Photocurable and thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymers

1. A photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer that has a T g of at least 50° C. and comprises an organic polymer backbone comprising:

(a) recurring units comprising pendant thiosulfate groups, and

(b) recurring units comprising organic charge balancing cations that are associated with the (a) recurring units sufficiently to provide a net neutral charge with the pendant thiosulfate groups,

which photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer is represented by the following Structure (III):

wherein R represents the organic polymer backbone, G is a single bond or a divalent linking group, M + represents the organic charge balancing cation, and “a” represents at least 0.5 mol % and up to and including 50 mol % of (a) recurring units, and “b” represents the (b) recurring units and is at least equal to the “a” mol %, based on the total recurring units in the photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer.

2. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer of claim 1 , wherein the organic charge balancing cations are selected from quaternary ammonium, pyridinium, morpholinium, benzolium, imidazolium, alkoxypyridinium, thiazolium, and quinolinium monovalent cations.

3. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate polymer of claim 1 , wherein the (a) recurring units are represented by the following Structure (II) in place of or in addition to the (a) recurring units represented by Structure (III):

wherein R represents the organic polymer backbone, G is a single bond or divalent linking group, Q + is an organic charge balancing cation, and “a” is as defined above.

4. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate polymer of claim 1 , further comprising (c) recurring units that are represented by the following Structure (IV):

wherein R′ represents the organic polymer backbone, G′ is a single bond or a divalent linking group, R 2 is a electron-accepting photosensitizer component, and “c” represents at least 1 mol % and up to and including 10 mol % of (c) recurring units, based on the total recurring units in the photocurable or thermally-curable thiosulfate-containing polymer.

5. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer of claim 4 , further comprising (d) recurring units that are represented by the following Structure (V):

wherein R″ represents the organic polymer backbone, G″ is a carbonyloxy group, R 3 comprises a monovalent linear, branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or it comprises a phenyl group having one or more linear, branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon substituents, at least one of which linear, branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon substituents has at least 6 carbon atoms and up to and including 18 carbon atoms, and “d” represents at least 1 mol % and up to and including 40 mol % of (d) recurring units, based on the total recurring units in the photocurable or thermally-curable thiosulfate-containing polymer.

6. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer of claim 1 , further comprising (d) recurring units that are represented by the following Structure (V):

wherein R″ represents the organic polymer backbone, G″ is a carbonyloxy group, R 3 comprises a monovalent linear, branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or it comprises a phenyl group having one or more linear, branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon substituents, at least one of which linear, branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon substituent has at least 6 carbon atoms and up to and including 18 carbon atoms, and “d” represents at least 1 mol % and up to and including 40 mol % of (d) recurring units, based on the total recurring units in the photocurable or thermally-curable thiosulfate-containing polymer.

7. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer of claim 3 , further comprising (d) recurring units that are represented by the following Structure (V):

wherein R″ represents the organic polymer backbone, G″ is a carbonyloxy group, R 3 comprises a monovalent linear, branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or it comprises a phenyl group having one or more branched, or carbocyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon substituents, at least one of which has at least 6 carbon atoms and up to and including 18 carbon atoms, and “d” represents at least 1 mol % and up to and including 40 mol % of (d) recurring units, based on the total recurring units in the photocurable or thermally-curable thio sulfate-containing polymer.

8. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer of claim 1 , which comprises the (a) recurring units in an amount of at least 0.5 mol % and up to and including 50 mol %, and the (b) recurring units in an amount of at least 0.5 mol % and up to and including 50 mol %, all based on total recurring units in the photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer.

9. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer of claim 1 , further comprising (e) recurring units that are different from (a) recurring units, (b) recurring units, any (c) recurring units, and any (d) recurring units, which (e) recurring units are present in an amount of up to and including 50 mol %, based on the total recurring units in the photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer.

10. The photocurable or thermally curable thiosulfate-containing polymer of claim 9 , wherein the (e) recurring units are derived from one or more alkyl acrylates, alkyl methacrylates, (meth)acrylamides, styrene and styrene derivatives, vinyl ethers, vinyl benzoates, vinylidene halides, vinyl halides, vinyl imides, and ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomers comprising an epoxy or epithiopropyl group.