| abstract |
Disclosed are chemically joined, phase separated self-cured hydrophilic thermoplastic graft copolymers which are copolymers of at least one hydrophilic (water-soluble) ethylenically unsaturated monomer or mixtures thereof (or compounds rendered hydrophilic) and at least one copolymerizable hydrophobic macromolecular monomer having a copolymerizable end group which is copolymerizable with said hydrophilic monomer based on the relative reactivity ratios of the respective copolymerizable moieties, said copolymerizable hydrophobic macromolecular monomer being characterized as having a substantially uniform molecular weight distribution such that its ratio of Mw/Mn is not substantially above about 1.1, and being further characterized as having a molecular weight of at least about 2,000. The copolymers are water-dispersible and water-swellable and are useful in diverse applications such as suspension stabilizers, flocculants, hydrogels (e.g., biomedical hydrogels as contact lenses, artificial organs, etc.), industrial thickeners, ion exchange resins, drilling mud, and they can impart moisture absorption and water permeability (useful in dialysis tubing) as well as antistatic properties to products. |