Anionic polymerization of higher lactams

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MOLDED POLYAMIDE ARTICLES WHICH COMPRISES REACTING A LACTAM HAVING 7-13 RING MEMBERS, WHICH RING MEMBERS CONSIST OF CARBON AND NITROGEN ATOMS, WITH AN ALKALINE-REACTING CATALYST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POTASSIUM METAL, SODIUM METAL AND THE OXIDES, HYDROXIDES, CARBONATES AND METHYLATES OF SAID METALS IN A PROPORTION OF 0.05 TO 5% BY WEIGHT OF SAID CATALYST WITH REFERENCE TO SAID LACTAM AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF SAID LACTAM, REMOVING ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE WATER FROM THE MOLTEN REACTION MIXTURE, COMBINING UNDER ESSENTIALLY ANHYDROUS CONDITIONS THE MOLTEN REACTION PRODUCT OF SAID LACTAM AND SAID CATALYST WITH AN ACID ACTIVATOR FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BENZOYL CHLORIDE, BENZOYL BROMIDE, TEREPHTHALOYL CHLORIDE, AN ALKANOYL CHLORIDE, PHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE, SUCCINIC ANHYDRIDE, BUTYL STEARATE AND TRIPHENYL PHOSPHATE IN A PROPORTION OF 0.01% TO 5% BY WEIGHT OF SAID LACTAM, IMMEDIATELY SHAPING THE RESULTANT MOLTEN COMPOSITION IN A MMOLD HAVING THE SHAPE OF THE ARTICLE TO BE PRODUCED, PROVIDING A TEMPERATURE OF SAID RESULTANT COMPOSITION IN THE RANGE OF 80180*C. TO INITIATE IN SAID MOLD IN SITU, RAPID, EXOTHERMIC POLYMERIZATION OF SAID LACTAM IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID ACID ACTIVATOR, OPENING THE MOLD UPON SOLIDIFICATION OF THE RESULTANT POLYMERIZED MASS WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN ABOT FIFTEEN MINUTES, AND REMOVING THE SOLIDIFIED, MOLDED POLYAMIDE ARTICLE SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM STRESS FROM SAID MOLD.