Process for thickening with copolymers of alkyl poly (oxyalkylene) itaconic di-esters
 There is disclosed a process of thickening an aqueous system comprising adding to the system aqueous dispersions of water-insoluble emulsion copolymers of (1) about 10-70% by weight of (meth)acrylic acid or itaconic acid, (2) about 0.5-25% by weight of an alkyl poly(oxyethylene) itaconate, and (3) at least 25% by weight, to a total of 100%, of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl (meth)acrylate, and, optionally, included in the total monomer mixture a small amount of (4) about 0.05-1% by weight of a polyethylenically unsaturated monomer. The copolymers, when neutralized and solubilized by addition of an alkali, are high efficiency thickeners for aqueous systems and have improved tolerance to ionic or electrolyte content. Typical systems that can be thickened are paint latices, cosmetic preparations, food preparations, ionic detergents, dye pastes for textiles, pharmaceuticals, and oil well drilling muds. Surfactants enhance the thickening properties afforded by the copolymers. 
Rohm and Haas
A C C A C C C D A C
A61Q C09K C08L A61K C08F C09D C08F D06P A61K C08F
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Travis E. Ching-Jen
Stevens Chang