A process for preparing polymers

摘要

Preparation of polymers involving replacing the air in an open system reactor with water vapor and pumping the polymer at high operating pressure in an external loop through a heat exchanger back to the reactor. There are reduced volatile organic compound emissions and minimal gel formation. Preparation of polymers comprises (i) replacing the air in an open system reactor with water vapor; (ii) closing the system; (iii) feeding a monomer(s) to the reactor and reacting to form a polymer; and (iv) pumping the polymer at high operating pressure in an external loop through a heat exchanger back to the reactor. An independent claim is also included for a method of reducing VOC emissions during polymerization as above.