Process for producing particulate novolac resins and aqueous dispersions

Claim 1

A process for producing particulate novolac resin comprising steps of: (a) condensing phenol with an aldehyde in the presence of a catalyst under acidic conditions to produce a novolac resin; (b) adding water before, during or after the condensation reaction step (a) to provide a novolac resin/water mixture; (c) neutralizing the acid catalyzed novolac resin using a base; (d) forming a particulate novolac resin dispersion by adding an effective amount of protective colloid to the aqueous mixture wherein the protective colloid is a polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, and guar gum or it hydroxypropylate derivative; and (e) isolating the particulate novolac resin from the aqueous dispersion; said process including dephenolating the particulate novolac resin by separating out a sufficient amount of unreacted phenol prior to isolation of the resin so that less than about 6 percent of unreacted phenol remains in the dispersion.