Suspension process for the polymerization of vinylidene aromatic hydrocar-bons having rubbery conjugated 1, 3-diene polymers dissolved therein

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING POLYMERIZATION PRODUCTS IN GRANULAR FORM WHICH COMPRISES (1) AGITATING AND HEATING A MIXTURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 35 PARTS OF WATER AND 100 PARTS OF A PARTIALLY POLYMERIZED SOLUTION OF A RUBBERY CONJUGATED 1,3-DIENE POLYMER IN A VINYLIDENE MONOMER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF VINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER, A RING-HALOGENATED VINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER AND MIXTURES THEREOF TO A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 110*C., IN THE ABSENCE OF A DISPERSING AGENT, (2) ADDING TO SAID MIXTURE OF WATER AND PARTIALLY POLYMERIZED VINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER SOLUTION, AS A DISPERSING AGENT, A WATER-SOLUBLE INTERPOLYMER CONSISTINGT OF 93.5-98.5 MOL PERCENT OF AN ACIDIC MONOMER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACRYLIC ACID, METHACRYLIC ACID AND MIXTURES THEREOF, AND, CORRESPONDINGLY, 6.5-1.5 MOL PERCENT OF A MONOMER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 2-ETHYLEXYL ACRYLATE, 2-ETHYLHEXY METHACRYLATE AND MIXTURES THEREOF, AND (3) CONTINUING TO AGITATE AND HEAT SAID WATER AND PARTIALLY POLYMERIZED VINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER SOLUTION UNTIL SAID VINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY POLYMERIZED; THE VINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER SOLUTION EMPLOYED IN STEP (1) BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT AT LEAST ABOUT 15% OF THE MONOMERIC CONSTITUENTS OF THE VINYLIDENEE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER SOLUTION HAVE BEEN POLYMERIZED AND THAT SAID PARTIALLY POLYMERIZED VINYLIDENE AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MONOMER SOLUTION HAS A VISCOSITY OF AT LEAST ABOUT 40 POISES AT 40*C.