Abstract: Highly crosslinked polymer particles, which may be porous, consisting essentially of a non-hydrophilic polymer can be produced by adding a polymerizable monomer mixture comprising at least 20% by weight of at least one non-hydrophilic, crosslinking polyvinyl monomer to an aqueous dispersion containing a non-crosslinked, low molecular weight polymer particles having a weight average molecular weight of 500-10,000 as a dispersoid, with a non-reactive solvent in a proportion of not more than 1 part by weight per part by weight of the polymerizable monomer mixture, the proportion of the polymerizable monomer mixture plus the non-reactive solvent to the non-crosslinked, low molecular weight polymer particles being 4 to 20 parts by weight per part by weight of the non-crosslinked, low molecular weight polymer particles, and then subjecting the polymerizable monomer mixture to radical emulsion polymerization with stirring.

Abstract: Polymer particles composed of particles of a polymer (I) consisting of 96 to 100% by weight of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 4 to 0% by weight of at least one .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, and a (co-)polymer (II) comprising 100 to 10% by weight of a conjugated diolefin which is localized on the surface layer of the particles of the polymer (I) at a (I)/(II) weight ratio of 100/5-100/90. The localized polymer part of the polymer particles is very active, and the polymer particles are easy to modify with a monomer having any functional group, and hence are elemental materials having a high function and being utilizable for various purposes.