Abstract:
THE MELT FLOW OF RUBBER-MODIFIED POLYSTYRENE, ABS AND THE LIKE IS CONTROLLED BY CONTACTING POLYMERIZABLE VINYL MONOMERS WITH A CHELATING AGENT SUCH AS ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRACETIC ACID AND A MERCAPTAN CHAIN REGULATOR SUCH AS TERTIARY DODECYL MERCAPTAN IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER AND POLYMERIZING THE RESULTING MIXTURE.
Abstract:
THE PROCESS COMPRISES COATING BEADS OF A POLYMER SUCH AS POLYSTYRENE WITH AN ORGANIC AGENT, FOR EXAMPLE, ZINC STEARATE, IMPREGNATING THE COATED BEADS WITH LIQUEFIED BUTANE AT CONDITIONS SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE BUTANE IN THE LIQUEFIED STATE, REMOVING THE EXCESS BUTANE FROM THE IMPREGNATED BEADS AND RECOVERING THE RESULTING FOAMABLE BEADS. COATING THE BEADS PREVENTS BEAD AGGLOMERATION DURING THE IMPREGNATION STEP.