Polymerization process for polymerizable organic compounds containing the group ch2=c<

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR POLYMERIZING A MIXTURE OF MONOMERIC ACRYLONITRILE AND A MONOMERIC COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STYRENE, RING-SUBSTITUTED ALKYL STYRENE AND RING-SUBSTITUTED HALO STYRENE WHICH COMPRISES HEATING AT A TEMPERATURE UP TO ABOUT 130* C. SAID MIXTURE CONTAINED IN SEALED TUBE OF A POLYMERIC MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYTRI FLUOROMONOCHLOROETHYLENE AND POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE IMMERSED IN AN INERT LIQUID HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM THAT IS NORMALLY LIQUID AT THE POLYMERIZATION TEMPERATURE CONTAINED IN A CLOSED ZONE, SUBJECTING SAID TUBE MAINTAINED IN SAID CLOSED ZONE DURING THE HEATING PERIOD TO AN EXTERNAL PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO EQUAL AT LEAST THE TOTAL VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE REACTING MATERIAL, CONTINUING SAID HEATING UNDER EXTERNAL PRESSURE UNTIL THE COPOLYMER FORMED IS RIGID ENOUGH AT ROOM TEMPERATURE TO RETAIN ITS OWN SHAPE, THEREAFTER COOLING THE COPOLYMER THUS PRODUCED AND REMOVING SAID SEALED TUBE CONTAINING THE COPOLYMER FORMED FROM SAID CLOSED ZONE.