Process for preparing rubbery polymer reinforced styrenic resins

A continuous mass polymerization process for preparing rubbery polymer reinforced styrenic copolymer resins comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a solution in an inert solvent comprising a styrenic polymer matrix and a monomer material capable of polymerizing to form a cross-linked rubbery polymer material;
• b. continuously charging said solution from step a. into a polymerization reactor and subjecting said solution to mass polymerization conditions to mass polymerize said monomer material whereby there is formed in situ a cross-linked rubbery polymer material dispersed in the styrenic polymer matrix;
• c. continuously withdrawing the reaction mixture from step b. from said polymerization reactor;
• and
• d. recovering a rubbery polymer reinforced styrenic copolymer resin from the withdrawn reaction mixture from step c.

A continuous mass process for preparing rubbery polymer reinforced ASA styrenic resins comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a solution in an inert solvent of a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer matrix together with an acrylate monomer and a polyfunctional cross-linking agent;
• b. continuously charging said solution into a polymerization zone and subjecting it to mass polymerization whereby there is formed in situ a cross-linked rubbery material dispersed in the styrene-acrylonitrile matrix,
• c. continuously withdrawing the reaction mixture from the polymerization zone and charging it into a devolatilization zone;
• and
• d. recovering the resulting rubbery polymer reinforced ASA styrenic resin.