A solvent composition includes an organic solvent including one or more organic solvents (A) and one or more organic solvents (B), and one or more types of core-shell polymer particles each comprising a core layer and a shell layer. The organic sol vents (A) have a polar teen δp of a Hansen solubility parameter of less than 11 and a hydrogen bond term δh of less than 10, and the organic solvents (B) satisfy at least one of 11 or more of the polar term δp or 10 or more of the hydrogen bond term δh. A weight ratio of (A) to (B) ranges from 15:85 to 95:5. Based on a total weight of the solvent composition, a content of the core-shell polymer particles is 20 to 40% by weight and a water content is 1% by weight or less.

A method for producing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; and polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles. A method for functionalizing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles; and functionalizing the click-active Janus particles using one or more click chemistry reactions.

A method for producing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; and polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles. A method for functionalizing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles; and functionalizing the click-active Janus particles using one or more click chemistry reactions.

A method for producing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; and polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles. A method for functionalizing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles; and functionalizing the click-active Janus particles using one or more click chemistry reactions.

Provided is a binder composition for a secondary battery with which it is possible to produce a slurry composition for a secondary battery electrode that has excellent preservation stability and can produce an electrode having excellent peel strength. The binder composition for a secondary battery contains a water-soluble polymer and polyvalent metal ions. The water-soluble polymer includes a vinyl alcohol structural unit and a carboxy group-containing monomer unit. The content of the polyvalent metal ions is not less than 0.1 mass ppm and not more than 10,000 mass ppm relative to the water-soluble polymer.

Provided is a binder composition for a secondary battery with which it is possible to produce a slurry composition for a secondary battery electrode that has excellent preservation stability and can produce an electrode having excellent peel strength. The binder composition for a secondary battery contains a water-soluble polymer and polyvalent metal ions. The water-soluble polymer includes a vinyl alcohol structural unit and a carboxy group-containing monomer unit. The content of the polyvalent metal ions is not less than 0.1 mass ppm and not more than 10,000 mass ppm relative to the water-soluble polymer.

The invention relates to an aqueous polymer dispersion and its preparation. The dispersion comprises a styrene acrylate polymer, which is obtainable by free-radical polymerisation of 1-90 weight-% of monomer (a), which comprises at least one optionally substituted styrene; 10-99 weight-% of monomer (b), which comprises at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate, and 0-9 weight-% of monomer (c), which comprises at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer, which is different from monomer (b). The polymerisation is conducted in a polymerisation medium comprising a cationic prepolymer, which is obtainable by free radical polymerisation of at least 10-55 weight-% of a monomer (i), which comprises at least one ethylenically unsaturated quaternary and/or tertiary amine, 35-90 weight-% of a monomer (ii), which comprises at least one optionally substituted styrene, and 0-55 weight-% of a monomer (iii), which comprises at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate. The oligomer content in the polymer dispersion is ≤1.4 weight-%, calculated from the dry polymer content.

The invention relates to an aqueous polymer dispersion and its preparation. The dispersion comprises a styrene acrylate polymer, which is obtainable by free-radical polymerisation of 1-90 weight-% of monomer (a), which comprises at least one optionally substituted styrene; 10-99 weight-% of monomer (b), which comprises at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate, and 0-9 weight-% of monomer (c), which comprises at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer, which is different from monomer (b). The polymerisation is conducted in a polymerisation medium comprising a cationic prepolymer, which is obtainable by free radical polymerisation of at least 10-55 weight-% of a monomer (i), which comprises at least one ethylenically unsaturated quaternary and/or tertiary amine, 35-90 weight-% of a monomer (ii), which comprises at least one optionally substituted styrene, and 0-55 weight-% of a monomer (iii), which comprises at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate. The oligomer content in the polymer dispersion is ≤1.4 weight-%, calculated from the dry polymer content.

The present invention is related to a process for the production of a vinyl aromatic (co)polymer comprising the steps of: a) mixing a fraction (A) comprising one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, acrylonitrile, methyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid and butadiene with a fraction (B) comprising post-consumer recycled vinyl aromatic (co)polymer, wherein the weight ratio of fraction (B) to fraction (A) is comprised between 0.01/1 and 1/1, preferably between 0.05/1 and 0.5/1 b) subjecting the resulting mixture to a free-radical polymerization and polymerizing to a monomer conversion up to 90%, to obtain a polymerized mixture comprising vinyl aromatic (co)polymer; c) vacuum devolatizing the polymerized mixture and recovering vinyl aromatic (co)polymer characterized by a weight average molecular weight comprised between 100,000 and 400,000 g/mol;
wherein one or more bromine derivative capture agents are added before, and/or during and/or after at least one of the steps a) to c); and
wherein 100 parts of one or more bromine derivative capture agents comprises at least 50 parts by weight of hydrotalcite of the formula:

[Mg.sub.1-x Al.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.x+(CO.sub.3).sub.x/2.mH.sub.2O

wherein: 0<x≤0.5, and m is a positive number.

The present invention is also related to expandable and extruded expanded vinyl aromatic (co)polymer compositions obtained from vinyl aromatic (co)polymers comprising post-consumer and/or post-industrial vinyl aromatic (co)polymer and to a process for the production of said expandable and extruded expanded vinyl aromatic (co)polymer compositions.

The present invention is related to a process for the production of a vinyl aromatic (co)polymer comprising the steps of: a) mixing a fraction (A) comprising one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, acrylonitrile, methyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid and butadiene with a fraction (B) comprising post-consumer recycled vinyl aromatic (co)polymer, wherein the weight ratio of fraction (B) to fraction (A) is comprised between 0.01/1 and 1/1, preferably between 0.05/1 and 0.5/1 b) subjecting the resulting mixture to a free-radical polymerization and polymerizing to a monomer conversion up to 90%, to obtain a polymerized mixture comprising vinyl aromatic (co)polymer; c) vacuum devolatizing the polymerized mixture and recovering vinyl aromatic (co)polymer characterized by a weight average molecular weight comprised between 100,000 and 400,000 g/mol;
wherein one or more bromine derivative capture agents are added before, and/or during and/or after at least one of the steps a) to c); and
wherein 100 parts of one or more bromine derivative capture agents comprises at least 50 parts by weight of hydrotalcite of the formula:

[Mg.sub.1-x Al.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.x+(CO.sub.3).sub.x/2.mH.sub.2O

wherein: 0<x≤0.5, and m is a positive number.

The present invention is also related to expandable and extruded expanded vinyl aromatic (co)polymer compositions obtained from vinyl aromatic (co)polymers comprising post-consumer and/or post-industrial vinyl aromatic (co)polymer and to a process for the production of said expandable and extruded expanded vinyl aromatic (co)polymer compositions.