Polymerization with initiator and quaternary ammonium salt

A polymerization process comprising the steps of:

• preparing and reacting a mercaptan free polymerization mixture consisting essentially of:
• about 1000 mole units of a monomer type having a polymerizable double bond,
• an amount of a preformed polymer miscible with said polymerization mixture from about 0.01 to about 2 times the weight of said monomer type,
• from about 0.1 to about 100 mole units of an initiator miscible with said polymerization mixture and selected from the group consisting of organic peroxides, hydroperoxides and peresters, and
• from about 0.01 to about 100 mole units of a quaternary ammonium salt miscible with said polymerization mixture and of the formula
• [(R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4)N.sup.- ]X.sup.-
• wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are selected from the group consisting of branched or normal, saturated or unsaturated, alkyl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl and hydroxyalkyl and wherein X.sup.- is fluoride, chloride, bromide or bibenzoate
• to form a polymer.

A solvent free polymerization process comprising the steps of:

• preparing a polymerization mixture free of solvent and mercaptan consisting essentially of:
• about 1000 mole units of a monomer type having a polymerizable double bond,
• an amount of a preformed polymer miscible with said polymerization mixture from about 0.01 to about 2 times the weight of said monomer type,
• from about 0.1 to about 100 mole units of an initiator miscible with said polymerization mixture and selected from the group consisting of organic peroxides, hydroperoxides and peresters, and
• from about 0.01 to about 100 mole units of a quaternary ammonium salt miscible with said polymerization mixture and of the formula
• [(R.sub.1,R.sub.2,R.sub.3,R.sub.4)N.sup.+]X.sup.-
• wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are selected from the group consisting of branched or normal, saturated or unsaturated alkyl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl and hydroxyalkyl and wherein X.sup.- is fluoride, chloride, bromide or bibenzoate, and
• reacting said polymerization mixture at a temperature sufficient to induce polymerization to form a polymer.

A polymerization process comprising the steps of:

• preparing a mercaptan free polymerization mixture consisting essentially of:
• about 1000 mole units of a monomer type having a polymerization mixture from about 0.001 to about 2 times the weight of said monomer type,
• from about 0.1 to about 100 mole units of an initiator miscible with said polymerization mixture and selected from the group consisting of organic peroxides, hydroperoxides and peresters, and
• from about 0.01 to about 100 mole units of a quaternary ammonium salt miscible with said polymerization mixture and of the formula
• [(R.sub.1, R.sub.2,R.sub.3,R.sub.4)N.sup.+ ]X.sup.-
• wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are selected from the group consisting of branched or normal, saturated or unsaturated, alkyl, aralkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl and hydroxyalkyl and wherein X.sup.- is fluoride, chloride, bromide or bibenzoate, and
• reacting said polymerization mixture in a single phase organic medium to form a polymer.