Emulsion polymerization of water insoluble ethylenic monomers

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR EMULSION POLYMERIZATION WHICH COMPRISES CHARGING TO A SUITABLE REACTION VESSEL A WATERINSOLUBLE, HIGH-MOLECULAR WEIGHT MONOMER CONTAINING FROM 12 TO 22 CARBON ATOMS AND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ALKYL ACRYLATES, ALKYL METHACRYLATES AND ALKYL VINYL ETHERS AND VINYL ESTERS OF LONG-CHAIN FATTY ACIDS, SAID MONOMER BEING SOLUBLE IN AN AMOUNT LESS THAN ABOUT 1 PART BY WEIGHT IN A MIXTURE OF 80 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF METHANOL AND 25 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF WATER AT 25*C., AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM CONTAINING ABOUT 5 PERCENT TO ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF A WATER-SOLUBLE ORGANIC SOLVENT WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY INERT WITH RESPECT TO REACTION WITH THE MONOMER AND WITH RESPECT TO ATTACK BY FREE RADICALS PRESENT DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROCESS AND WHICH IS CAPABLE OF DISSOLVING AT LEAST ABOUT 1 PERCENT W./V. OF THE SAID MONOMER AT 25*C., AND AN EMULSIFIER, AND AGITATING THE RESULTING CHARGE UNDER FREE RADICAL CONDITIONS UNTIL APPRECIABLE POLYMERIZATION HAS OCCURRED.