Electrolyte in the emulsion polymerization process for producing vinyl dispersion resins

A process for producing polymers of vinyl and vinylidene halides and copolymers thereof with each other or either with up to 80% by weight of one or more polymerizable olefinic monomers having at least one terminal CH.sub.2 .dbd.C<grouping, comprising forming a monomer premix containing the monomer or monomers to be polymerized, the aqueous reaction medium, from about 0.01% to about 0.5% by weight of a free radical yielding catalyst based on the weight of 100 parts of monomer or monomers being polymerized, from about 0.05% to about 6.0% by weight of at least one fugitive gas producing electrolyte based on the weight of the monomer or monomers, from about 0.5% to about 4.0% by weight based on the weight of the monomer or monomers, of an emulsifier for the polymerization system selected from the group consisting of salts of saturated fatty acids containing from 8 to 20 carbon atoms, sulfate and sulfonate type soaps of from C.sub.12 to C.sub.20 alkyl or aryl hydrocarbons, and mixtures of said emulsifiers, mixing said premix at a temperature below the reactivity of the catalyst or catalysts employed, passing said premix to a reaction zone, emulsion polymerizing said premix in said zone at a temperature in the range of about 30.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C., maintaining the pH in the reaction zone in the range of about 7.0 to about 12.0 until the reaction is complete, removing the polymer emulsion from said reaction zone and filtering the same to recover the polymer and friable aggregates of polymer, drying the polymer and friable aggregates of polymer while removing the electrolyte therefrom, and lightly crushing said friable aggregates to form individual spheres of polymer particles, and wherein polymer buildup in said reaction zone is reduced.