| abstract |
Ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compounds are continuously polymerized in a cylindrical reaction vessel fitted with perforated plates mounted transversely on a reciprocating shaft (see Division B1). The inlet of the vessel may be up to 120 DEG C. lower than the outlet and block, solution and emulsion polymerization methods are used. Starting materials specified are styrene, a -methylstyrene and o-chlorostyrene; vinyl halides, vinylidene chloride and vinylidine fluoride; acrylic compounds, for example acrylic and methacrylic acids and their esters as well as acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide and methacrylamide; vinyl esters as well as diolefines, for example butadiene, 2-chloro-butadiene and isoprene. The Examples describe the polymerization of (1) styrene emulsified in water with a sodium salt of a paraffin sulphonic acid in the presence of potassium persulphate; (2) butyl acrylate and acrylic acid emulsified in water with an aryl sulphonate and in the presence of potassium persulphate; (3) styrene in toluene in presence of azo-di-isobutyro-nitrile; and (4) butyl acrylate and acrylic acid emulsified in water with a sulphonated fatty alcohol-ethylene oxide condensate. |