| abstract |
Graft polymers containing water-soluble, acid groups are disclosed with at least partial biodegrability based on sugars and monoethylenically unsaturated caraboxylic acids, sulphonic acids and/or phosphonic acids or the salts of said acids, as well as other monomers if required. A process is also disclosed for producing these graft copolymers at temperatures up to 200 DEG C by means of radical polymerization initiators. A total mixture of 5-60 % by weight mono-, di- and olygosaccharides, their derivatives or their mixtures, and of 95-40 % by weight of a monomer mixture which contains at least one monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, at least one monoethylenically unsaturated sulphonic acid, a monoethylenically unsaturated sulphuric acid ester and/or vinyl phosphonic acid or the salts of said acids with monovalent cations, as well as if required other monomers, is polymerized. Also disclosed is the use of said graft copolymers in aqueous systems, for binding polyvalent metal ions, as water hardness inhibitors, as additives to washing and cleaning agents, as textile additives, as dispersing agents, in particular for pigments, and also as additives for paper and leather production. |