Poly (hydroxy amino ethers) exhibit the property of good adhesion to a variety of substrates under conditions that allow the resin to melt and flow. However, quite often, the process demands that the resin softens and flows at low temperatures, with short heating time and without any external force to aid the softening and flow. Esters of carboxylic acids, among the most widely used modifiers to meet these challenges, undergo transesterifcation with polyhydroxy (amino ethers) at elevated temperatures. This not only makes it difficult to incorporate the ester modifier into the polyhydroxy (amino ether), but also changes the thermal stability of the modified polyhydroxy (amino ether). Poly (ethylene glycol) with molecular weight less than 5000 g/mole depresses the glass transition temperatures of the modified polyhydroxy (amino ether) and at the same time increases the water sensitivity of the modified resin. The combined effects of the low glass transition temperature and the plasticizing effect of absorbed moisture pose obstacles in fiber manufacturing using low molecular weight poly (ethylene glycol-modified polyhydroxy (amino ether). Poly (propylene glycol) does not render moisture sensitivity to resins modified with it, but it is not miscible with the polyhydroxy (amino ether).

Therefore, there is a need for a method for preparing a polyhydroxy (amino ether) composition which improves its adhesion to substrates and retains its processability, but does not increase its water absorptivity.

This need is met by the present invention which provides such a method.

In a first aspect, the present invention is a method for preparing a composition comprising a poly (hydroxy amino ether) (PHAE) and a propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol which comprises adding to the PHAE an effective amount of propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol.

In a second aspect, the present invention is a composition comprising a poly (hydroxy aminoether) and an effective amount of a propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol.

As used herein, the term"propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol"refers to a phenol that has been reacted with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or a combination of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.

As used herein, the term"effective amount"refers to the amount of propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol which is sufficient to improve the adhesion of the poly (hydroxy amino ether) to substrates.

It has been found that the propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol modifier does not react with the hydroxy functionalized poly (amino ether), nor does it increase the water absorptivity of the modified resin. The propoxylated or ethoxylated phenols only moderately depress the glass transition temperature of the modified resin, thus retaining the processability of the modified resin. The modified polyhydroxy (amino ether) of the present invention has low viscosity at a low shear rate, which improves its adhesion to substrates.

Figure 1 shows the relationship between the amount of modifier and the viscosity of the resultant blend.

Preferably, the poly (hydroxy amino ether) has repeating units represented by the formula: wherein R is alkyl or hydrogen; A is a diamino moiety or a combination of different amine moieties; B is a divalent organic moiety which is predominantly hydrocarbylene; and n is an integer from 5 to 1000.

The term"predominantly hydrocarbylene"means a divalent radical which is predominantly hydrocarbon, but which optionally contains a minor amount of heteroatomic moiety such as oxygen, sulfur, imino, sulfonyl, and sulfoxyl.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, R is hydrogen; and A is 2-hydroxyethylimino, 2-hydroxypropylimino, piperazenyl or N, N'-bis (2-hydroxyethyl)-1, 2- ethylenediimino.

The poly (hydroxy amino ethers) or polyetheramines are prepared by contacting one or more of the diglycidyl ethers of a dihydric phenol with a difunctional amine (an amine having two amine hydrogens) under conditions sufficient to cause the amine moieties to react with epoxy moieties to form a polymer backbone having amine linkages, ether linkages and pendant hydroxyl moieties. These polyetheramines are described in U. S. Patent 5,275, 853. The polyetheramines can also be prepared by contacting a diglycidyl ether or an epihalohydrin with a difunctional amine.

The propoxylated or ethoxylated phenols which can be employed in the practice of the present invention include propoxylated-ethoxylated bisphenol A which is commercially available as SYN FACTM 8031 from Milliken Chemical, USA and described in U. S. Patent 4,507, 461. Other propoxylated or ethoxylated phenols which can be employed in the practice of the present invention include those described in U. S. Patents 6,111, 146 and 5,786, 514.

While the amount of propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol used depends on a variety of factors, including the specific polymer employed and the desired end uses of the composition, in general, the propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol can be present in an amount of from 0.1 to 50 weight percent, preferably from 2 to 30 weight percent and, most preferably, from 5 to 15 weight percent, based on the total weight of the polyetheramine and propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol.

Fig. 1 shows there is a clear correlation between the amount of propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol (modifier) and the viscosity of the resultant blend.

Various additives may be incorporated into the composition of the invention in order to modify certain properties thereof. Examples of such additives include catalysts, plasticizers, wetting agents and colorants In general, the poly (hydroxy amino ether) (PHAE) composition can be prepared by mixing the poly (hydroxy aminoether) and the propoxylated phenol in a processing equipment, such as a HAAKETM mixer for a time sufficient to provide a well blended mixture of the components.

The PHAE composition can be used in applications such as films, fibers, adhesives and injection molding applications where increased polymer flow is desirable. In addition, the reduced melt viscosity of the polymer blend may facilitate the incorporation of the composition into solutions or into aqueous, waterborne or other solvent-based dispersions.

The following examples are given to illustrate the invention and should not be construed as limiting its scope. All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Example 1 Polyhydroxyaminoether (BLOXTM 220), EA-275 (polyethylenepolyamines) and Resin 565 (Dow trade designation of a diether of propylene glycol and bisphenol A) were mixed in a HAAKETMmixer at a temperature and time sufficient to provide a well blended mixture of the components.

Table 1, Composition and glass transition temperature of Blox 220-Resin 565 blends Run Composition BLOX 220, g EA-275, g Resin 565, g Tg, °C 1 Blox 220+1 percent EA-275 59. 40 0. 60 0. 00 75 (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 2 90 percent, Resins 565 10 53.46 0. 54 6.00 67 percent (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 3 93 percent, Resins 565 7 55.24 0.56 4.20 68 percent (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 4 95 percent, Resins 565 5 56.43 0.57 3.00 69 percent (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 5 97 percent, Resins 565 3 57.62 0.58 1.80 70 percent' (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 6 99 percent, Resins 565 1 58.81 0.59 0.60 75 percent Example 2 Polyhydroxyaminoether (BLOXTM 220), EA-275 (polyethylenepolyamines) and SYN FACTM 8031, a propoxylated-ethoxylated bisphenol A from Milliken Chemical, were mixed in a HAAKETM mixer at 140 °C (metal temperature) and 50 rpm for 10 min according to the formulation listed in Table 2. Only one glass transition temperature was observed for each blend.

Table 2, Composition and glass transition temperature of Blox 220-Syn Fac 8031 resin blends Run Composition BLOX 220, g EA-275, g Syn Fac 8031, g Tg, °C (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 1 90 percent, Syn Fac 8031 10 53.46 0.54 6.00 57 percent (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 2 93 percent, Syn Fac 80317 55.24 0.56 4.20 63 percent (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 3 95 percent, Syn Fac 8031 5 56.43 0.57 3.00 68 percent (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 4 97 percent, Syn Fac 8031 3 57.62 0.58 1.80 69 percent (Blox 220+1 percent EA-275) 5 99 percent, Syn Fac 8031 1 58.81 0.59 0.60 73 percent Example 3 Sheath-core bicomponent fibers were produced from a Blox 220 resin containing 5 weight percent of Synfac 8031 additive (sheath) and a polypropylene (core).

Fibers produced from this blend had a sheath component with an appropriate combination of melt strength and low viscosity such that fibers could be spun and drawn at 215°C. Spin conditions are given in Table 3.

Table 3 GENERAL"A"EXTRUDER (SHEATH) "B"EXTRUDER (CORE) Polymer Type Blox 220 resin with 5 percent Polypropylene modifier Volume Ratio 20 80 Extrusion Temps, °C Setpoint (Observed) Zone 1 165 (165) 205 (205) Zone 2 170 (172) 210 (211) Zone 3 180 (180) 215 (215) Zone 4 190 (190) 220 (220) Melt Temp., °C 200 223 Spin Head Temp., °C 220 (223) 220 (223) The resultant fibers had a tenacity of 2.8 grams per denier.