Process and apparatus for producing polyol polymers and polyol polymers

Abstract

A process and an apparatus for producing a novel polyol polymer is disclosed. The process comrises combining at an elevated reaction temperature and for a predetermined period of time an (1) addition-polymerizable monomer that is also a free-radical initiator together with an (2) ethylenically-unsaturated monomer that has a nucleophilic or an electrophilic moiety. The elevated temperature is so chosen as to be effective for initiating desired 'addition copolymerization' of the addition-polymerizable monomer with the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer. The process further comprises combining with the addition-polymerizable monomers, at a preselected superatmospheric pressure, a polymerizable carbonyl carbon-containing ringed molecule. The superatmospheric pressure is so chosen, at the elevated temperature, as to cause the ring portion of the ringed molecule to open in the vicinity of the carbonyl carbon thereof in response to the presence of the nucleophilic or the electrophilic moiety of the ethylenically-unsaturated monomer expressly excluding utilization of a catalyst for the carbonyl carbon-containing ringed molecule.