METHOD FOR SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION AND APPARATUS THEREFOR

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain a polymer having uniform particle size in high polymerization conversion using only a column reactor containing a fluidized layer, by making a specific gravity of an aqueous dispersion higher than that of the polymer to be produced. CONSTITUTION:A slurry of polymerizable liquid drops having uniform size and dispersed in an aqueous dispersing medium is introduced through an inlet 2 into a column reactor 12 in which the aqueous dispersing medium heated to the polymerization temperature is supplied to the column to 11 to form a downflow of the medium in the column, extracted through the column bottom 13 and recycled to the column top 11 and the slurry is subjected to suspension polymerization while keeping the liquid drops from integration and disintegration in the reactor 12. In the above process, the specific gravity of the dispersing medium is made higher than that of the polymer particle to be produced by dissolving a water-soluble inorganic salt in the aqueous dispersing medium and a suspension stabilizer containing a polycarboxylic acid-type polymeric anionic surfactant is added to the aqueous dispersing medium to stabilize the suspension of the polymerizable liquid drops. A recovery port 14 is provided immediately after the column reactor 12 to recover the slurry consisting of the polymer particles having high polymerization conversion and said aqueous dispersing medium.