IP Library Granted Patent US 7,985,823
Granted Patent B2
US 7,985,823 · App. 12/519,205 · Granted Jul 26, 2011

Production method of polycarbonate resin

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,985,823
App. No.
12/519,205
Granted
Jul 26, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention aims at providing a process for the production of polycarbonate resin which is suppressed in discoloration and reduced in the content of crystalline foreign substance, gel, and so on. The invention relates to a process for the production of polycarbonate resin from raw materials, namely, an aromatic dihydroxyl compound and a carbonic diester through continuous transesterification by the use of a production unit provided with plural reactors, which comprises producing continuously an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a viscosity-average molecular weight of 10,000 to 20,000 for a prescribed time before the termination of the continuous transesterification, discharging the polymerization fluid, cleaning the insides of the reactors with a mixture of the raw materials and then with an aromatic monohydroxy compound, feeding the raw materials and a catalyst to the reactors after the internal temperatures and degrees of vacuum of the reactors have reached respectively to levels falling within −5% to +5% of the levels preset for manufacturing operation, and then initiating manufacturing operation again.

Claims (23)

1. A production method for a polycarbonate resin which comprises:

continuously producing a polycarbonate resin by an ester exchange reaction using a dihydroxy compound and a carbonic diester as raw materials,

wherein

before stopping the ester exchange reaction, a polycarbonate resin having a viscosity average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 20,000 is continuously produced for the predetermined period of time, and

after stopping the ester exchange reaction, a reactor in which the ester exchange reaction is conducted is washed with a molten mixture of the dihydroxy compound and the carbonic acid diester, and the reactor is further washed with an aromatic monohydroxy compound.

2. The production method for a polycarbonate resin as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dihydroxy compound is an aromatic dihydroxy compound.

3. The production method for a polycarbonate resin as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein before washing the reactor, polymerization reaction liquid is discharged from the reactor.

4. A method to produce an aromatic polycarbonate, comprising:

supplying a molten raw material mixture comprising an aromatic dihydroxy compound, diphenyl carbonate, and an ester exchange catalyst to a first reactor of a multi-reactor set;

preparing the aromatic polycarbonate by a continuous multi-stage ester exchange reaction of an aromatic dihydroxy compound and diphenyl carbonate, in the presence of an ester exchange catalyst, in the multi-reactor set;

wherein

a viscosity average molecular weight of the aromatic polycarbonate produced is from 15,000 to 40,000,

a temperature of the continuous multi-stage ester exchange reaction is from 150 to 320° C., with each successive stage of the multi-stage reaction having a temperature higher than the previous stage,

a pressure of the continuous multi-stage ester exchange reaction is from normal pressure to 0.01 Torr, with each successive stage of the multi-stage reaction being under a higher vacuum than the previous stage,

wherein

in a stopping of the method, the molten ester exchange reaction mixture is discharged only from a purge valve in the last reactor of the multi-reactor set, and

an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a viscosity average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 20,000 and less than the viscosity average molecular weight of the prepared aromatic polycarbonate resin is continuously produced for a predetermined period of time and discharged.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

after stopping the ester exchange reaction, washing the multi-reactor set with a molten mixture of the aromatic dihydroxy compound and diphenyl carbonate; and

discharging the molten mixture of the aromatic dihydroxy compound and diphenyl carbonate only from the purge valve in the last reactor of the multi-reactor set.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising,:

after washing the multi-reactor set with the molten mixture of the aromatic dihydroxy compound and diphenyl carbonate, washing the multi-reactor set with phenol; and

discharging the phenol only from the purge valve in the last reactor of the multi-reactor set.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 5, 2017
From: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043750/0834 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 4, 2017
From: MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
To: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 043750/0207 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2009
From: TAKAHASHI, KAZUYUKI; IWAKI, KOUJI; UCHIMURA, RYUUJI
To: MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022850/0900 →