Abstract: Provided is a process for treating water, wherein the water comprises dissolved ions that comprise an undesired cation, wherein the processes comprises (a) providing a collection of specified polymeric beads wherein 90% or more of the beads by volume are uniform beads; (b) then passing the water through a bed of the collection of polymeric beads to exchange the undesired ion for ions (iv), (c) then passing a regeneration solution comprising dissolved ions (v) of the same species as ions (iv) through the bed of the collection of polymeric beads to exchange ions (v) for the undesired ions.

Abstract: Provided is a process of making polymeric beads comprising (a) providing a suspension of monomer droplets in an aqueous medium at pH of 7 or less, wherein the monomer droplets comprise one or more monofunctional vinyl monomers, one or more multifunctional vinyl monomers, and one or more initiators, wherein the aqueous medium comprises one or more derivatives of a nitrite salt in an amount, by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium, of 0.005% to 0.5%, (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer, wherein no pH-raising substance is added after beginning step (b) until 60% or more by weight of all monofunctional monomer has been converted to polymer.

Abstract: A polymeric bead having radius R wherein the polymer comprises 0.3% to 20% by weight, based on the weight of the polymer, of polymerized units of one or more multifunctional vinyl monomer and 80% to 99.7% by weight, based on the weight of the polymer, of polymerized units of one or more monofunctional vinyl monomer, (a) wherein the polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer have radial distribution factor MR of 0.9 to 1.1, and (b) wherein some of the vinyl groups in the polymerized units of multivinyl monomer are unreacted, and the unreacted vinyl groups have a radial distribution factor VR of 2.5 or higher.

Abstract: Provided is a collection of polymeric beads, wherein the beads comprise (i) 75 to 99% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 1 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein, within each bead, the average concentration of moles of polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer per cubic micrometer is MVAV; wherein, within each bead, T1000 is a sequence of 1,000 unique connected polymerized monomer units; wherein, within each T1000, MVSEQ is the weight percent polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer, based on the weight of T1000; wherein MVRATIO=MVSEQ/MVAV; and wherein 90% or more of the beads by volume are uniform beads, wherein a uniform bead is a bead in which 90% or more of all T1000 sequences has MVRATIO of 1.5 or less.

Abstract: Provided is a process of making a collection of polymeric beads, wherein the beads comprise (i) 75 to 99% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 1 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein the process comprises (a) providing an aqueous suspension of monomer droplets comprising initiator, monofunctional vinyl monomer, and multifunctional vinyl monomer; (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets; (c) while the polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets is occurring, adding a monomer feed solution to the suspension.

Abstract: Provided is a process of making a collection of polymeric beads, wherein the beads comprise (i) 75 to 99% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 1 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein the process comprises (a) providing an aqueous suspension of monomer droplets comprising initiator, monofunctional vinyl monomer, and multifunctional vinyl monomer; (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets; (c) while the polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets is occurring, adding a monomer feed solution to the suspension

Abstract: Provided is a process of making a collection of polymeric beads, wherein the beads comprise (i) 75 to 99.7% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 0.3 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein the process comprises (a) providing an aqueous suspension of monomer droplets comprising initiator, multifunctional vinyl monomer, and monofunctional vinyl monomer; (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets; (c) while the polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets is occurring, adding a monomer feed solution to the suspension.

Abstract: Provided is a process of making a collection of polymeric beads, wherein the beads comprise (i) 75 to 99.7% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 0.3 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein the process comprises (a) providing an aqueous suspension of monomer droplets comprising initiator, multifunctional vinyl monomer, and monofunctional vinyl monomer; (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets; (c) while the polymerization of the monomer in the monomer droplets is occurring, adding a monomer feed solution to the suspension.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, comprising condensing phenol with acetone in the presence of an acid catalyst; wherein the acid catalyst comprises a collection of sulfonated polymeric beads, wherein the sulfonated polymeric beads comprise (i) 75 to 99% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 1 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein 90% or more of the beads by volume are uniform beads.

Abstract: Provided is a process for treating water, wherein the water comprises dissolved ions that comprise an undesired cation, wherein the processes comprises (a) providing a collection of specified polymeric beads wherein 90% or more of the beads by volume are uniform beads; (b) then passing the water through a bed of the collection of polymeric beads to exchange the undesired ion for ions (iv), (c) then passing a regeneration solution comprising dissolved ions (v) of the same species as ions (iv) through the bed of the collection of polymeric beads to exchange ions (v) for the undesired ions.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, comprising condensing phenol with acetone in the presence of an acid catalyst; wherein the acid catalyst comprises a collection of sulfonated polymeric beads, wherein the sulfonated polymeric beads comprise (i) 75 to 99% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 1 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein 90% or more of the beads by volume are uniform beads.

Abstract: Provided is a collection of polymeric beads, wherein the beads comprise (i) 75 to 99% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of monofunctional vinyl monomer, and (ii) 1 to 25% by weight, based on the weight of the bead, polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer; wherein, within each bead, the average concentration of moles of polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer per cubic micrometer is MVAV; wherein, within each bead, T1000 is a sequence of 1,000 unique connected polymerized monomer units; wherein, within each T1000, MVSEQ is the weight percent polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer, based on the weight of T1000; wherein MVRATIO=MVSEQ/MVAV; and wherein 90% or more of the beads by volume are uniform beads, wherein a uniform bead is a bead in which 90% or more of all T1000 sequences has MVRATIO of 1.5 or less.

Abstract: Provided is a process of making polymeric beads comprising (a) providing a suspension of monomer droplets in an aqueous medium at pH of 7 or less, wherein the monomer droplets comprise one or more monofunctional vinyl monomers, one or more multifunctional vinyl monomers, and one or more initiators, wherein the aqueous medium comprises one or more derivatives of a nitrite salt in an amount, by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium, of 0.005% to 0.5%, (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer, wherein no pH-raising substance is added after beginning step (b) until 60% or more by weight of all monofunctional monomer has been converted to polymer.

Abstract: A polymeric bead having radius R wherein the polymer comprises 0.3% to 20% by weight, based on the weight of the polymer, of polymerized units of one or more multifunctional vinyl monomer and 80% to 99.7% by weight, based on the weight of the polymer, of polymerized units of one or more monofunctional vinyl monomer, (a) wherein the polymerized units of multifunctional vinyl monomer have radial distribution factor MR of 0.9 to 1.1, and (b) wherein some of the vinyl groups in the polymerized units of multivinyl monomer are unreacted, and the unreacted vinyl groups have a radial distribution factor VR of 2.5 or higher.

Abstract: Provided is a method of making droplets distributed in an aqueous medium comprising bringing into contact (i) an organic solution comprising 0.002% or more of one or more boronic acids, by weight based on the weight of the organic solution, and (ii) an aqueous solution comprising polyvinyl alcohol.

Abstract: Provided is a composition comprising droplets distributed in an aqueous medium, wherein the droplets comprise one or more boronic acids, and wherein the aqueous medium comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

Abstract: Provided is a method of suspension polymerization comprising (I) providing a composition comprising droplets distributed in an aqueous medium, wherein the droplets comprise one or more boronic acids, one or more monomers, and one or more initiators, and wherein the aqueous medium comprises polyvinyl alcohol; wherein the one or more boronic acids are present in an amount of 0.002% or more, by weight based on the weight of the droplets, and (II) stressing the composition so that the initiator initiates polymerization of the monomer.

Abstract: Provided is a method of forming a polymer, comprising (a) providing a reaction mixture comprising (i) one or more vinyl monomers, (ii) one or more pH-sensitive inhibition systems, (iii) one or more initiators, and (iv) water; (b) establishing conditions in said reaction mixture such that a free radical polymerization of said vinyl monomer occurs at a location, and (c) after steps (a) and (b) and prior to completion of said free radical polymerization, changing the pH of said reaction mixture to increase the rate of generation of said free radical polymerization at the location of said free radical polymerization.

Abstract: Provided is a method of forming a polymer, comprising (a) providing a reaction mixture comprising (i) one or more vinyl monomers, (ii) one or more pH-sensitive inhibition systems, (iii) one or more initiators, and (iv) water; (b) establishing conditions in said reaction mixture such that a free radical polymerization of said vinyl monomer occurs at a location, and (c) after steps (a) and (b) and prior to completion of said free radical polymerization, changing the pH of said reaction mixture to increase the rate of generation of said free radical polymerization at the location of said free radical polymerization.

Abstract: Provided is a method of suspension polymerization comprising (I) providing a composition comprising droplets distributed in an aqueous medium, wherein the droplets comprise one or more boronic acids, one or more monomers, and one or more initiators, and wherein the aqueous medium comprises polyvinyl alcohol; wherein the one or more boronic acids are present in an amount of 0.002% or more, by weight based on the weight of the droplets, and (II) stressing the composition so that the initiator initiates polymerization of the monomer.