Method for producing peroxydicarbonates and their use in the radical polymerization of monomers

A process for the polymerization of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising:

• (a) producing a free radical initiator wherein the initiator comprises at least one organic peroxide by a process comprising a step of forming a mixture of at least one starting peroxide and an aqueous emulsion of at least one organic halide at a temperature of less than 40° C. wherein the at least one starting peroxide in the mixture reacts chemically with the at least one organic halide to form an aqueous emulsion of the at least one organic peroxide and wherein the mixture is formed in an in-line homogenizer, whereby the at least one organic peroxide is formed from the chemical reaction of the at least one starting peroxide with the at least one organic halide;
• (b) adding to a polymerization reactor at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer;
• (c) adding to the polymerization reactor the free radical initiator produced in step (a);
• (d) conducting a polymerization reaction to a desired level of conversion of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer to form a polymer;
• (e) discharging the polymer from the polymerization reactor;
• and
• (f) stripping the ethylenically unsaturated monomer from the polymer.