Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the continuous mass polymerization of solutions comprising an alkenyl aromatic monomer having a diene rubber polymer dissolved therein comprising the steps of polymerizing said solution in a first reaction zone to about 15 to 50% conversion dispersing said diene rubber or rubber particles in a partially polymerized solution, followed by further polymerization said partially polymerized solution in a second polymerization zone to about 20 to 95% conversion the improvement comprising having present in said solution, as fed to said first reaction zone, a polymer of said monomers in an amount sufficient to control the size of said diene rubber particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing terpolymer polyblends having high gloss and ductility in formed articles, wherein, rubber particles in an aqueous latex are reacted with an alkenyl aromatic, alkenyl nitrile and alkyl acrylate monomer formulation such that said rubber particles become grafted with at least a portion of said monomers while said monomers form a matrix terpolymer phase of said monomers followed by separating said matrix phase terpolymer and said grafted rubber particles from said latex as a terpolymer polyblend. The invention also relates to a composition of said process.

Abstract: The invention relates to an emulsion polymerization process for preparing polymeric polyblends having rubber phases with high levels of grafted monomers providing polyblends with superior extruded glass and toughness. Diene rubber particles in latices are grafted with a monomer formulation of alkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers having present about 1 to 30% by weight of a myrcene triunsaturated aliphatic C.sub.10 H.sub.16 hydrocarbon. The myrcene unexpectedly increases the graft efficiency of the alkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers substantially as a superstrate on the rubber substrate particles such that a polyblend of a matrix phase polymer of said monomers having said grafted rubber dispersed therein has superior toughness and gloss.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for preparing improved monoalkenyl aromatic polyblends having a dispersed rubber phase as rubber particles having a bimodal particle size distribution and compositions thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a foamable polymeric composition comprising a copolymer of alkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers, optionally a diene rubber grafted with said monomers and a foaming agent selected from a polybasic acid group. A method for foaming said polyblend is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the continuous extrusion forming of a thermoplastic double-walled, foam-core conduit by the sequential steps of extrusion forming an inner plastic tube, evenly coating said inner tube with foam-core layer and extrusion forming and bonding an outer tube in contact with said foam-core layer, said outer tube being generally evenly spaced apart from said inner tube by said foam-core layer providing a plastic double-walled, foam-core conduit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the continuous mass polymerization of solutions comprising alkenyl aromatic monomers having about 1 to 10% by weight of a polybutadiene rubber dissolved therein, the steps comprising, (A) continuously charging said solution to a first reaction zone operating at about 10 to 40% conversion forming a first partially polymerized mixture, (B) continuously charging said first mixture to a second reaction zone operating at about 50-90% conversion forming a second partially polymerized mixture, and finally, (C) separating the residual monomer from said second mixture providing a polyblend of a matrix phase of said monomers having polybutadiene rubber particles grafted with said monomers dispersed therein, the improvement comprising: charging a monomer-polybutadiene solution in step (A) having in addition about 1 to 10% by weight of a diene block copolymer and about 1 to 20% by weight of a polymer of said monomers dissolved in said solution followed by carrying

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing terpolymer polyblends having high gloss and ductility in formed articles, wherein, rubber particles in an aqueous latex are reacted with an alkenyl aromatic, alkenyl nitrile and alkyl acrylate monomer formulation such that said rubber particles become grafted with at least a portion of said monomers while said monomers form a matrix terpolymer phase of said monomers followed by separating said matrix phase terpolymer and said grafted rubber particles from said latex as a terpolymer polyblend. The invention also relates to a composition of said process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved falling strand devolatilizer apparatus having a plurality of stages for devolatilization providing polymers with lower residual monomer and/or volatile contents. The novel apparatus utilizes a final flash tank having two flash compartments that share a common heating and vacuum system wherein a recycle line transfers polymer melt from the first compartment to the second compartment for additional devolatilization.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for dewatering an aqueous latex containing rubber particles grafted with alkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers and emulsified with an anionic surfactant wherein alkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers are dispersed in said latex along with a cationic surfactant in an amount sufficient to deemulsify said grafted rubber particles. The grafted rubber particles are extracted from the aqueous phase into the monomer phase as a liquid oil phase, with the aid of the cationic surfactant, said aqueous phase forming a separate water phase essentially free of said oil phase followed by separating said water phase from said liquid oil phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing ABS polyblends having an alkenyl aromaticalkenyl nitrile monomer matrix polymeric phase reinforced with rubber particles grafted with said monomers and having a bimodal rubber particle size distribution, the process comprising: charging continuously a formulation of said monomers having a soluble diene dissolved therein and a first grafted diene rubber particle dispersed therein to a back-mixed reaction zone operating at 50-80% steady state, flow-through, conversion of said monomer formulation, continuously mass polymerizing said charged monomer formulation to 50-80% conversion, forming and dispersing said soluble rubber as second grafted diene particles having a particle size larger than said first grafted rubber particles, continuously withdrawing an effluent from said reaction zone and separating said ABS polyblend from said effluent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous mass polymerization process for polyblends having a dispersed rubber phase with a bimodal rubber particle size distribution, wherein, first and second monomer-rubber solutions are fed to a first back-mixed polymerization zone such that said first solution forms particles of about 0.5 to 1.5 microns and said second solution, having present a dissolved rubber and a dissolved polymer of said monomer, forms particles of about 2 to 5 microns during partial polymerization of 10 to 50% of said monomers. Said partially polymerized solutions are further polymerized in a second zone, with linear flow, to a conversion of 20 to 95%, forming said polyblend with a bimodal rubber particle size distribution having improved toughness and gloss.

Abstract: The process relates to a continuous mass polymerization process for ABS polyblends wherein a monomer formulation of monoalkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers having a conjugated diene rubber dissolved therein is continuously charged to a first, stirred reaction zone operating at a steady conversion of said monomers of about 5 to 45% forming a partially polymerized first mixture having said rubber dispersed as grafted rubber particles, followed by continuously polymerizing said first mixture in a second stirred reaction zone by substantial linear flow polymerization under evaporative cooling of said monomers to a second partially polymerized mixture containing about 50 to 90% of ABS polyblend solids and separating said solids from said second mixture as an ABS polyblend.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing terpolymer polyblends having low gloss in extruded profiles wherein rubber particles contained in an aqueous latex are grafted with alkenyl aromatic, alkenyl nitrile and conjugated diolefin monomers to form a grafted rubber phase dispersed in a matrix phase of said monomers, at least a portion of said rubber particles becoming associated with said terpolymers as a gel fraction in said polyblend reducing the gloss of formed polyblend articles. The invention also relates to a composition prepared by said process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a foamable polymeric polyblend of a matrix copolymer of alkenyl aromatic/alkenyl nitrile monomers having dispersed therein (1) a grafted diene rubber being grafted with said monomers and (2) an alkyl half ester of a styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer. The composition is foamed by the thermal decomposition of said half ester. The foamed polyblend has great utility as a structural foam with said composition providing fast molding cycles and fine cell structure. A method for foaming said polyblend is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymeric blend comprising first and second ABS polyblends, a grafted diene rubber terpolymer grafted with alkenyl aromatic and alkyl alkacrylate monomers, a block copolymer of conjugated diene and alkenyl aromatic monomers and a matrix copolymer of alkenyl aromatic and alkenyl nitrile monomers, said polymeric blend being ductile and tough at low temperatures.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved process for the production of a particulate foamable polyvinyl aromatic resin of the type wherein a vinyl aromatic monomer is polymerized in an aqueous suspension system to produce beads of thermoplastic polyvinyl aromatic resin, separating the beads and incorporating a volatile liquid blowing agent in the separated beads at a temperature above the resin softening point under such conditions that foamable resin particles are produced, cooling said beads followed by separating and drying said beads, the improvement comprising: drying said beads under vacuum conditions at normal temperatures, removing residual water from said beads while retaining said blowing agent in said beads. Also included in the invention are foamable particles when produced by the above process and foamed articles made from the foamable particles.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for preparing improved monoalkenyl aromatic polyblends having a dispersed rubber phase as rubber particles having a bimodal particle size distribution and compositions thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a foamable alloy composition comprising, a styrenic polymer including its copolymers and rubber reinforced styrenic polymers in combination with a styrene maleic anhydride interpolymer and a gas liberating compound wherein said interpolymer is present in said polyblend in amounts of 15 to 50% by weight providing a superior structural foam molding composition having fast molding cycles and fine cell structure.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved process for preparing ABS resins wherein a alkadiene rubber is grafted in aqueous emulsion with styrene and nitrile type monomers, forming a grafted rubber, extracting said grafted rubber into a monomer phase and separating said monomer-grafted rubber phase from said aqueous phase followed by mass polymerizing said grafted rubber-monomer phase to form an ABS polyblend, wherein the improvement comprises, carrying out the mass polymerization of said monomers in the presence of sufficient carbon dioxide to provide an ABS resin having a substantially white color.