CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF STYRENE/ACRYLONITRILE COPOLYMER

PURPOSE:To obtain the titled copolymer of excellent fluidity by preventing gel- like polymer from depositing on the wall of a polymerization appparatus, by dissolving a specified higher fatty acid amide in a reactant solution containing an aromatic vinyl monomer and a vinyl cyanide monomer and feeding this solution to the polymerization apparatus. CONSTITUTION:While 0.1-3.0pts.wt. dissolved or molten higher fatty acid amide of formula I or II (wherein R1-3 are each an 8-22C alkyl, R' is H or hydroxymethyl, and R'' is methylene or ethylene) is being fed to 100pts.wt. reactant solution obtained by mixing a monomer mixture of 97-50wt% aromatic vinyl monomer and 3-50wt% vinyl cyanide monomer with, optionally, a rubber-like polymer, a solvent, a MW modifier, a stabilizer, etc., the resulting mixture is continuously fed to a polymerization apparatus and polymerized. The reaction mixture after polymerization is continuously discharged from the apparatus and heated at high temperature and high pressure to remove unreacted monomers and the solvent.