Method for producing glycidyl (meth) acrylate copolymers

A process for the production of glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymers having a number-average molar mass (Mn) of 1000 to 6000 g/mol wherein said process comprises:

• copolymerizing one or more glycidyl (meth)acrylates with one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers, in the presence of a polyester oligomer, wherein said copolymerization is carried out in the absence of solvents and continuously in a reaction vessel having feed and discharge means,
• wherein the polyester oligomer or a mixture of glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymer and the polyester oligomer having a weight ration range of copolymer to oligomer of from 95:5 to 50:50 is introduced into the reaction vessel through the feed means, and
• wherein said copolymerization comprises:
• adding to the reaction vessel the glycidyl (meth)acrylates, additional monomers selected from the group consisting of hydroxyalkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid, non-functionalized (meth)acrylic acid and non-functionalized (meth)acrylates, additional polyester oligomers and, optionally, free-radical initiators;
• discharging the glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymers formed through the discharge means at a flow rate that is equal to a flow rate of said adding of the glycidyl (meth)acrylates, the additional monomers, the additional polyester oligomers and, optionally, the free-radical initiators;
• wherein said adding of the glycidyl (meth)acrylates, the additional monomers, the additional polyester oligomers and, optionally, the free radical initiators and said discharging of the glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymers formed are carried out such that the residence time required for formation of the glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymers is achieved, and
• wherein, in the event that the mixture of glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymer and polyester oligomer is initially introduced into the reaction vessel, intorduction thereof, is carried out such that the weight ratio range between copolymer and oligomer is maintained.