Aqueous suspension polymerization in the presence of alkane hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION TO PRODUCE A LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYMER IN THE FROM OF FINE NON-AGGLOMERATED PARTICLES, THE PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES FORMING A SOLUTION CONTAINING 100 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF A MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF VINYL HALIDES, VINYL ESTERS, AND MIXTURES THEREOF; 10-100 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF A C4-C12 LIQUID ALKANE HYDROCARBON PRECIPITATING AGENT FOR THE POLYMER TO BE PRODUCED FROM THE MONOMER; 0.01-5 PARTS OF A PROTECTIVE COLLIOD SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF GELATIN, POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, METHYL CELLULOSE, COPOLYMERS OF VINYL ACETATE-MALEIC ANHYDRIDE, OF C1-C4 ALKYL VINYL ETHERS-MALEIC ANHYDRIDE, OF STYRENEMALEIC ANHYDRIDE, AND OF VINYL ALCOHOL-VINYL ACETATE; AND 0.103 PARTS OF A MONOMER SOLUBLE POLYMERIZATION CATALYST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BENZOYL-, LAUROYL-, DICHLOROBENZOYL-, AND METHYLETHYL KETON PEROXIDES, TBUTYL HYDROPEROXIDE, AND AZO-BIS-DIISOBUTYRONITRILE; AGITATING SAID SOLUTION WITH 50-1,000 PARTS OF WATER TO SUSPEND SAID SOLUTION AS DROPLETS IN A DISCONTINUOUS PHASE, HEATING THE SUSPENSION TO A TEMPERATURE OF 20*-150*C. UNTIL POLYMERIZATION IS EFFECTED, AND THEN SEPARATING THE POLYMER FROM OTHER MATERIALS PRESENT IN THE REACTION MIXTURE.