Biocidal polymer and process for preparing the same

1. A biocidal polymer consisting essentially of at least one repeating unit of formula (A) and at least one repeating unit of formula (B):

wherein, in formula (A):

R 1 in each occurrence independently represents a divalent aromatic group containing 6 to 30 carbon atoms, a C 2 -C 16 alkylene group or an alkylene biscyclohexyl;

Y in each occurrence independently represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; and

Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 in each occurrence independently represent a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom;

wherein at least one of Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 in the at least one repeating unit of formula (A) is a halogen atom;

wherein, in formula (B):

R 1 in each occurrence is the same as that defined in formula (A);

R 2 in each occurrence independently is a group represented by a formula selected from;

 wherein:

R 3 is an ethylene group, and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 227; or R 3 is a propylene group, and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 172;

or R 3 is a tetramethylene group, and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 138;

—O—R 4 —O—,  (ii)

wherein:

R 4 is a C 2 -C 16 alkylene group;

 wherein:

R 5 represents a C 2 -C 16 alkylene group, divalent aromatic group containing 6 to 30 carbon atoms, an alkylene biscyclohexyl group,

 wherein:

R 6 , R 7 and R 8 independently represent a C 2 -C 16 alkylene group, and n 2 is an integer ranging from 1 to 46; and

 wherein:

R 9 and R 11 independently represent a C 2 -C 16 alkylene group,

R 10 represents a C 2 -C 16 alkylene group or —R 12 —O—R 13 ,

R 12 and R 13 independently represent a C 2 -C 4 alkylene group, and

n 3 and n 4 independently are an integer ranging from 1 to 86; and

Z 5 and Z 6 in each occurrence independently represent a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom;

wherein in the biocidal polymer, the molar ratio of the at least one repeating unit of formula (A) to the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) is in a range of 0.003:0.997 to 0.999:0.001; and

wherein the biocidal polymer has an average weight molecular weight ranging from 500 to 2,000,000.

2. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (A), both Z 3 and Z 4 are a halogen atom.

3. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein the halogen atom is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and a combination thereof.

4. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (A), Y in each occurrence represents an oxygen atom.

5. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (A) and the at least one repeating unit of formula (B), R 1 in each occurrence independently represents a divalent aromatic group containing 6 to 13 carbon atoms, a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group, or a 4,4′-methylene biscyclohexyl group.

6. The biocidal polymer of claim 5 , wherein the divalent aromatic group containing 6 to 13 carbon atoms is selected from a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, a 3-methyl-m-phenylene group, a 2-methyl-p-phenylene group, and a 4,4′-methylene bisphenyl group.

7. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) of the biocidal polymer, R 2 is a group represented by the formula

in which R 3 is an ethylene group and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 91.

8. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) of the biocidal polymer, R 2 in each occurrence independently is a group represented by the formula

in which R 3 is a propylene group and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 70.

9. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) of the biocidal polymer, R 2 in each occurrence independently is a group represented by the formula

in which R 3 is a tetramethylene group and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 56.

10. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) of the biocidal polymer, R 2 in each occurrence independently is a group represented by the formula —O—R 4 —O—, in which R 4 is a tetramethylene group.

11. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) of the biocidal polymer, R 2 in each occurrence independently is a group represented by the formula

in which R 5 is a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group, a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, a 4,4′-methylene bisphenyl group, a 4,4′-methylene biscyclohexyl group, a 3-methyl-m-phenylene group, a 2-methyl-p-phenylene group,

12. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) of the biocidal polymer, R 2 in each occurrence independently is a group represented by the formula

in which R 6 , R 7 and R 8 independently represent a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group, and n 2 is an integer ranging from 1 to 18.

13. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , wherein in the at least one repeating unit of formula (B) of the biocidal polymer, R 2 in each occurrence independently is a group represented by the formula

wherein

R 9 and R 11 independently represent a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group;

R 10 is a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group or —R 12 —O—R 13 —, where R 12 and R 13 independently represent a C 2 -C 4 alkylene group; and

n 3 and n 4 independently are an integer ranging from 1 to 34.

14. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , which is in a form selected from fiber, fabric, film, foam, gel and solution.

15. The biocidal polymer of claim 1 , which is fabricated into a surface treating agent.

16. A process for preparing a biocidal polymer according to claim 1 , comprising subjecting a precursor polymer to a halogenation treatment, the precursor polymer consisting essentially of at least one repeating unit of formula (A′) and at least one repeating unit of formula (B′):

wherein Y, R 1 , and R 2 are the same as those defined in claim 1 ;

such that the hydrogen atom in at least one N—H bond of the at least one repeating unit of formula (A′) is replaced by a halogen atom.

17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the halogenation treatment is implemented using a halogenating reagent containing chlorine, bromine or a combination thereof.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the halogenating reagent is selected from the group consisting of perhalic acid, perhalates, halic acid, halates, halous acid, halites, hypohalous acid, hypohalites, halogen gases, trichloroisocyanuric acid, and combinations thereof.

19. The process of claim 16 , wherein the precursor polymer is prepared by subjecting a mixture of at least one diamine, at least one diisocyanate, and at least one active hydrogen-containing compound having a chemical structure of formula (II):

H—R 2 —H   (II)

to a polymerization reaction,

wherein the at least one diamine is selected from urea, thiourea and a combination thereof,

wherein the at least one diisocyanate has a chemical structure of formula (I):

OCN—R 1 —NCO   (I)

wherein, R 1 is the same as that defined in claim 1 ; and

wherein, in formula (III), R 2 is the same as that defined in claim 1 .

20. The process of claim 19 , wherein the at least one diamine is urea.

21. The process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one diisocyanate, R 1 represents a divalent aromatic group containing 6 to 13 carbon atoms, a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group, or a 4,4′-methylene biscyclohexyl group.

22. The process of claim 21 , wherein the divalent aromatic group containing 6 to 13 carbon atoms is selected from a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, a 3-methyl-m-phenylene group, a 2-methyl-p-phenylene group, and a 4,4′-methylene bisphenyl group.

23. he process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one active hydrogen-containing compound, R 2 is a group represented by the formula

in which R 3 is an ethylene group and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 91.

24. The process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one active hydrogen-containing compound, R 2 is a

group represented by the formula in which R 3 is a propylene group and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 70.

25. The process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one active hydrogen-containing compound, R 2 is a group represented by the formula

in which R 3 is a tetramethylene group and n 1 is an integer ranging from 1 to 56.

26. The process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one active hydrogen-containing compound, R 2 is a group represented by the formula —O—R 4 —O—, in which R 4 is a tetramethylene group.

27. The process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one active hydrogen-containing compound, R 2 is a group represented by the formula

in which R 5 is a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group, a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, a 4,4′-methylene bisphenyl group, a 4,4′-methylene biscyclohexyl group, a 3-methyl-m-phenylene group, a 2-methyl-p-phenylene group,

28. The process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one active hydrogen-containing compound, R 2 is a group represented by the formula

in which R 6 , R 7 and R 8 independently represent a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group, and n 2 is an integer ranging from 1 to 18.

29. The process of claim 19 , wherein in the chemical structure of the at least one active hydrogen-containing compound, R 2 is a group represented by the formula

wherein

R 9 and R 11 independently represent a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group;

R 10 is a C 2 -C 12 alkylene group or —R 12 —O—R 13 —, where R 12 and R 13 independently represent a C 2 -C 4 alkylene group; and

n 3 and n 4 independently are an integer ranging from 1 to 34.

30. The process of claim 19 , wherein based on the total moles of the at least one diamine and the at least one diisocyanate, the active hydrogen-containing compound is used in an amount ranging from 0.3 mol % to 99.7 mol %.