Nova Chemicals Inc.

Nova Chemicals (International) S.a.

Karel Cornelis Bleijenberg

Grazyna Petela

Michel Florentine Jozef Berghmans

Alphonsus Catharina Gerardus Metsaars

Michel F J Berghmans

Jonathan Brian O'Blenes

Paul Edward Arch

Hugo A A Berghmans

Guy Lode Magda Maria Verbist

Joachim Teubert

Kurt Ernest Irma Du Mong

John Thomas Bressler

Resin beads having an average particle size of from 0.001 mm to 10 mm and containing a continuous phase and a particulate dispersed phase are described. The continuous phase includes elastomeric polymers; the dispersed phase includes homopolymers and/or copolymers containing repeat units resulting from the polymerization of one or more aryl polymerizable monomers. The unexpanded polymer resin beads can be prepared by dispersing an organic phase containing elastomeric polymers and one or more monomers, into droplets and polymerizing the monomers in the organic droplets in a low shear flow pattern. The beads can be impregnated with blowing agents, expanded and can be used to make molded articles. Resin beads having a continuous phase comprising a nitrile rubber, and a dispersed phase comprising one or more homopolymers and/or copolymers containing repeat units resulting form the polymerization of one or more aryl polymerizable show prolonged retention of blowing agents in unexpanded form.

Expandable resins

Process for preparing polymer, e.g. polystyrene, particles that may not or may contain a water-retaining agent and that require only a one-step process for incorporating the water-retaining agent. The polymer particles may be prepared via an extrusion process, or a bulk polymerization process wherein a water-retaining agent is blended into the polymer melt. Water is incorporated into the particles by soaking them in hot or cold water or treating the particles with steam for a predetermined time depending on the desired water content in the particles. The water-retaining agent may be starch, zeolite, silica dioxide or poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) ranging from 0.1% to 10.0% by weight. The particles can be expanded via appropriate means to form pre-expanded or expanded particles in a conventional manner.

Polymer particles and related articles

Process for processing expandable polymer particles e.g. polystyrene (EPS) that eliminates the maturing step between the pre-expander and molding steps. The expandable particles are first over pressurized with gas, e.g. air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and mixtures thereof, at a pressure between 500 and 8000 kPa and a temperature between &#x2212;20&#xb0; C. and 130&#xb0; C. for 15 to 7200 minutes to create a gas pressure in the particles. Using the gas pressure in the particles, pre-expanding the particles with a heating medium, e.g. steam at a temperature between 100&#xb0; C. and 120&#xb0; C. and at a pressure ranging above atmospheric pressure and below the gas pressure in said particles, i.e. 50 to 200 kPa for 5 to 120 seconds. The pre-expanded particles are air dried in the pre-expander while holding a positive pressure in the particles; are optionally transferred to a pressure silo; and then are transferred to a molding machine where the gas pressure in the particles is used to form a foam article.

Process for processing expandable polymer particles and foam article thereof

The present invention provides a process to create without mechanical agitation a zone of low shear, low turbulence flow pattern within a continuous liquid phase contained in a vessel and comprising a dispersed phase consisting of particles or immiscible liquid droplets which have a density different from and should be distributed within the continuous phase without excessive agglomeration or breakups in order to largely preserve the initial particle size distribution, by a continuous or periodic re-circulation of at least a part of the continuous phase which is preferably free of dispersed particles or droplets.

Controlled shear and turbulence flow pattern within a liquid in a vessel

Non-Newtonian fluids, such as partially polymerized monomers or solutions of polymer in monomer may be pressure atomized below the surface of an immiscible continuous liquid phase to produce a dispersed phase having a uniform particle size distribution. A dual or customized size distribution can be obtained by imposing a controlled pressure pulsation on a flowing fluid upstream the atomizer inlet. Such dispersion may be further polymerized to produce a uniform or customized bead size product.

Method of dispersion of a non-Newtonian fluid

The present invention provides a process to create without mechanical agitation a zone of low shear, low turbulence flow pattern within a continuous phase liquid contained in a vessel by a continuous or periodic injection of an inert, immiscible, low density fluid, preferably gas, into the liquid to form such a flow pattern, recovering the fluid above the free surface of the liquid and, preferably, reinjecting it into the liquid. The invention is particularly useful if the continuous liquid contains a dispersed phase which should be distributed within the continuous liquid without excessive particle agglomeration or breakups in order to largely preserve the initial particle size distribution, or if the initial particle size distribution needs to be modified by controlled breakups of the largest particles, particularly during the subsequent batch processing.

Non-Newtonian fluids, such as partially polymerized monomers or solutions of polymer in monomer may be pressure atomized below the free surface of a continuous liquid phase to produce a dispersed phase. A uniform or customized droplet size distribution can be obtained by imposing a required pressure pulsation on a flowing monomer upstream the atomizer inlet. This initial particle size distribution can be maintained or modified during subsequent polymerization process in a low shear, controlled turbulence flow pattern, created without mechanical agitation within the continuous liquid, by continuously or periodically injecting an inert gas at selected locations within the reactor.

Controlled suspension polymerization process without mechanical agitation

Process for the preparation of expandable polyvinylarene particles in which compact polyvinylarene particles are impregnated by an inorganic N - and/or O -containing gas at a temperature below 95&deg; C. and at a pressure of 100 to 2,000 kPa gauge.

Process for the preparation of expandable polyvinylarene particles

Porous polyvinylarene particles having a apparent density d of 600 to 200 kg/m , which particles contain a nucleating agent and 2.0% by weight or less, based on the amount of polyvinylarene, of a volatile organic blowing agent. The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of these particles as well as to the use of these particles in the preparation of expanded particles and foamed articles.

Porous polymer particles

Process for the preparation of expanded polyvinylarene particles in which polyvinylarene particles pre-expanded to an apparent density d ranging between 600 and 200 kg/m are impregnated by an inorganic gas, and the impregnated particles thus obtained are expanded to an apparent density of at least three times lower than d .

Growing community of inventors

Breda, Netherlands

Karel Cornelis Bleijenberg