Polymerization process

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PREPARING A FLUID SLURRY OF A SOLID GRANULAR POLYMER OF POLYMERIZING A MONOMERIC MATERIAL CONSISTING OF AN ACID SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ACRYLIC ACID AND METHACRYLIC ACID AND FROM 0 TO 30% BY WEIGHT, BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF SAID ACID OF A MONOMER COPOLYMERIZABLE THEREWITH CONTAINING AT LEAST TWO CH2=C< GROUPS PER MOLECULE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING MIXING SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL WITH A LIQUID ORGANIC MEDIUM, IN WHICH SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL IS SOLUBLE AND ITS POLYMERS INSOLUBLE, CONSISTING OF (1) A LIQUID AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CONTAINING LESS THAN 10 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE, (2) A VOLATILE LIQUID SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF A LOWER ALIPHATIC MONOCARBOXYLIC ACID CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN 4 CARBON ATOMS, A LOWER ALIPHATIC MONOHYDRIC ALCOHOL CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN 4 CARBON ATOMS, ACETONE, DIOXANE, TETRAHYDROFURANE AND ACETONITRILE AND (3) A PEROXYGEN CATALYST SOLUBLE IN SAID MEDIUM, THE PROPORTION OF SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL SO MIXED BEING FROM 12 TO 30% BY WEIGHT BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF SAID MEDIUM AND THE PROPORTION OF (2) BEING SUFFICIENT TO DESWELL THE POLYMER PRODUCED THEREIN BY AT LEAST 5%, AS DETERMINED BY THE CHANGE IN THE RATIO OF THE WEIGHT OF A WET FILTER CAKE OF SAID POLYMER COMPARED TO THE WEIGHT OF THE FILTER CAKE WHEN DRIED, AND CARRYING TO ESSENTIAL COMPLETION THE POLYMERIZATION OF SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL IN SAID MEDIUM AT A TEMPERATURE OF 25 TO 90*C. AND WHILE AGITATING SAID MEDIUM AND MAINTAINING THEREIN LESS THAN ABOUT 1% BY WEIGHT OF WATER, BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL, THEREBY TO PRODUCE A SLURRY OF SOLID, GRANULAR POLYMER HAVING GREATER FLUIDITY THAN A CORRESPONDING SLURRY MADE AT 10% SOLIDS IN SAID AROMATIC HYDROCARBON AS THE SOLE REACTION DILUENT.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PREPARING A FLUID SLURRY OF A SOLID GRANULAR POLYMER OF POLYMERIZING A MONOMERIC MATERIAL CONSISTING OF AN ACID SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ACRYLIC ACID AND METHACRYLIC ACID AND FROM 0 TO 30% BY WEIGHT, BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF SAID ACID OF A MONOMER COPOLYMERIZABLE THEREWITH CONTAINING AT LEAST TWO CH2=C< GROUPS PER MOLECULE, SAID METHOD COMPRISING MIXING SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL WITH A LIQUID ORGANIC MEDIUM, IN WHICH SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL IS SOLUBLE AND ITS POLYMERS INSOLUBLE, CONSISTING OF (1) A LIQUID AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CONTAINING LESS THAN 10 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE, (2) A VOLATILE LIQUID SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF A LOWER ALIPHATIC MONOCARBOXYLIC ACID CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN 4 CARBON ATOMS, A LOWER ALIPHATIC MONOHYDRIC ALCOHOL CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN 4 CARBON ATOMS, ACETONE, DIOXANE, TETRAHYDROFURANE AND ACETONITRILE AND (3) A PEROXYGEN CATALYST SOLUBLE IN SAID MEDIUM, THE PROPORTION OF SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL SO MIXED BEING FROM 12 TO 30% BY WEIGHT BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF SAID MEDIUM AND THE PROPORTION OF (2) BEING SUFFICIENT TO DESWELL THE POLYMER PRODUCED THEREIN BY AT LEAST 5%, AS DETERMINED BY THE CHANGE IN THE RATIO OF THE WEIGHT OF A WET FILTER CAKE OF SAID POLYMER COMPARED TO THE WEIGHT OF THE FILTER CAKE WHEN DRIED, AND CARRYING TO ESSENTIAL COMPLETION THE POLYMERIZATION OF SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL IN SAID MEDIUM AT A TEMPERATURE OF 25 TO 90*C. AND WHILE AGITATING SAID MEDIUM AND MAINTAINING THEREIN LESS THAN ABOUT 1% BY WEIGHT OF WATER, BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL, THEREBY TO PRODUCE A SLURRY OF SOLID, GRANULAR POLYMER HAVING GREATER FLUIDITY THAN A CORRESPONDING SLURRY MADE AT 10% SOLIDS IN SAID AROMATIC HYDROCARBON AS THE SOLE REACTION DILUENT.