Process for continuous mass polymerization of vinyl derivatives

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR THE COPOLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE AND ACRYLONITRILE, SAID STYRENE AND ACRYLONITRILE CONSTITUTING THE TWO REACTANTS OF AN EXOTHERMIC REACTION, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) FORMING A MIXTURE CONSISTING OF SAID REACTANTS IN MONOMERIC FORM IN PROPORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, OF FROM 95-65 AND 5-35 PERCENTAGE PARTS BY WEIGHT; (B) SHAPING A PORTION OF SAID MIXTURE INTO A CONTINOUS SHEET CONFIGURATION HAVING A THICKNESS IN THE RANGE FROM 0.2 TO 3.2 CENTIMETERS; (C) CONTINOUSLY FEEDING SAID MIXTURE INTO ONE END OF SAID SHEET CONFIGURATION WHILE WITHDRAWING MATERIAL FROM THE OTHER END THEREOF; (D) CONTINOUSLY CONTACTING BOTH FACES OF SAID SHEET CONFIGURATION THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE AREAS TO TRANSFER HEAT AWAY THEREFROM; (E) ADJUSTING THE RATE OF HEAT TRANSFER AWAY FROM SAID SHEET CONFIGURATION TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE OF ALL OF SAID MIXTURE WITHIN SAID CONFIGURATION INCLUDING COPOLYMERIZED PORTIONS THEREOF AT A PREDETERMINED CONSTANT VALUE WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 130*C. TO 180*C.; (F) ADJUSTING THE RATE OF SAID FEEDING TO CAUSE PASSAGE OF ANY SPECIFIC PORTION OF SAID MIXTURE FROM SAID ONE END OF SAID CONFIGURATION TO THE OTHER END THEREOF IN A PERIOD OF FROM ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES TO THREE HOURS WHEREBY ABOUT 80% OF SAID SPECIFIC PORTION IS REACTED TO PRODUCE A POLYMER HAVING A MOLECULAR WEIGHT THE K VALUE OF WHICH MEASURED IN FIKENTSCHER UNITS IS WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 50 TO 80; AND (G) RECOVERING THE UNREACTED REACTANTS FROM SAID MATERIAL WITHDRAWN FROM SAID OTHER END OF SAID SHEET.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR THE COPOLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE AND ACRYLONITRILE, SAID STYRENE AND ACRYLONITRILE CONSTITUTING THE TWO REACTANTS OF AN EXOTHERMIC REACTION, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) FORMING A MIXTURE CONSISTING OF SAID REACTANTS IN MONOMERIC FORM IN PROPORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, OF FROM 95-65 AND 5-35 PERCENTAGE PARTS BY WEIGHT; (B) SHAPING A PORTION OF SAID MIXTURE INTO A CONTINOUS SHEET CONFIGURATION HAVING A THICKNESS IN THE RANGE FROM 0.2 TO 3.2 CENTIMETERS; (C) CONTINOUSLY FEEDING SAID MIXTURE INTO ONE END OF SAID SHEET CONFIGURATION WHILE WITHDRAWING MATERIAL FROM THE OTHER END THEREOF; (D) CONTINOUSLY CONTACTING BOTH FACES OF SAID SHEET CONFIGURATION THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE AREAS TO TRANSFER HEAT AWAY THEREFROM; (E) ADJUSTING THE RATE OF HEAT TRANSFER AWAY FROM SAID SHEET CONFIGURATION TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE OF ALL OF SAID MIXTURE WITHIN SAID CONFIGURATION INCLUDING COPOLYMERIZED PORTIONS THEREOF AT A PREDETERMINED CONSTANT VALUE WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 130*C. TO 180*C.; (F) ADJUSTING THE RATE OF SAID FEEDING TO CAUSE PASSAGE OF ANY SPECIFIC PORTION OF SAID MIXTURE FROM SAID ONE END OF SAID CONFIGURATION TO THE OTHER END THEREOF IN A PERIOD OF FROM ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES TO THREE HOURS WHEREBY ABOUT 80% OF SAID SPECIFIC PORTION IS REACTED TO PRODUCE A POLYMER HAVING A MOLECULAR WEIGHT THE K VALUE OF WHICH MEASURED IN FIKENTSCHER UNITS IS WITHIN THE RANGE FROM 50 TO 80; AND (G) RECOVERING THE UNREACTED REACTANTS FROM SAID MATERIAL WITHDRAWN FROM SAID OTHER END OF SAID SHEET.