Process for the production of styrene polymers
AssigneeMitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsTetsuyuki Matsubara, Norifumi Ito, Yuzuru Ishida, Mune Iwamoto
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Abstract
A process for polymerizing a styrene monomer or a styrene monomer having a rubber-like polymer dissolved therein by using, as the catalyst, an organic peroxide of the formula ##STR1## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radicals of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and phenyl. Preferably, the polymerization is continuously carried out by bulk or solution polymerization while the reaction mixture present in the polymerization zone is kept in such a mixed state as to make it substantially homogeneous.
Claims10
In a process for the production of styrene polymers wherein a styrene monomer or a styrene monomer having a rubber-like polymer dissolved therein is polymerized by bulk or solution polymerization using an organic peroxide as the catalyst, the improvement in which
- (a) the organic peroxide is at least one compound of the formula ##STR3## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radicals of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and phenyl;
- (b) the polymerization is continuously carried out at a temperature not lower than 100.degree. C. while the reaction mixture present in the polymerization zone is kept in such a mixed state as to make it substantially homogeneous;
- and
- (c) the conversion of the styrene monomer into a polymer is controlled so as to fall within the range of from 20 to 90%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.