Polyvinyl acetals with improved adhesion

1. A low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal with a solution viscosity of from 2 to 12 mPas measured in accordance with DIN 53015, Höppler method, 10% by weight solution in ethanol, and with a degree of polymerization P w less than 200, said low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal obtained by hydrolyzing a vinyl ester polymer and then acetalizing the resultant polyvinyl alcohol using one or more aldehydes selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, wherein

a vinyl ester polymer obtained by polymerizing one or more vinyl esters of optionally branched C 1-15 alkylcarboxylic acids, and optionally, one or more co-monomers selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids, ethylenically unsaturated carboxamides and carbonitriles, monoesters of fumaric acid and maleic acid and salts thereof, (meth)acrylates of C 1-15 alcohols, monoolefins, dienes, vinylaromatics and vinyl halides, and optionally, from 0.02 to 20% by weight based on the weight of the vinyl ester polymer of one or more polyethylenically unsaturated precrosslinking monomers, and from 0.02 to 20% by weight of one or more post-crosslinking monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylamidoglycolic acid, methyl methacrylamidoglycolate, N-methylolacrylamide, N-methylolmethacrylamide, allyl N-methylolcarbamate, alkyl ethers and esters of N-methylolacrylamide, alkyl ethers and esters of N-methylolmethacrylamide and alkyl ethers and esters of allyl N-methylolcarbamate,

said vinyl ester polymer having a solution viscosity of from 1.0 to 1.6 mPas measured in accordance with DIN 53015, Höppler method, 10% by weight solution in ethyl acetate, is hydrolyzed, the hydrolysis proceeds until the content of vinyl alcohol units is ≧50 mol %, and the resulting polyvinyl alcohol has a solution viscosity is from 1.0 to 2.0 mPas measured in accordance with DIN 53015, Höppler method, 4% by weight solution in water.

2. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl ester polymer contains from 50 to 99.98% by weight of vinyl ester derived moieties, based on the total weight of the polymer.

3. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl ester polymer further comprises one or more units derived from methacrylic esters of C 1-15 alcohols acrylic esters of C 1-15 alcohols, monoolefins, dienes, vinylaromatic, or vinyl halides, wherein the vinyl ester content of the vinyl ester polymer is ≧50 mol %.

4. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl ester polymer further comprises 0.02 to 20% by weight, based on the total weight of vinyl ester polymer, of one or more units derived from ethylenically unsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acids, ethylenically unsaturated carboxamides, ethylenically unsaturated carbonitriles, monoesters of fumaric acid or monoesters of and maleic acid.

5. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 , wherein acetalizing is performed with butyraldehyde, optionally in admixture with acetaldehyde.

6. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 , wherein the degree of acetalization is from 1 to 80 mol %, the degree of polymerization P w is less than 175, and the viscosity of the polyvinyl acetal solution is from 2 to 10 mPas.

7. In a composition employing a polymeric binder, the improvement comprising selecting as at least a portion of said binder, the low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 .

8. The composition of claim 7 which is a printing ink.

9. The printing ink of claim 8 , comprising from 5 to 20 weight percent of pigment, from 5 to 15 weight percent low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal, and at least one solvent, said weight percents based on the total weight of said printing ink.

10. The composition of claim 7 which is a water-based paint.

11. The composition of claim 7 which is a powder coating.

12. The composition of claim 7 which is an anti-corrosion composition.

13. The composition of claim 7 which is a binder-containing ceramic powder or binder-containing metal powder composition.

14. The composition of claim 7 which is an internal container coating.

15. In an aqueous dispersion, an aqueous polymerization, or a redispersible polymer powder preparation wherein a protective colloid is employed, the improvement comprising selecting as at least one protective colloid the low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 .

16. In laminated safety glass, glass composites, or glazing films wherein a polymer film or adhesive is employed, the improvement comprising incorporating as at least a portion of said polymer film or adhesive, the low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 .

17. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 , wherein said vinyl ester polymer consists of a polyvinylacetate polymer or a polyvinylacetate copolymer containing copolymerized vinyl acetate moieties and copolymerized moieties derived from one or more comonomers selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids, ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, ethylenically unsaturated carboxamides, ethylenically unsaturated carbonitriles, fumaric acid monoesters, and maleic acid monoesters.

18. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetate of claim 1 , wherein said vinyl ester polymer is homopolymeric polyvinylacetate.

19. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetate of claim 1 , wherein said vinyl ester polymer consists of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

20. The low molecular weight polyvinyl acetal of claim 1 , wherein said polyvinyl alcohol has a solution viscosity of from 1.0 to 1.8 mPa·s.