Abstract: A process of manufacturing approximately spherical polymeric beads of average size less than 20 microns, which process comprises copolymerizing an unsaturated carboxylic acid and a crosslinking agent characterized in that the polymerization is initiated by means of a two part redox free radical system and is carried out in a reaction mixture comprising a fine suspension of droplets of an organic phase in an aqueous phase wherein the organic phase comprises an acid chosen from the group consisting of methacrylic acid and crotonic acid; a crosslinking agent; and an oil soluble and water insoluble first part of a redox free radical initiated system; and wherein the aqueous phase comprises water, at least 15% weight inert salt per volume of aqueous phase, and a suspending agent; and the second part of the redox free radical initiator is at least partially soluble in both the organic and the aqueous phase and is added to the reaction mixture during the course of polymerization while the reaction mixture is maintai