| abstract |
A continuous process and system for producing a polymer comprising maleic anhydride and alpha-olefin monomeric units is disclosed. The process comprises combining monomeric reactants comprising the maleic anhydride and the alpha-olefin, in the presence of a minimal effective amount of a solvent, to produce a polymerizable reaction mixture. The solvent is present in minimal amounts, namely, at about 2 to about 9 weight percent, based upon the weight of the reaction mixture. The polymerizable reaction mixture is heated; and at least one thermally-decomposable initiator is added to the thus-heated, polymerizable reaction mixture to initiate the polymerization reaction. The presence of the initiator causes the maleic anhydride and the alpha-olefin to polymerize, thereby producing the desired polymer. An effective additional amount of the monomeric reactants as well as an additional effective amount of solvent, are controllably and substantially continuously added to the reaction mixture, for maintaining the desired polymerization reaction. The produced polymer is therafter continuously removed from the reaction mixture. |