is a mixture of epoxides and a vinyl-containing compound.

Claim 26

The process of claim 23, in which said catalyst precursor is mixed with said polymerizable material is an amount equal to between about 0.5 percent and about 5 percent of the weight of the polymerizable material.

Claim 27

The process of claim 27, in which said inhibitor is a poly(vinyl-3-alkylpyrrolidone).

Claim 28

The process of claim 23, in which said inhibitor mixed with the polymerizable material and the catalyst precursor is a poly(vinyl-3-aryl pyrrolidone).

Claim 29

The process of claim 23, in which said gelation inhibitor is mixed with said polymerizable material and said catalyst precursor in an amount equal to between about 0.02 percent and about 1.5 percent of the weight of the resulting mixture.

Claim 30

The process of claim 23, in which said mixture resulting from mixing the polymerizable material, the catalyst precursor, and the gelation inhibitor contains less than about 4 percent by weight of any unpolymerizable volatile solvents which may be present therein.