Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
309 words
An anhydrous free radical process for preparing amorphous chlorinated, solid, finely divided polyethylene particles; said process employing a free radical initiator, a flow of gaseous chlorine and agitation of the particles sufficient to expose generally all of said particles to the flow of gaseous chlorine, the process comprising a series of sequential steps: (a) starting addition of gaseous chlorine to an agitated mass of porous, finely divided polyethylene particles, the particles being exposed to a free radical initiator, while said mass is at a temperature within a temperature range of from about 25° to about 50° Centigrade; (b) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while continuing to expose the mass to a free radical initiator and while increasing the temperature of said mass over a temperature range of from about 50° Centigrade to about 105° Centigrade and maintaining the temperature within said temperature range until a level of chlorination of the agitated mass of from about 5 to about 15 percent by weight of said mass is attained; (c) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while continuing to expose the mass to a free radical initiator and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature of from about 125° Centigrade to about 132° Centigrade, said temperature being increased at a rate which is sufficiently slow to preclude sintering of the agitated mass; and (d) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while continuing to expose the mass to a free radical initiator and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature which is greater than about 130° Centigrade yet less than a temperature at which sintering of the agitated mass occurs and maintaining said temperature for a period of time sufficient to attain a predetermined level of chlorination and a predetermined level of relative crystallinity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
309 words
An anhydrous free radical process for preparing amorphous chlorinated, solid, finely divided polyethylene particles; said process employing a free radical initiator, a flow of gaseous chlorine and agitation of the particles sufficient to expose generally all of said particles to the flow of gaseous chlorine, the process comprising a series of sequential steps: (a) starting addition of gaseous chlorine to an agitated mass of porous, finely divided polyethylene particles, the particles being exposed to a free radical initiator, while said mass is at a temperature within a temperature range of from about 25° to about 50° Centigrade; (b) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while continuing to expose the mass to a free radical initiator and while increasing the temperature of said mass over a temperature range of from about 50° Centigrade to about 105° Centigrade and maintaining the temperature within said temperature range until a level of chlorination of the agitated mass of from about 5 to about 15 percent by weight of said mass is attained; (c) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while continuing to expose the mass to a free radical initiator and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature of from about 125° Centigrade to about 132° Centigrade, said temperature being increased at a rate which is sufficiently slow to preclude sintering of the agitated mass; and (d) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while continuing to expose the mass to a free radical initiator and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature which is greater than about 130° Centigrade yet less than a temperature at which sintering of the agitated mass occurs and maintaining said temperature for a period of time sufficient to attain a predetermined level of chlorination and a predetermined level of relative crystallinity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein an inert fluidizing gas is added in conjunction with the gaseous chlorine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the free radical initiator is suitably selected from the group consisting of chemical free radical forming initiators, free radical forming radiation and a combination of free radical forming radiation and one or more chemical free radical forming initiators.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the free radical initiator is free radical forming radiation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a level of chlorination of from about 20 to about 50 percent by weight of polymer is attained.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a level of chlorination of from about 30 to about 42 percent by weight of polymer is attained.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the inert fluidizing gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen chloride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the free radical forming radiation is provided by ultraviolet light having a wavelength sufficient to activate chlorine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the ultraviolet light has a wavelength of about 3350 to about 3650 Angstroms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the rate of temperature increase in step c is from about 0.25° to about 0.36° Centigrade per minute.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
331 words
An anhydrous free radical process for preparing amorphous chlorinated, solid, finely divided polyethylene particles, said process employing free radical forming radiation, a flow of gaseous chlorine and agitation of the particles sufficient to expose generally all of said particles to the flow of gaseous chlorine, the process comprising a series of sequential steps: (a) starting addition of gaseous chlorine to an agitated mass of porous, finely divided polyethylene particles, the particles being exposed to free radical forming radiation, while said mass is at a temperature within a temperature range of from about 25° to about 50° Centigrade; (b) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while exposing said mass to free radical forming radiation, and while increasing the temperature of said mass over a temperature range of from about 50° Centigrade to about 105° Centigrade and maintaining the temperature within said temperature range until a level of chlorination of the agitated mass of from about 5 to about 15 percent by weight of said mass is attained; (c) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while exposing said mass to free radical forming radiation and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature of from about 125° Centigrade to about 132° Centigrade, said temperature being increased at a rate of from about 0.25° to about 0.32° Centigrade per minute said rate being sufficiently slow to preclude sintering of the agitated mass; and (d) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while exposing said mass to free radical forming radiation and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature which is greater than about 130° Centigrade yet less than a temperature at which sintering of the agitated mass occurs and maintaining said temperature for a period of time sufficient to attain a level of chlorination of from about 30 to about 42 percent by weight of said mass and a level of relative crystallinity of less than about 2 percent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
331 words
An anhydrous free radical process for preparing amorphous chlorinated, solid, finely divided polyethylene particles, said process employing free radical forming radiation, a flow of gaseous chlorine and agitation of the particles sufficient to expose generally all of said particles to the flow of gaseous chlorine, the process comprising a series of sequential steps: (a) starting addition of gaseous chlorine to an agitated mass of porous, finely divided polyethylene particles, the particles being exposed to free radical forming radiation, while said mass is at a temperature within a temperature range of from about 25° to about 50° Centigrade; (b) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while exposing said mass to free radical forming radiation, and while increasing the temperature of said mass over a temperature range of from about 50° Centigrade to about 105° Centigrade and maintaining the temperature within said temperature range until a level of chlorination of the agitated mass of from about 5 to about 15 percent by weight of said mass is attained; (c) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while exposing said mass to free radical forming radiation and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature of from about 125° Centigrade to about 132° Centigrade, said temperature being increased at a rate of from about 0.25° to about 0.32° Centigrade per minute said rate being sufficiently slow to preclude sintering of the agitated mass; and (d) continuing addition of gaseous chlorine to the agitated mass while exposing said mass to free radical forming radiation and while further increasing the temperature of said mass to a temperature which is greater than about 130° Centigrade yet less than a temperature at which sintering of the agitated mass occurs and maintaining said temperature for a period of time sufficient to attain a level of chlorination of from about 30 to about 42 percent by weight of said mass and a level of relative crystallinity of less than about 2 percent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the free radical forming radiation is provided by ultraviolet light having a wavelength of from about 3350 to about 3650 Angstroms.