Abstract:
A reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process for the manufacture of polymer beads comprising forming aqueous monomer beads comprising an aqueous solution of water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerising the monomer or monomer blend to form polymer beads while suspended in a non-aqueous liquid, and recovering polymer beads, in which the process comprises, providing in a vessel (1) a volume (2) of non-aqueous liquid wherein the volume of non-aqueous liquid extends between at least one polymer bead discharge point (3) and at least one monomer feed point (4), feeding the aqueous monomer or monomer blend through orifices (5) into, or onto, the non-aqueous liquid to form aqueous monomer beads, allowing the aqueous monomer beads to flow towards the polymer bead discharge point subjecting the aqueous monomer beads to polymerisation conditions to initiate polymerisation to form polymerising beads, wherein the polymerising beads have formed polymer beads when they reach the polymer bead discharge point, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel at the polymer bead discharge point and recovering water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension. The invention also relates to the apparatus suitable for carrying out a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation and polymer beads obtainable by the process or employing the apparatus.
Abstract:
Transportation of Polymeric Bead Products A method of transportation of a polymer product from a first location to a second location in which the transportation comprises at least one of the group consisting of: (a) conveyance in a vehicle for at least 50 km; and/or (b) conveyance in at least one conduit in which the polymer product comprises water soluble or water swellable polymer beads, wherein the water soluble or water swellable polymer beads are obtainable by a process comprising a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation comprising forming aqueous monomer beads of an aqueous solution comprising water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerising the monomer or monomer blend, to form polymer beads while suspended in a non-aqueous liquid, and recovering polymer beads, in which the process comprises providing in a vessel (1) a volume (2) of non-aqueous liquid wherein the volume of non-aqueous liquid extends between at least one polymer bead discharge point (3) and at least one monomer feed point (4), feeding the aqueous monomer or monomer blend through orifices (5) into, or onto, the non- aqueous liquid to form aqueous monomer beads, allowing the aqueous monomer beads to flow towards the polymer bead discharge point initiating polymerisation of the aqueous monomer beads to form polymerising beads, wherein the polymerising beads have formed polymer beads when they reach the polymer bead discharge point, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel at the polymer bead discharge point and recovering, water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension, in which the aqueous monomer or monomer blend and/or the orifices is/are vibrated such that the frequency multiplied by the weight average droplet diameter is between 150 and 800 mm/s. The method enables polymer product transported to a second location to have a narrow particle size distribution and reduced fines or dust content.
Abstract:
A reverse-phase suspension polymerization process for the manufacture of polymer beads comprising forming aqueous monomer beads of an aqueous solution comprising water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend, polymerizing the monomer or monomer blend to form polymer beads while suspended in a non-aqueous liquid, and recovering polymer beads, comprises providing a volume of non-aqueous liquid (2) in a vessel (1), where the volume of non-aqueous liquid extends between at least one polymer bead discharge point(3) and at least one monomer feed point (4), generating monomer micro-volumes in at least one microfluidic device (5), said monomer micro-volumes being separated by none-aqueous liquid in at least one first microfluidic channel (6), feeding the monomer micro-volumes through the at least one first microfluidic channel (6) towards the at least one monomer feed point (4) at which the monomer micro-volumes enter into or onto the volume (2) of non-aqueous liquid and form aqueous monomer droplet, allowing the aqueous monomer droplets to flow towards the polymer bead discharge point, initiating polymerization of the aqueous monomer droplets to form polymerizing beads.
Abstract:
Preparation of Aqueous Solutions or Dispersions of Polymeric Bead Products A method of forming an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion of a polymer product com- prising providing the polymer product; feeding the polymer product to a polymer hydration make-up unit; combining the polymer product with an aqueous liquid; and hydrating the polymer product to form the aqueous solution or aqueous dispersion of the poly- mer product, in which the polymer product comprises water-soluble or water swellable polymer beads, wherein the water soluble or water swellable polymer beads are obtainable by a process com- prising a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation comprising forming aqueous monomer beads of an aqueous solution comprising water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerising the monomer or monomer blend, to form polymer beads while sus- pended in a non-aqueous liquid, and recovering polymer beads, in which the process comprises providing in a vessel (1) a volume (2) of non-aqueous liquid wherein the volume of non-aqueous liquid extends between at least one polymer bead discharge point (3) and at least one monomer feed point (4), feeding the aqueous monomer or monomer blend through orifices (5) into, or onto, the non- aqueous liquid to form aqueous monomer beads, allowing the aqueous monomer beads to flow towards the polymer bead discharge point initiating polymerisation of the aqueous monomer beads to form polymerising beads, wherein the polymerising beads have formed polymer beads when they reach the polymer bead discharge point, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel at the poly- mer bead discharge point and recovering, water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension, in which the aqueous monomer or monomer blend and/or the orifices is/are vibrated such that the frequency multiplied by the weight average droplet diameter is between 150 and 800 mm/s. The method enables aqueous solutions or aqueous dispersions of water soluble or water swellable polymer product to be made at a consistent concentration and for the so formed aqueous solutions or dispersions to be consistently dosed into systems to be treated.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process for the manufacture of polymer beads comprising forming aqueous monomer beads of an aqueous solution comprising water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerising the monomer or monomer blend to form polymer beads while suspended in a nonaqueous liquid, recovering polymer beads, and then cleaning the non-aqueous liquid in which the process comprises providing the non-aqueous liquid in a vessel (1), forming a suspension of monomer beads from the aqueous monomer or monomer blend in the non-aqueous liquid, initiating polymerisation to form polymerising beads, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel and recovering, water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension, in which the non-aqueous liquid contains impurities which comprise particles, and then subjecting the non-aqueous liquid from the suspension to a cleaning stage, in which the cleaning stage provides a cleaned non-aqueous liquid suitable for use in a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process, which cleaning stage comprises subjecting the non-aqueous liquid to a pre-heating step, passing the preheated non-aqueous liquid through a helical tube evaporator thereby forming a mixture of liquid and gas, releasing the resulting mixture of liquid and gas into a gas-liquid separator vessel, and subsequently forming a liquid stream containing solids and a cleaned non-aqueous liquid stream. The invention also relates to an apparatus suitable for carrying out the process of the invention and also to polymeric products obtainable by the process.
Abstract:
A reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process for the manufacture of polymer beads comprising forming aqueous monomer beads of an aqueous solution comprising water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerising the monomer or monomer blend to form polymer beads while suspended in a non-aqueous liquid, recovering polymer beads, and then cleaning the non-aqueous liquid in which the process comprises providing the non-aqueous liquid in a vessel (1), forming a suspension of monomer beads from the aqueous monomer or monomer blend in the non-aqueous liquid, initiating polymerisation to form polymerising beads, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel and recovering, water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension, in which the non-aqueous liquid contains impurities which comprise particles, and then transferring the non-aqueous liquid from the suspension to a cleaning stage, in which the cleaning stage provides a cleaned non-aqueous liquid suitable for use in a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process, which cleaning stage comprises removing particles from the non-aqueous liquid in at least one filtration step. The invention also relates to the apparatus suitable for carrying out a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation and polymer beads obtainable by the process or employing the apparatus. The invention further relates to a cleaned non-aqueous liquid obtainable by the process.
Abstract:
A reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process for the manufacture of polymer beads comprising forming aqueous monomer beads comprising an aqueous solution of water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerising the monomer or monomer blend, to form polymer beads while suspended in a non-aqueous liquid, and recovering polymer beads, in which the process comprises providing in a vessel (1) a volume (2) of non-aqueous liquid wherein the volume of non-aqueous liquid extends between at least one polymer bead discharge point (3) and at least one monomer feed point (4), feeding the aqueous monomer or monomer blend through orifices (5) into, or onto, the non-aqueous liquid to form aqueous monomer beads, allowing the aqueous monomer beads to flow towards the polymer bead discharge point initiating polymerisation of the aqueous monomer beads to form polymerising beads, wherein the polymerising beads form polymer beads when they reach the polymer bead discharge point, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel at the polymer bead discharge point and recovering, water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension, in which the aqueous monomer or monomer blend and/or the orifices is/are vibrated such that the frequency multiplied by the weight average droplet diameter is between 150 and 800 mm/s. The invention also relates to the apparatus suitable for carrying out a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation and polymer beads obtainable by the process or employing the apparatus. Furthermore, the invention also relates to polymer beads having a weight mean particle size in the range of 0.05 to 5 mm which are held in a container in an amount of at least 300 kg having a standard deviation of particle size less than 20%. In addition, the invention also provides polymer beads having a weight mean particle size in the range 0.05 to 5 mm having a standard deviation of particle size less than 20% and having an amount of residual acrylamide of less than 500 ppm.
Abstract:
Herstellung von Isobutenhomopolymeren mit einem gewichtsgemittelten Molekulargewicht von 75.000 bis 10.000.000 durch Polymerisation von Isobuten in einer Polymerisationsvorrichtung in flüssiger Phase bei Temperaturen von -80°C bis -190°C in einem geeigneten inerten Lösungsmittel und in Gegenwart eines Polymerisationskatalysator-Komplexes auf Basis von Lewis-Säuren und Co-Katalysatoren,wobei man Isobuten,inertes Lösungsmittelund Polymerisationskatalysator-Komplex in mindestens drei Teilströmender Mischkammer einer Mischeinrichtung zuführt und dort vermischt, diese Mischung in den Flüssigphasenraum der Polymerisationsvorrichtung einspeist und dort die Polymerisation des Isobutens ablaufen lässt.
Abstract:
A reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process for the manufacture of polymer beads comprising forming aqueous monomer beads of an aqueous solution comprising water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerising the monomer or monomer blend to form polymer beads while suspended in a non-aqueous liquid, recovering polymer beads, and then cleaning the non-aqueous liquid in which the process comprises providing the non-aqueous liquid in a vessel (1), forming a suspension of monomer beads from the aqueous monomer or monomer blend in the non-aqueous liquid, initiating polymerisation to form polymerising beads, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel and recovering, water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension, in which the non-aqueous liquid contains impurities which comprise particles, and then transferring the non-aqueous liquid from the suspension to a cleaning stage, in which the cleaning stage provides a cleaned non-aqueous liquid suitable for use in a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation process, which cleaning stage comprises removing particles from the non-aqueous liquid in at least one filtration step. The invention also relates to the apparatus suitable for carrying out a reverse-phase suspension polymerisation and polymer beads obtainable by the process or employing the apparatus. The invention further relates to a cleaned non-aqueous liquid obtainable by the process.
Abstract:
The invention relates to the production of isobutylene homopolymers having a weight-average molecular weight of 75,000 to 10,000,000 by means of the polymerization of isobutylene by (a) performing the polymerization at -80°C to -190°C, (b) using optionally halogenated C 1 to C 5 hydrocarbons as an inert solvent, (c) using a Lewis acid complex as a polymerization catalyst, and (d) performing the polymerization in the presence of at least one reaction accelerator in the form of an ethylenically saturated hydrocarbon compound, which contains an oxygen atom and no proton that can be emitted, and performing the polymerization in the presence of at least one chain length regulator, which contains a tertiary olefinic carbon atom.