# US 10,118,992 B2 · Flow reactor synthesis of polymers

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,118,992 B2
- Document ID: US10118992B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/662,503
- Filed: 2017-07-28
- Published: 2017-11-09
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-13
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Applicants: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Patrick John Kinlen; Andrew M. Zweig
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118992B2

## CPC

- C08G 73/0266: {Polyanilines or derivatives thereof}
- B01J 19/0093: {Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors (laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027)}
- B01J 19/2415: {Tubular reactors}
- B01J 19/242: {in series}
- B01J 19/2425: {in parallel}
- B01J 19/243: {spirally, concentrically or zigzag wound}
- C09D 179/02: Polyamines
- B01J 2219/00087: with heat exchange elements outside the reactor
- B01J 2219/00164: controlling the flow
- B01J 2219/00795: Spiral-shaped
- B01J 2219/00822: Metal
- B01J 2219/00831: Glass
- B01J 2219/00833: Plastic
- B01J 2219/00837: comprising coatings other than catalytically active coatings
- B01J 2219/0086: Dimensions of the flow channels
- B01J 2219/00867: Microreactors placed in series, on the same or on different supports
- B01J 2219/00869: Microreactors placed in parallel, on the same or on different supports
- B01J 2219/00873: Heat exchange
- B01J 2219/00889: Mixing
- B01J 2219/00963: Pressure
- B01J 2219/24: Stationary reactors without moving elements inside
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)

## Abstract

A flow reactor system and methods having tubing useful as polymerization chamber. The flow reactor has at least one inlet and at least one mixing chamber, and an outlet. The method includes providing two phases, an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase and forming an emulsion for introduction into the flow reactor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising
introducing an emulsion of an aqueous solution of monomer and an organic solvent solution of acid into a flow reactor, the flow reactor comprising a length of tubing having an inner diameter;
polymerizing the monomer under a diffusion-limiting condition within the length of tubing; and
forming a salt of the polymerized monomer with the acid within the length of tubing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a catalyst to the emulsion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a catalyst to the flow reactor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the salt of the polymerized monomer in the length of tubing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising recovering the salt of the polymerized monomer from the tubing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising recovering of the salt of the polymerized monomer from the tubing with organic solvent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the polymerized acid salt in the length of tubing and removing unreacted monomer or the acid from the tubing with water.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the length of tubing is coiled.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tubing is a fluoropolymer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the flow reactor comprises a plurality of tubing arranged in a parallel flow configuration.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the monomer is an aniline or a thiophene.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the acid is an organic acid selected from polystyrene sulfonate or dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid.

### Claim 13

A method comprising;
introducing an emulsion of an aqueous solution of aniline and an organic solvent solution of organic acid into a flow reactor, the flow reactor comprising a length of tubing having an inner diameter;
introducing an oxidant to the emulsion or the flow reactor; and
polymerizing the aniline in a diffusion-limiting condition in the inner diameter of the length of tubing and forming an acid salt thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the molar ratio of aniline to that of the organic acid in the polymerized aniline acid salt is about 1:1 to about 0.2:1.

### Claim 15

A method comprising
introducing an emulsion of an aqueous solution of a monomer and an organic solvent solution of acid into a flow reactor, the flow reactor comprising a length of tubing, the length of tubing having:
an inner diameter; and
a surface for receiving polymerized monomer upon polymerizing;
introducing a catalyst to the emulsion;
polymerizing the monomer under diffusion-limiting conditions within the inner diameter;
depositing at least a portion of the polymerized monomer on the surface within the length of tubing; and
forming a salt of the polymerized monomer with the acid.