Addition polymers of formaldehyde with a predetermined -, 3000-200,000 in number average molecular weight and a method for the production thereof.

摘要

Formaldehyde polymers having a selected number average molecular weight of at least 10,000, and of the general formula A(CH2O)nB, where n is greater than 300 and A is a hydroxyl, methoxy, or formate radical and B is hydrogen and in which A and B are ionic cleavage portions of a chain transfer agent selected from water, methanol, or formic acid are made by polymerizing, e.g. continuously, substantially pure, anhydrous, monomeric formaldehyde in the presence of a polymerization catalyst and an amount of one or more of the agents as given by the equation FORM:0796862/IV (a)/1 formic acid, wherein Mn is the number average molecular weight of the polymer to be made, X is the molar concentration in the polymerization medium of the chain transfer agent, M is the molar concentration of formaldehyde in the polymerization medium, expressed in the same units as X and A is a correction factor which is calculated from the equation FORM:0796862/IV (a)/2 where C=1.34 for water, 0.66 for methanol, and 28 for formic acid, W=weight fraction of solids in the polymer slurry, M=solubility of the formaldehyde in the reaction medium and F= the feed rate of the liquid medium into the reactor. The polymerization is effected preferably in the presence of a liquid organic hydrocarbon such as heptane, or cyclohexane. The exemplified catalyst is dimethyl di(hydrogenated tallow)-ammonium acetate. The polymers may be spun into fibres or filaments, or formed into films, sheets, tubes or rods. Specification 753,299 is referred to.