| abstract |
Emulsions containing liquid polymers are made by first condensing monomers in a polymerization reactor having an inlet, a reaction chamber, and an outlet. The monomers are mixed with a condensation catalyst, and a pressurized gas forms a foaming mixture. The foaming mixture is fed down the chamber to the outlet while the monomers polymerize in the chamber. Water and a surfactant are then fed to the lower end of the chamber to form a water-in-oil emulsion with the aid of the foaming action in the chamber. A shear device then inverts the water-in-oil emulsion to an oil-in-water emulsion. |