US4007138A — Manufacture of ion-exchanging shaped articles

Claim 1

Independent Claim 198 words

A process for the manufacture of ion-exchanging shaped articles which comprises homogeneously mixing (a) a polyolefin selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene-1, polyisobutylene, a copolymer of ethylene and propylene, a copolymer of ethylene and butene-1, a copolymer of ethylene and isobutylene and mixtures thereof, with (b) a monovinylaromatic monomer and (c) an aromatic divinyl monomer selected from the group consisting of 1,2-divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylbenzene, 1,4-divinylbenzene and mixtures thereof and (d) 5 to 90% by weight, with reference to the total weight of the mixture, of a solvent of low volatility; polymerizing the monomers in the mixture in the presence of a polymerization initiator at 100°-220° C. to produce a crosslinked copolymer thereof in said mixture in which the crosslinked copolymer constitutes 10-75% by weight with reference to the weight of said polyolefin and said crosslinked copolymer, and said crosslinked copolymer being in the form of minute particles in the matrix of said polyolefin (a), shaping the resulting product into articles in the form of fibers, woven or non-woven fabrics, beads, membranes or sheeting; removing the low-volatility solvent from said articles to provide said articles having micropores; and introducing ion-exchanging groups into the resultant microporous shaped articles.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 198 words

A process for the manufacture of ion-exchanging shaped articles which comprises homogeneously mixing (a) a polyolefin selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene-1, polyisobutylene, a copolymer of ethylene and propylene, a copolymer of ethylene and butene-1, a copolymer of ethylene and isobutylene and mixtures thereof, with (b) a monovinylaromatic monomer and (c) an aromatic divinyl monomer selected from the group consisting of 1,2-divinylbenzene, 1,3-divinylbenzene, 1,4-divinylbenzene and mixtures thereof and (d) 5 to 90% by weight, with reference to the total weight of the mixture, of a solvent of low volatility; polymerizing the monomers in the mixture in the presence of a polymerization initiator at 100°-220° C. to produce a crosslinked copolymer thereof in said mixture in which the crosslinked copolymer constitutes 10-75% by weight with reference to the weight of said polyolefin and said crosslinked copolymer, and said crosslinked copolymer being in the form of minute particles in the matrix of said polyolefin (a), shaping the resulting product into articles in the form of fibers, woven or non-woven fabrics, beads, membranes or sheeting; removing the low-volatility solvent from said articles to provide said articles having micropores; and introducing ion-exchanging groups into the resultant microporous shaped articles.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said monovinylaromatic monomer is styrene, methylstyrene or acenaphthylene.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the amount of said aromatic divinyl monomer is used in an amount of 1 to 20% by weight, based on the monovinylaromatic monomer.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 64 words

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said solvent of low volatility is tetrahydronaphthalene, decahydronaphthalene, anthracene, acenaphthene, diphenyl, a saturated C 10-40 hydrocarbon, an ester of adipic acid with an alcohol of from 1 to 20 carbons, paraffin oil, campher, an ester of phthalic acid with an alcohol of from 1 to 20 carbons, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said homogeneous mixture is formed by first mixing said polyolefin and said low-volatility solvent at a temperature between 100° and 250° C and thereafter adding said monomers (b) and (c) to the mixture.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the low volatility solvent is removed from said shaped articles by washing thereof with a volatile solvent which is a non-solvent for said polyolefin and said crosslinked copolymer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ion-exchanging groups are introduced by sulfonation or chloromethylation followed by amination.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 62 words

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a homogeneous mixture of said polyolefin and said solvent is first prepared at a temperature of said mixture of 100°-220° C, and thereafter said monomers (b) and (c) are added to said mixture to produce at 100°-220° C said crosslinked copolymer in the form of said minute particles in said matrix of said polyolefin.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 82 words

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a homogeneous, clear mixture of said polyolefin, said monomers (b) and (c), said solvent is prepared, and then the clear mixture is heated at 100°-220° C to polymerize said monomers (b) and (c) until the mixture becomes slightly opaque or cloudy, in which latter mixture said crosslinked copolymer is formed and is present in the form of minute particles having a diameter of about 0.05 to 0.5 μ in the matrix of said polyolefin.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process as claimed in claim 9, wherein said crosslinked copolymer constitutes 20-50% by weight with reference to the weight of said polyolefin and said crosslinked copolymer.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said polyolefin (a) is polypropylene, and said monomers (b) and (c) respectively are styrene and divinylbenzene.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said polyolefin (a) is polypropylene, said monomers (b) and (c) respectively are styrene and divinylbenzene, and said articles are fibers, woven fabrics or membranes.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said solvent is removed by washing said shaped articles with a wash solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, acetone and light naphtha.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 99 words

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a homogeneous, clear mixture of said polyolefin, said monomers (b) and (c), said solvent, a polymerization initiator and a polymerization inhibitor is prepared, and then the clear mixture is heated to a temperature sufficient to polymerize said monomers (b) and (c) in the presence of said initiator and said inhibitor until the mixture becomes slightly opaque or cloudy, in which latter mixture said crosslinked copolymer is formed and is present in the form of minute particles having a diameter of about 0.05 to 0.5 μ in the matrix of said polyolefin.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 24 words

A process as claimed in claim 14, wherein said polyolefin (a) is polypropylene, and said monomers (b) and (c) respectively are styrene and divinylbenzene.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 53 words

A process as claimed in claim 15 wherein said articles are shaped into fibers containing said low-volatility solvent, washing said fibers with a volatile solvent which dissolves said low-volatility solvent and which is a non-solvent for said polyolefin and said crosslinked copolymer, and thereafter introducing said ion-exchanging groups into the resultant microporous fibers.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-02-08	1980-08-09	1981-02-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-02-08	1984-08-09	1985-02-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-02-08	1988-08-09	1989-02-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Manufacture of ion-exchanging shaped articles

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