Production of water-soluble polymers

摘要

Process for producing a water-soluble polymer comprising polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer yielding a water-soluble polymer in an aqueous medium in a polymerization vessel, characterized in that the polymerization system is maintained without stirring at least after the polymerization is initiated, the temperature of the polymerization system is permitted to rise on its own accord, and the non-uniformity of temperature distribution between the center and surroundings of the polymerization system due to the temperature rise is eliminated by heating the polymerization system from the outside. The resulting highly viscous aqueous solution of a polymer in the form of a raw rubbery gel can be recovered from the polymerization vessel without causing the polymer solution to stick to the inner wall surface of the vessel and deposit thereon by suitably selecting the relation between the weight of the gel and the adhesion of the gel to the inner wall of the vessel, thereby permitting the gel content to fall from the vessel by its own weight through the opening in the widely opened condition of the vessel.