Styrene polymer compositions

A composition for application to a fibre or fibre assembly, e.g. carpet or fabric, comprises an aqueous dispersion of styrene homo- or copolymer containing as emulsifier one or more betaine compounds of formula where R1 is a C12- 20 straight or branched chain alkyl or alkenyl group, R2 and R3 are C1- 5\t alkyl groups, and X is a C1- 5 alkylene group, all the particles of dispersed polymer having diameters in the range 0.1-0.25 microns. The copolymer may be of styrene with up to 5% of divinylbenzene or an acrylic or methacrylic alkyl ester, amide or acid. The dispersion may contain 15-60% of resin solids and 0.05-5% of a surfactant. The composition may be made by polymerizing styrene in an aqueous solution containing n-hexadecyl betane and using a redox catalyst of ferric chloride and hydrogen peroxide. The composition may also contain a condensation product of stearic acid and diethylene triamine as softening agent.ALSO:A fibre assembly e.g. carpet or fabric, is coated with a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of styrene homo- or copolymer containing as emulsifier one or more betaine compounds of formula where R1 is a C12-20 straight or branched chain alkyl or alkenyl group, R2 and R3 are C1-5 alkyl groups and X is a C1-5 alkylene group, all the particles of dispersed polymer having diameters in the range 0.1-0.25 microns. The fibre assembly may be composed of cotton, jute, viscose rayon, acetate rayon, polyamide, polyester, polyolefine, polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylic fibre and/or a mixture of vegetable and/or synthetic fibre and wool. In examples carpets composed of jute backing and piles of viscose rayon, nylon, a blend of viscose, wool and nylon, and a fabric made from viscose rayon were coated with the above composition.ALSO:A fibre is surface treated e.g. impregnated or coated with a composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of styrene homo- or co-polymer containing as emulsifier one or more betaine compounds of formula where R1 is a C12-20 straight or branched chain alkyl or alkenyl group, R2 and R3 are C1-5 alkyl groups and X is a C1-5 alkylene group, all the particles of dispersed polymer having diameters in the range 0.1-0.25 microns. The fibre may be composed of cotton, jute, viscose or acetate rayon, poly amide, polyester, polyolefine, polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylic fibre, and/or a mixture of vegetable and/or synthetic fibre and wool.