Emulsion polymerisation process
View Patent ↗An emulsion polymerization process using a redox initiator comprising a reductant and an oxidant, wherein monomers are mixed into a carrier liquid, e.g. water, to make a pre-emulsion, which is then supplied to a reactor comprising one or more circulation loops, an outlet, and a circulation pump for circulating a reactor charge within the circulation loop, characterized in that the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before it is mixed into the reactor charge and the oxidant is mixed into the reactor charge, e.g., via the water-phase feed.
1. An emulsion polymerization process using a redox initiator comprising a reductant and an oxidant, the process comprising:
mixing monomers into a carrier liquid to make a pre-emulsion having a monomer content of at least 10% by weight of the pre-emulsion;
supplying the pre-emulsion via a first feed line to a reactor comprising one or more circulation loops, an outlet, and a circulation pump for circulating a reactor charge within the circulation loop;
adding the reductant to the pre-emulsion instead of the oxidant via the first feed line to the reactor; and
separately metering the oxidant into the reactor charge via a second feed line entering the circulation loop.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-emulsion has a monomer content of at least 15% by total weight of the pre-emulsion.
3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oxidant is added downstream of said first feed line.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reductant is added as an aqueous solution comprising one or more stabilizers.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.
6. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the oxidant is added downstream of said first feed line.
7. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the reductant is added as an aqueous solution comprising one or more stabilizers.
8. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the reductant is added as an aqueous solution comprising one or more stabilizers.
9. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the reductant is added as an aqueous solution comprising one or more stabilizers.
10. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.
11. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.
12. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.
13. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.
14. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.
15. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.
16. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the reductant is added to the pre-emulsion before the pre-emulsion enters the reactor.