Surfactantless latex compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to surfactantless latex compositions. More particularly, the present invention pertains to surfactantless latex compositions comprising sulfo-polyester polymers wherein the compositions have a continuous phase comprising water, diol, polyol or a mixture thereof. Still further, the present invention provides methods of making polymer blends comprising a condensation polymer and a latex polymer whereby the latex polymer is derived from a surfactantless latex composition comprising sulfo-polyester polymers. Polymer blends made by such methods are also provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A latex composition comprising: 
 (a) latex polymer particles comprising a residue of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer;    (b) a sulfo-polyester polymer; and    (c) a diol component    wherein the latex polymer particles are dispersed in a liquid continuous phase, and wherein the diol component is present in the liquid continuous phase.    
     
     
         2 . The latex composition of  claim 1 , wherein the diol component comprises from about 0.01 to about 100% by weight of the continuous phase.  
     
     
         3 . The latex composition of  claim 1 , wherein the diol component comprises from about 40 to about 100% by weight of the continuous phase.  
     
     
         4 . The latex composition of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous phase further comprises a water component.  
     
     
         5 . The latex composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfo-polyester polymer comprises residues of a dicarboxylic acid, a diol and a difunctional sulfo-monomer.  
     
     
         6 . The latex composition of  claim 5 , wherein the diol of the sulfo-polyester polymer comprises ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 3-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, 2-methyl-1,4-pentanediol, 2-2-4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol, 1,3-hexanediol, 1,4-di-(hydroxyethoxy)-benzenediol, 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxycyclohexyl)-propanediol, 2,4-dihydroxy-1,1,3,3-trimethyl-cyclobutanediol, and 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxypropoxyphenyl)-propanediol, and wherein the difunctional sulfo-monomer of the sulfo-polyester comprises sulfophthalic acid, sulfoterephthalic acid, sulfoisophthalic acid, 4-sulfonaphthalene-2,7-dicarboxylic acid, esters thereof or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The latex composition of  claim 5 , wherein the difunctional sulfo-monomer of the sulfo-polyester polymer comprises from about 8 mole percent to about 25 mole percent based on 100 mole percent dicarboxylic acid.  
     
     
         8 . The latex composition of  claim 1 , wherein the latex polymer particles comprise a residue of a non-acid vinyl monomer of an acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate, acetoacetoxy ethyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, isobutyl acrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isoprene, octyl acrylate, octyl methacrylate, iso-octyl acrylate, iso-octyl methacrylate, trimethyolpropyl triacrylate, styrene, α-methyl styrene, glycidyl methacrylate, carbodiimide methacrylate, C 1 -C 18  alkyl crotonates, di-n-butyl maleate, α-or-β-vinyl naphthalene, di-octylmaleate, allyl methacrylate, di-allyl maleate, di-allylmalonate, methyoxybutenyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, hydroxybutenyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate, hydroxypropyl(meth)acrylate, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinyl acetate, vinyl ethylene carbonate, epoxy butene, 3,4-dihydroxybutene, hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate, methacrylamide, acrylamide, butyl acrylamide, ethyl acrylamide, butadiene, vinyl(meth)acrylates, isopropenyl(meth)acrylate, cycloaliphaticepoxy(meth)acrylates, ethylformamide, 4-vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, 2,2-dimethyl-4vinyl-1,3-dioxolate, 3,4-di-acetoxy-1-butene, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The latex composition of  claim 1 , wherein the diol component comprises an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diol having from about 2 to about 10 carbon atoms or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The latex composition of  claim 1 , wherein the diol component comprises ethylene diol, propylene diol, 1,4-butanediol, diethylene diol, neopentyl diol, cyclohexanedimethanol, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A coating composition comprising the latex composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . An ink vehicle composition comprising the latex composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         13 . A process for the preparation of the latex composition of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of: 
 a) preparing a composition comprising a monomer suitable to prepare latex polymer particles, an initiator, a sulfo-polyester polymer, and a diol component; and    b) heating the composition of step (a) to polymerize the latex monomer, thereby forming the latex composition.    
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the monomer, initiator and sulfo-polyester polymer are present in a dispersed phase and the diol component is present in the continuous phase.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the composition further comprises a crosslinking agent and wherein the crosslinking agent comprises divinyl benzene, allyl methacrylate, allyl acrylate, a multifunctional acrylate, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises a buffering agent and wherein the buffering agent comprises ammonium salts of carbonates, sodium salts of carbonates, sodium salts of bicarbonate, ammonium salts of bicarbonates or a mixture thereof.