# US 2010/0168348 A1 · Anionic spray polymerization of styrene

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- Number: US 2010/0168348 A1
- Document ID: US20100168348A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/063,166
- Filed: 2006-08-01
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2005-08-09
- Assignees: BASF SE
- Inventors: Wolfgang Loth; Volker Seidl; Stefan Bruhns; Klaus-Dieter Hungenberg; Juergen Koch; Christian Schade; Claudius Schwittay
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168348A1

## CPC

- C08F 112/08: Styrene
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS

## Abstract

The invention relates to a process for continuously preparing styrene polymers by anionic spray polymerization, which comprises i) styrene and the initiator solution being mixed in a dynamic or static mixer and then the mixture being sprayed, ii) the resultant droplets passing from the liquid monomer state to the melted polymer state during their free fall in the spraying tower, iii) the melt droplets being collected as a melt at the foot of the tower, the melt having a monomer content of below 1%, preferably below 0.1% (<1000 ppm), and being discharged by suitable means.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for continuously preparing styrene polymer by anionic spray polymerization, comprising
i) mixing styrene and an initiator solution in a dynamic or static mixer and then spraying or dropletizing the mixture in an inert, thermally conditioned gas space,
ii) passing the resultant droplets from the liquid monomer state to the melted polymer state during their free fall in the spraying tower, and
iii) collecting the melt droplets as a melt at the foot of the tower, the melt having a monomer content of below 1% and discharging the melt.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the droplets in the bottom half of the tower have a temperature of 110 to 250° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the melt at the foot of the tower has a temperature of 200 to 250° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the initiator is an alkali metal organyl or alkaline earth metal organyl or an alkali metal hydride or alkaline earth metal hydride.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process according to claim 4, wherein the initiator is s-butyllithium.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The process according to claim 4, wherein further to the initiator an ether is used as a reaction accelerant.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process according to claim 6, wherein the reaction accelerant is tetrahydrofuran (THF).

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The process according to claim 6, wherein the reaction accelerant is not sprayed or dropletized with monomer and initiator but instead is supplied to the droplets via the gas phase.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The process according to claim 4, wherein further to the initiator an anion stabilizer is used.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The process according to claim 9, wherein the anion stabilizer used is an aluminum organyl.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the droplets formed by spray polymerization have an average diameter of 0.1 to 0.4 mm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein initiator and styrene are mixed in a static mixer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The process according to claim 12, wherein initiator and styrene are mixed in a static mixer of a split-and-recombine type.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The process according to claim 12, wherein initiator and styrene are mixed in a static mixer of a interlamellation type.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the initiator is dissolved in a solvent having a boiling point lower than that of styrene.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the initiator is dissolved in a solvent having a boiling point higher than that of styrene and is largely discharged with the polymer formed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein gas and droplets are passed cocurrently through the reaction space.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the droplets are generated by spraying with one or more nozzles.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the droplets are generated by dropletization.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the droplets collected in a melt at the foot of the tower have a monomer content of below 0.1%.