Process for preparing styrenic polymer foams

摘要

Styrenic polymer particles having a substantially uniform particle size are prepared by suspending styrenic polymer particles having particle sizes in a certain range in water to provide an aqueous suspension and after adding to the suspension a styrenic monomer, a suspension polymerization catalyst and a polymerization retarder in an amount of 1/200 to 1/15 mole per 1 mole of the catalyst, conducting the suspension polymerization. By conducting the polymerization in the presence of a foaming agent, one can produce foamable styrenic polymer particles having a substantially uniform particle size.