Water soluble energy curable stereo-crosslinkable ionomer compositions

Abstract

A homogenous, aqueous, energy curable, stereo cross linkable ionomer containing coating composition and a method of preparing same.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition which is an aqueous, energy curable, homogenous, solution comprising the neutralization product of
 (a) an ethylenically unsaturated acidic resin containing carboxylic acid groups, and   (b) an ethylenically unsaturated amine; in   (c) more than 10% but less than 30% by weight of water;
 where upon curing with an actinic radiation source, a stereo-crosslinked ionomer forms offering the composition an increased cross-linked density. 
   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin is a styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer, partially esterified with a hydroxy alkyl acrylate or methacrylate functional group. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the neutralizing agent is an ethylenically unsaturated tertiary amine. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin has an acid number of at least 80 and a weight average molecular weight between 1,000 and 50,000. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin has an acid number of at least 80 and a weight average molecular weight between 1,000 and 25,000. 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin has an acid number of at least 80 and a weight average molecular weight between 1,000 and 10,000. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated acidic resin contains acrylic functional groups, methacrylic functional groups or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7  wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin is a styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer, partially esterified with a hydroxy alkyl acrylate or methacrylate functional group. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein the neutralizing agent is an ethylenically unsaturated tertiary amine. 
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin has an acid number of at least 80 and a weight average molecular weight between 1,000 and 50,000. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 10 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin has an acid number of at least 80 and a weight average molecular weight between 1,000 and 25,000. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 11 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin has an acid number of at least 80 and a weight average molecular weight between 1,000 and 10,000. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the ethylenically unsaturated resin is a styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer, partially esterified with a hydroxy alkyl acrylate or methacrylate functional group. 
     
     
         14 . A method for preparing an energy curable coating comprising employing the composition of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . A method for preparing an energy curable coating comprising employing the composition of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         16 . A method for preparing an energy curable coating comprising employing the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . An energy curable coating comprising the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . An energy curable coating comprising the composition of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         19 . An energy curable coating comprising the composition of  claim 9 .