A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A SUPERABSORBENT POLYMER

摘要

The present invention relates to a continuous process for the production of a superabsorbent polymer comprising: (a) providing an acidic liquid aqueous monomer mixture containing dissolved oxygen, whereby the monomers are selected to provide after polymerization a superabsorbent polymer, (b) continuously feeding said aqueous monomer mixture to a reactor, (c) introducing a source of carbonate or hydrogen carbonate into said aqueous monomer mixture prior to entry into the reactor thereby forming a gas phase comprising carbon dioxide and at least a part of said dissolved oxygen, said gas phase being dispersed in the liquid phase, (d) subjecting the gas/liquid mixture to at least partial phase separation immediately prior to or after entry into the reactor and at least partially removing the separated gaseous phase, (e) subjecting the liquid phase in the reactor to free-radical polymerization to obtain the superabsorbent polymer, and (f) continuously removing the superabsorbent polymer from the reactor.