Bulk polymerization comprising polymerizing a liquid monomer in the presence of a polymer powder

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE BULK POLYMERIZATION OF AT LEAST ONE LIQUID MONOMERIC COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ACRYLONITRILE, VINYL CHLORIDE, VINYLIDENE CHLORIDE, VINYL ACETATE, VINYL CHLORIDE, VINYLIDENE ACRYLIC ESTERS, METHACRYLIC ESTERS, STYRENE, VINYL PYRIDINE AND N-VINYLIMIDAZOL, AT LEAST 70% OF SAID LIQUID MONOMER BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACRYLONITRILE, VINYL CHLORIDE, VINYLIDENE CHLORIDE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF, WHEREIN THE POLYMER RESULTING FROM SAID POLYMERIZATION IS SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN ITS MONOMERIC MIXTURE, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES: POLYMERIZING WHILE ADMIXING AT LEAST ONE OF AID LIQUID MONOMERS WITH A POLYMER POWDER, THE COMPOSITION OF SAID POLYMER POWDER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE ADDED MONOMERIC COMPOSITION, IN AN AMOUNT SUCH THAT SAID POWDER IS EVENYL WETTED WITH LIQUID MONOMER, BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OTHER DILUENT AND SOLVENT, AND ADDING FURTHER QUANTITIES OF SAID LIQUID MONOMER TO THE RESULTING MONOMER-POLYMER MIXTURE AS POLYMERIZATION PROCEEDS, THE QUANTITY OF SAID LIQUID MONOMER I N THE MONOMER-POLYMER MIXTURE BEING FROM ABOUT 10 TO 70% BY WEIGHT WITH RESPECT TO THE MIXTURE AND BEING SUFFICIENTLY SMALL TO MAINTAIN SAID MIXTURE IN A POWDERY FORM THROUGHOUT THE POLYMERIZATION.