abstract |
An organopolysiloxane gum is continuously prepared by (I) mixing at least one cyclopolysiloxane with an end capping agent, (II) feeding the mixture to a self-cleaning reactor along with an alkaline polymerization catalyst, and effecting polymerization at a temperature of 100 to 250° C. and under subatmospheric pressure, (III) continuously adding a neutralizing agent to the reaction mixture of step (II), thereby terminating the polymerization reaction, and (IV) continuously removing the cyclopolysiloxane and volatile components from the reaction mixture. |