Plug flow bulk polymerization of vinyl monomers

摘要

A process for continuous bulk polymerization is disclosed that includes providing a plug flow reactor comprising a primary loop reactor including a loop for recirculating a portion of a polymer-in-progress at a polymer flow rate back to a reactor in the primary loop reactor, introducing at least one monomer into the primary recirculation loop reactor at a monomer flow rate, polymerizing the monomer in the primary recirculation loop reactor in the presence of an initiator by way of a free-radical polymerization to form a polymer-in-progress, and recirculating a first portion of the polymer-in-progress through the loop into a reactor in the primary loop reactor to combine with the monomer at a ratio of polymer flow rate to monomer flow rate that is greater than 5.