Abstract:
AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR POLYMERIZATION OR COPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLONITRILE IS DISCLOSED, OF THE KIND IN WHICH THE POLYMERIZATION STEP IS CARRIED OUT WITHIN A POLAR ORGANIC SOLVENT, WHEREIN THE CATALYST SYSTEM IS OF THE SOCALLED REDOX TYPE AND COMPRISES A PEROXIDE, A REDUCING AGENT, A FIRST METAL, A SECOND METAL AND A POLYMERIZATION STOPPER WHICH IS SOLUBLE IN THE POLAR ORGANIC SOLVENT. ALSO THE METALS OR THEIR COMPOUND MUST BE SOLUBLE IN THE ORGANIC POLAR SOLVENT AFORESAID. THE METALS ARE COPPER AS A FIRST METAL AND IRON OR CERIUM AS THE SECOND METAL. THE STOPPER SHOULD ALSO BE A SEQUESTING AGENT FOR METALS. THE PREFERRED STOPPERS ARE SOME DERIVATIVES OF ETHYLENE DIAMINO TETRA ACETIC ACID; A FEW OF THESE DERIVATIVES, SUCH AS THE NITRATE, THE CHLORIDE AND THE PHOSPHATE OF EDTA HAVE NOT YET BEEN DESCRIBED HERETOFORE IN THE TECHNICAL LITERATURE. THE ADVANTAGE OBTAINED WITH THE METHOD AND THE COMPOUNDS OF THE INVENTION IS THAT ACRYLONITRILE COPOLYMERS AND COPOLYMERS ARE OBTAINED, WHICH SHOW IMPROVED PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND A HIGHEST WHITENESS RATING.