Ester resins

1. A vinyl ester resin formulation comprising a blend of:

(a) at least one vinyl ester resin; and

(b) a reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, a reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof,

wherein component (b) comprises at least one amphiphilic block copolymer selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide), a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide), and an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide).

2. A vinyl ester resin composite product comprising a reaction product of the following reaction mixture:

(a) the resin blend of claim 1 ; and

(b) a catalyst.

3. The vinyl ester resin composite of claim 2 , wherein the reaction product mixture includes further another vinyl ester resin different from the vinyl ester resin of component (a).

4. The vinyl ester resin composite of claim 2 , wherein the reaction product mixture includes further a copolymerizable reactive monomer.

5. A vinyl ester resin composition comprising a reaction product of the following reaction mixture:

(a) a polyepoxide resin;

(b) an unsaturated carboxylic acid; and

(c) a reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, a reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof;

wherein an epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin is formed; and wherein the reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, the reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof is reacted into the backbone of the epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin;

and wherein component (c) comprises at least one amphiphilic block copolymer selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide), a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide), and an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide).

6. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the polyepoxide resin is bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, tetrabromobisphenol A diglycidyl ether, bisphenol F diglycidyl ether, resorcinol diglycidyl ether, triglycidyl ethers of para-aminophenols, epoxy novolacs, divinylarene dioxides, or mixtures thereof.

7. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the unsaturated carboxylic acid is methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, an unsaturated acid with a double bond, or mixtures thereof.

8. A vinyl ester resin composition comprising a reaction product of the following reaction mixture:

(a) a polyepoxide resin;

(b) an unsaturated carboxylic acid; and

(c) a reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, a reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer being a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide) or a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), or a mixture thereof wherein an epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin is formed; and wherein the reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, the reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof is reacted into the backbone of the epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin.

9. A vinyl ester resin composition comprising a reaction product of the following reaction mixture:

(a) a polyepoxide resin;

(b) an unsaturated carboxylic acid; and

(c) a reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, a reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer being an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide) or an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), or a mixture thereof; wherein an epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin is formed; and wherein the reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, the reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof is reacted into the backbone of the epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin.

10. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the reaction mixture includes further a catalyst compound.

11. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the concentration of the polyepoxide resin compound is from about 30 weight percent to about 50 weight percent.

12. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the concentration of the unsaturated carboxylic acid compound is from about 10 weight percent to about 30 weight percent.

13. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the concentration of the catalyst compound is from about 0.05 weight percent to about 2.5 weight percent.

14. A vinyl ester resin composite product comprising a reaction product of the following reaction mixture:

(a) the vinyl ester resin composition of claim 5 ; and

(b) a catalyst.

15. The vinyl ester resin composite product of claim 14 , wherein the reaction product mixture includes further another vinyl ester resin different from the vinyl ester resin composition of claim 5 .

16. The vinyl ester resin composite product of claim 14 , wherein the reaction product mixture includes further a copolymerizable reactive monomer.

17. The vinyl ester resin composite product of claim 16 , wherein the copolymerizable reactive monomer is styrene.

18. The vinyl ester resin composite product of claim 14 , wherein the composite product exhibits an increase in tensile strength, an increase in elongation at break, an increase in impact strength; and an increase in acid resistance, without exhibiting a substantial decrease in glass transition temperature.

19. A process for preparing a vinyl ester resin composition comprising reacting:

(a) a polyepoxide resin;

(b) an unsaturated carboxylic acid;

(c) a reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, a reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof;

wherein component (c) comprises at least one amphiphilic block copolymer selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide), a carboxyl group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide), and an epoxy group terminated poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide);

wherein an epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin is formed; and wherein the reactive carboxyl group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, the reactive epoxy group terminated amphiphilic block copolymer, or a mixture thereof is reacted into the backbone of the epoxy vinyl ester resin or an unsaturated polyester resin; and

(d) optionally, a catalyst.

20. A cured thermoset article prepared by the process of claim 19 .