Studies on butadiene polymerization.

The majority of the polymer used for the production of synthetic rubber products an the American Continent is obtained by the emulsion eopolymerization of butadiene and styrene. In practice, it has been found necessary to stop the reaction af'ter 80% conversion of the monomers. owing to formation of insoluble gel at higher conversions. Hence, recovery of unreaoted monomers from the reaction system is an economic necessity, representing a considerable proportion of the plant equipment and operation encountered in commercial production of the polymer. In both the styrene and the butadiene recovery systems insoluble, so-called, popcorn polymers are for.med which differ from the previously known polymers of' these compounds whose properties have been extensively investigated (1).[...