Method for the polymerization of unsaturated materials with an alkali metal catalyst

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE COPOLYMERIZATION OF BUTADIENE AND STYRENE IN THE PRESENCE OF A FINELYDIVIDED ALKALI METAL AS POLYMERIZATION CATALYST, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY PASSING SAID MONOMER REACTANTS AS LIQUIDS TO A REACTION ZONE TOGETHER WITH A LOW-BOILING LIQUID PARAFFIN HYDROCARBON OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PROPANE AND THE BUTANES, IN AN AMOUNT BETWEEN 50 AND 400 PARTS BY WEIGHT PER 100 PARTS OF SAID MONOMER REACTANTS, REACTING SAID MONOMERS IN SAID REACTION ZONE IN THE PRESENCE OF A FINELY DIVIDED ALKALI METAL AS CATALYST, MAINTAINING A REACTION TEMPRATURE BETWEEN 20 AND 60*C. AND A PRESSURE SUCH THAT SAID LOW-BOILING PARAFFIN CONTINUOUSLY VAPORIZES AT SAID REACTION TEMPERATURE, CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING FROM SAID REACTION ZONE VAPORS OF SAID LOW-BOILING PARAFFIN AT A RATE SUCH THAT VAPORIZATION THEREOF TAKES UP EXOTHERMIC HEAT OF REACTION AND SAID REACTION TEMPERATURE IS THEREBY MAINTAINED, CONTINUOUSLY COOLING AND CONDENSING SAID VAPORIZED LOW-BOILING PARAFFIN AND RETURNING RESULTING CONDENSED LIQUID TO SAID REACTION ZONE, CONTINUOUSLY PASSING FROM SAID REACTION ZONE A STREAM COMPRISING SAID LOW-BOILING PARAFFIN AND POLYMERS SO PRODUCED, VAPORIZING LOW BOILING MATERIAL FROM SAID STREAM, AND TREATING RESULTING POLYMERS TO SEPARATE THEREFROM ENTRAINED ALKALI METAL CATALYST.