The present invention relates to an ETHYL ALCOHOL PROCESS FOR POLYVINYL ACETATE PRODUCTION It is well-known that the actual production of polivinylchloride in suspension is principally based on the use of secondary suspending agents which are obtained from the partial hydrolysis of polyvinylacetate polimerized in methanol solution (methyl alcohol), or- by partial hydrolysis of methanolic solutions of polyvinylacetate obtained by means of bulk polimeriazation.

It is well-known besides that the plastic material which can be obtained utilizing said suspending agents is a PVC containing toxic residues due to the presence of methyl alcohol and methylacetate.

The scope of this invention is to find a soluticr: to allow PVC production for foodstuffs and for pharmaceutical use, less toxic than traditional PVC materials.

It ^• is important to point out that the production process of the poliviπylchloride in aqueous suspension leads to problems of toxicity due to the presence of methyl alcohol. Different method ^' s to produce polyvinylacetate with polymerization in ethyl alcohol are well-knon in prior art to avoid said drawbacks.

These well known methods have, however, demostrated that they are not

sufficiently suitable, wether for the difficulties encountered in reaction or for the respective product quality.

Experts are aware that as an auxiliary suspending agent in the polymerization of vinylcloride monomer, a polyvinylacetate with a molecular weight expressed in K values (relative viscosity) between 20 and 30, and hydrolysis values equal to 45% moli OH, is used, a finished PVC-S

(polivinylchloride suspension) with excellent morphological characteristics, high internal porosity, low level of "fish—eyes"

(colloidability) , minimal gass resdual of VCM (vinylchloride monomer) occluded in ijbs particles, is obtained (se ^' e patent IT-020246; US-PS-

4,324,878; European Patent with pubblication number 0002861).

At present, partially hydrolysed polyvinylacetate is supplied in solutions with methyl alcohol and ethyl methyl acetate which are higly toxic, and which contain all the fractions of molecular weights which form during polymerization in solution or in block of the polyvinyl acetate.

After long industrial experience, it has been noted that, together with the well-know advantages previously described, the use of these particular auxiliary suspending agents shows, apart from the feared problems of toxicity, precise phenomena of the formation of unwanted foaming during polymerization, this happens if a reflux condenser is used, said drawback appearing in more effective incidence during degassing of the non-reacted VCM, when the reaction is interrupted, as is commonly done, at the conversion of 90-92% into PVC-S.

There are, b'esides, noted grave problems of colour f the PVC-S with a tendency towards a very pale yellow.

The applicant has, discovered that all these damaging phenomena can be attributed to the fraction of low molecular weights present in partially hydrolised polyvinyl acetate which are used in PVC-S polymerization, without previous fractioning of the molecular weights themselves. In orderr to avoid said drawbacks a particular scope of this invention is consequently to supply a fractioning process of molecular weights of solutions of polyvinyl acetates at different levels of concentration in

ethyl alcohol.

Ethyl alcohol has been shown to be the most suitable for this type of practical and economic fractioning, presenting further advantages becasuse it does not generate dangerous situations of toxicity in . the industrial

5 PVC-S production process and in the respective prducts to be utilized in pharmaceutical and foodstuffs fields.

A further scope of this present invention is unexpensively to improve the vinylcloride monomer polimerization in suspension process, utilizing polyvinylacetate fractioned and hydrolized in ethyl alcohol. 10 The invention as claimed is intended to provide a remedy to the above- mentioned disadvantages. It solves the problem providing a method of polymerization of acetate of vinyl monomer (AVM), within a ratio in . AVM/ethyl alcohol weight less than 0.7, preferably between 0.3 and 0.7, preferably 0.45. In this way it is possible, at the end of reaction and 15 after cooling to a temperature less than 24°C and preferably less than 13°C, to allow phase separation ^' so that the upper phase contains the lowest molecular weights and the lower phase contains medium high molecular weights, being the first one called phase "A" and the second one called phase "B"; said two phases being easily separated (A from B). 20 After separation, the upper phase (phase A) containins the low molecular weights of polyvinyl acetate and, more precisely, the fraction with K value up to 21; the lower phase (phase B) containing the medium high molecular weights of polyvinyl acetate and, more precisely, the fractions with K value higher than 21. 25 The inventor has further discovered the unespected effect that, after separation of the phases, for example through decantation, hydrolizing separately with acid techniques (H SO ) said phases "A" product and said

2s 4 phase "B" product, up to hydrolysis values equal to values between 10% and 58%, preferably 45% moli OH, and using this products separately as 30 auxiliary suspending agents in polymerization of vinylchloride monomer (VCM) in aqueous suspension, is possible to obtain process conditions and quality of finished PVC-S which are very different from each other; these

conditions have led to the following considerations and conclusion:

- phase "A" is a principal factor responsible for damaging and uneconomic phenomena of formation of foam during polymerization and degassing of chloride of vinyl monomer (VCM) , and for the worsening of the final colour of PVC-S, entraining further presence of very fine particles of PVC-S which have an apparently inferior density in respect to the average;

- phase "B" on the contrary, if introduced separately into the load of polymerization of PVC-S, allows all the damaging and costly drawbacks phenomena described above to be eliminated; brawbacks noted when using all ^" those partially hydrolized polyvinyl acetates present now in the world market, being this ones ^' not fractioned with the technique now described that means the present invention.

In the last analysis, according to the invention, in order to obtain the- industrial result of the above-mentioned scope, the process is developped in the following steps:

- acetate of vinyl monomer (AVM) is polymerized in a solution of ethyl alcohol so that the weight rations are 45 parts of AVM and 100 of ethyl alcohol;

- at the end of the polymerization the temperature of ^" the solution is brought to 13°C in order to obtain a quick and sharp separation of the phases;

- decantation follows, in order to allow separation the upper phase from the lower phase which is easyli made, for example, through visualization means in the reactor. This is done because the two solutions thus differenciated show the polyvinyl acetate in ethyl alcohol at two different grades of ^' solubility. Therefore the -ipper phase shows itself macroscppically with a sharp demarcation line, a different aspect from the lower phase. It is a division that can, however, be easily from the density difference, or from the refraction index diference or from the viscosity or other physical characteristics or a combination of all these differences, - while the upper phase "A" can be utilized in other industrial applications,

- the lower phase "B" is hydrolized in acid or alkaline surroundings in order to obtain partially hydrolized polyvinyl acetate suitable for use in the processing of polyvinyl Chloride in Suspension (PVC-S).

The tests which follow have the scope to make even clearer what has 5 been described before.

Such tests, collected in the summary tables which follow, serve to illustrate the concepts and applications of this invention to the experts in the field, but should not be considered limits of the invention itself.. In particular, tests 1 and 2 regard well-known techniques with methyl 10 alcohol, test 3 regards a procedure in ethyl alcohol in ratio conditions

AVM/ ethyl alcohol not allowing phase separation, test 4 (phase separation version A and B) regards the object of the present invention. All parts are calculated in weight. Test 1. 15 In a glass testing autoclave (reactor) with a capacity of 3 litres, comprising heating jacket, ^' reflux condenser and impeller agitator 200 rpm, 100 parts of vinyl acetate, 100 parts of methyl alcohol ^* and 1.8 parts of benzoil peroxide was placed for reaction. At reflux temperature polymerization runned for three hours; after this, in another three hours

20 was added 0.80 parts of dimiristilperoxide of carbonate, dissolved in 5 parts of methyl alcohol and 5 parts of methyl acetate. Once conversion into polyvinyl acetate equal to 99.75% was accomplished, the mass was rapidly cooled.

-At a temperature of 12' ^" C no separation of phases was noted. The mass then

25 was brought to reflux temperature, 2 parts of concentrated sulphuric acid dissolved in'5 parts c methyl alcohol wwas added and, after 130 minutes, follows neutralization with sodium hydrate dissolved in methyl alcohol up to a value of pH 6.8. The final polyvinyl acetate was partially hydrolized with values equal to

30 45% moli OH. Test 2. In the same autoclave test 1 was repeated, with the following

modifications:

- in initial loading the vinyl acetate was reduced from 100 to 45 parts so as to obtain in the final polymerized mass ^' a % of polyvinyl acetate equal to 31%: - after cooling to a temperature of 13°C no separation of phases was noted. The procedure of hydrolysis followed with the same procedure of the preceding test 1. Test 3.

In the same autoclave and with the same procedures as adopted for tests 1 and 2, 100 parts of vinyl acetate, 100 parts of ethyl alcohol and 0.45 parts of benzoil peroxide was loaded for reaction.

After 4 hours of reaction a solution in ethyl alcohol and acetate of ethyl of dimiristilperoxidedicarbonate calculated in dry substances equal to 0.50 parts was added in running. Conversion in polyvinyl acetate equal to 99.75% was reached after a further 2 hours and 30 minutes. After cooling to 13°C, the mass containing 50% in weight of polyvinyl acetate no separation of phases was obtained. The prosecution being made with the same procedure of the preceding tests 1 and 2.

Technique of hydrolysis formulation, procedure and grade of hydrolysis followed with the same procedure of the tests 1 and 2, except that methyl alcohol was substituted by ethyl alcohol. Test 4.

In the same autoclave, test 3 was repeated with the following modifications: - in the initial loading the vinyl acetate was reduced from 100 to 45 parts;

- benzoil peroxide to 0.27 parts,

- the initial time of reaction was taken to 4 hours and 45 minutes and in a further two hours was added 0.27 parts of dimiristilperoxidedicarbonate in the same concentration utilized in test 3.

When final conversion to 99.75% was reached the mass w as cooled to 13°C in accordance to the preceding tests:

In contrast to the preceding tests, separation into two phases was observed.

- The upper phase (A) equal to about 45% of the total volume had the following analytical values: % solids 15; average K value of PVAC (polyvinyl acetate ) 17.

- The lower phase (B) equal to the remaining 55% of the total volume had the following analytical values: % solids 48; average K value of PVAc 27. Phases A and B was hydrolized separately with the same procedures of the prior test 3. The partially hydrolized polyvinyl acetates obtained like in tests 1,2,3,4 was used in process tests of polyvinyl chloride production in a stainless steel reactor with a capacity of 1,500 litres, furnished with an "impeller" type agitator at 150 rpm and with 2 breaking poles. The reactor was furnished with visual inspection-holes for the control of foaming presence during degassing of the non-reacted gaseous chloride of vinyl monomer nameli after falling in polymerization pressure equal to a Delta P (differential pressure) = 3.5 Kg/cmq and corresponding to a final conversion in polyvinyl chloride to 90-92%.

Polymerizations at a temperature of 54°C with loading formulations leads to a PVC-S (type K70) suitable for the most sophisticated uses for plastified manufactures, flexible tubing, film for foodstuffs and pharmaceutical packing and others, was finally accomplisced.

The loading formulation equal for all the tests as shown in the attached tables was the following: CVM (cnloride of vinyl monomer) = 100 pp.; de ineralized water = 140 pp.; laurilperoxide = 0.02 pp.; carbonatedimiristilperoxide = 0,07 pp.; hydroxy-proyl-methylcellulose = 0.03 pp. ; polyvinyl alcohol with K value = 39 and hydrolysis grade equal to 75% moli OH = 0,05 pp.; auxiliary suspending agent produced as in test 1,2,3,4 (phase A) and 4 (phase B) = 0.06 pp. All polymerization tests were carried out under the same conditions; once a fall of pressure of reaction of 3.5 Kg/cmq had was reached, rapid degassing of the non-reacted gaseous chloride of vinyl monomer was started,

controlling the flux of gas and noting times so that, through the visual inspection holes, neither evident foaming or suspended polimer could be noted.

The following table where operative conditions and analytical characteristics of the finished PVC-S have been reported, show that the formations of foam, consequent degassing times and the analytical characteristics of the finished product obtained from those which come from test 1,2 e 3 are similar to each other. This demonstrates that there exists no difference between hydrolized solutions of polyvinyl acetate in methyl or ethyl alcohpl where no procedure of fractioning molecular weights has not been carried out.

As against, data tests 4A (use of upper phase) and 4B (use of lower phase) show that, loading with 4A phase product, there is a consistent increase of foam, so much as to increase the degassing time to uneconomic values in the industrial processing of PVC-S, and at the same time the

PVC-S itself is more porous, finer and with apparent density of no industrial interest in this direction.

It must -be concluded that phase A does not find valid applications if the polyvinyl acetate is partially hydrolized, and therefore phase A must be utilized towards hydrolysis to a concentration (total evaporation of ethyl alcohol) and use as polyvinyl acetate itself.

The polymerization test which uses partially hydrolized polyvinyl acetate which comes from test 4B (lower phase), has shown poor formation of ^" foaming during degassing, with consequent diminution of degassing times, and the finished PVC-S has likewise been of a higher quality in respect to that obtained by partially hydrolized poiyvinyl acetates utilizing tests 1,2,3,4A.

In fact, the last product (phase B product) demonstrate to have a buck density of the PVC-S of 0.500 gr/cmc, and an internal porosity determined with a Carlo Erba mercury pressure porosimeter of 0.35 gr/cmc accompanied by a granulometric distribution of the PCV-S itself, where 92% is concentrated in the sieving interval from 100 to 140 mesh, that indicate a

PVC-S with high morphological and chemico-physical characteristics.

The final colour of PVC-S after drying, is much whiter with respect to *». the others, that clearly demonstrate the fraction of low polymers present in partially hydrolized polyvinyl acetates which are not fractioned, are

5 the principal factors responsible for several phenomena of thermal instability in PVC-S.

TABLE A Tests n. 1 2 3 4

HYDROLIZED POLYVINYL ACETATE 10 - Type of alcohol used in polymerizazion of PVCc in solution CH OH CH OH C H OH C H 0H 3 3 2 5 2 5

- Ratio AVM/ALC0H0L 0.45 0.45 % alcohol solution

15 solids at end of polymerization 50 31 50 31

- Separation of phases of solution after cooling to 13°C NO NO NO YES

20 TABLE A FOLLOWING

Tests n. 1 4A 4B

% solids after separation of phase - 15 48 Average K value of PVC 25 before acid hydrolisis 25 25 25 17 27 % moli OH after partial hydrolysis of PVAc 45 45 45 45 45

CONDITIONS OF POLYMERIZATION VINYLCHOLORIDE MONOMER AND ANALYSIS OF FINISHED PVC-S

30 Tests n. 1 2 3 4A 4B

VCM pp 100 100 100 100 100

Demineralized H20 pp 140 140 140 140 140

Laurilperoxide pp 0.02 0.02 0.02- 0.02 0.02 Dimiristii- peroxide pp 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07

Hydroxypropilmethyl- cellulose pp 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 PVA K39 75% moli OH pp 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05

Auxiliary suspending agent as per tests 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 % Final conversion 91 92 90 91 92 Degassing time of non- reacted VCM in mins. 65 60 68 115 25 Presence of focm during degassing YES YES YES IMPORTANT POOR Type PVC-S value K 70 70 70 70 70 Buck density gr/cmc 0.470 0.475 0.475 0.450 0.500 Internal porpsity cmc/gr 0.36 0.35 0.36 0.40 0.35

Colour of PVC-S after stripping and drying - 10 = very white

- 4= slightly yellow 7 7 10

GRANULOMETRIC DISTRIBUTION Residue on 60 mesh % 0 0 0 0 0 Residue on 100 mesh % 10 9 11 6 18 Residue on 140 mesh % 66 66 61 45 74 Residue on 200 mesh % 20 22 23 34 7 Bottom inf. 75micron % 4 3 5 15 1 Udine, 27.06.86. p. Tecnoassistance srl

The Representative

Dr. D'Agostini Giovanni