Process for the manufacture of polymers

Abstract

A process for the preparation of polymers containing at least one hydrophilic monomeric component and at least one hydrophobic monomeric component comprising the step of polymerizing the monomers in the presence of free radical polymerization initiators in an aqueous medium consisting of water and a cosolvent, wherein the amount of cosolvent is monitored so as to maintain the ratio of water to cosolvent equal or greater than unity during the reaction, thereby keeping the polymer as it forms in a sufficiently mobile condition and preventing homopolymerization and precipitation of the polymer from the hydrophobic monomer; thereby producing a polymer as a relatively high solids, low viscosity, opaque or semi-opaque product which is stable and slightly cloudy, opaque or semi-opaque, which exhibits no gelling, coagulation or product separation on standing and which, upon dilution to 0.25% solids content w/w, has a turbidity of at least 10 Nephelometric Turbidity units.