Abstract: The molecular weight of a polyolefin such as polypropylene is reduced, as evidenced by lowered viscosity and increased melt flow rate, by treatment with an inorganic peroxygen selected from metal persulfates, ammonium persulfates, and any mixtures thereof. The treatment avoids or minimizes the color or odor attendant treatment with organic peroxygens and the toxic products of organic persulfate decomposition, and avoids the special handling required with organic peroxides.

Abstract: An improved method for the production of polyphenylene ethers is disclosed. The method comprises oxidatively coupling monohydric phenols in the presence of a complex catalyst and in a liquid medium which is a solvent for the monomer and catalyst and a non-solvent for the polyphenylene ether. The polyphenylene ether precipitates to form a slurry of particulate solids which is then washed with an aqueous solution of a chelating agent to remove catalyst residue.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for preparing a latex comprising grafted rubber particles for ABS polyblends that is free of coagulum, the steps comprising, preparing said latex and passing it through a porous filter bed means comprising agglomerated particles of said latex, removing said coagulum and producing a filtered latex. The process also includes the steps of blending said latex with a matrix polymer latex to form a mixed latex and coagulating said mixed latex and recovering said grafted rubber particles and matrix polymer as an ABS polyblend.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a latex polymerization process for grafting styrene and acrylonitrile type monomers onto a rubber latex which has been stabilized with a substance which inhibits polymerization. The process involves carrying out the graft polymerization reaction in the presence of from 1 to 10 parts of latex seed particles per hundred parts of rubber using a chain transfer agent that doesn't inhibit the graft polymerization reaction.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing ABS polyblends, the steps comprising, polymerizing a polymerizable mixture of a monomer formulation and a diene rubber forming a grafted copolymer and a matrix interpolymer, the improvement comprising, polymerizing said monomer formulation to at least about 90% conversion, charging a third monomer and further polymerizing said monomer formulation in the presence of said third monomer to convert essentially all of said monomer formulation to interpolymer followed by recovering said polyblend having a low residual monomer content.

Abstract: This invention relates to a continuous process for the production of ABS type polyblends comprising the polymeriztion of a monomer composition comprising monoalkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers in a single reaction zone forming a matrix copolymer dissolved in said monomers as a liquid phase; removing said liquid phase from said reaction zone and dispersing a first and second grafted diene rubber in said liquid phase followed by separating said matrix copolymer and said grafted diene rubbers from said liquid phase forming an ABS polyblend having a bimodal rubber particle size distribution and a matrix copolymer having a uniform monomer composition and molecular weight.