| abstract |
A hydrophobe-containing alkali soluble or swellable copolymer thickenerncomprising an emulsion polymerization product of (A) an ethylenically unsaturatedncopolymerizable surfactant monomer having a cloud point of from about 65°C to aboutn95°C, wherein the surfactant monomer has the formulan M(EO) X (PO) Y (BO) z OR 1 nwherein M is a residue selected from the group consisting of an ethylenically unsaturatedncarboxylic acid, ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid, and a copolymerizablenisocyanate; EO is an ethylene oxide unit; PO is a propylene oxide unit; BO is a butylenenoxide unit; x is from 10 to 45; y is from 0 to 35; z is from 0 to 35; provided that x + y + z isnfrom 20 to 45; and R 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkylene, cycloalkyl,ncycloalkylene, and arylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group has 1 to 30 carbon atoms; (B)nan α, β-ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acid monomer; and (C) a nonionic α, β-ethylenicallynunsaturated monomer. The copolymer provides aqueous compositions withnconstant or increased viscosity at temperatures approaching 120°C. |