Crystalline poly

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING CRYSTALLINE POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) WHICH COMPRISES (1) POLYMERIZING METHYL METHACRYLATE IN LIQUID PHASE IN THE PRESENCE OF A POLYMERIZATION INITIATION SYSTEM FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF (A) FREE RADICAL INITIATIOR BETWEEN 0* AND -75*C., (B) AN ALKALI METAL POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN LIQUID AMMONIA BELOW -40*C., (C) AN ALKALI METAL POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN A LIQUID ETHER OF A PKA OF AT LEAST 20 BELOW -40*C., (D) AN ALKALINE EARTH METAL POLYMERIZATION CATALYST IN LIQUID AMMONIA BELOW -40*C., (E) AN ALKALINE EARTH METAL POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN A LIQUID ETHER OF A PKA OF AT LEAST 20 BELOW -40*C., (F) A QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALT OF AN ACID WHICH HAS A PKA FROM 20 TO 35 BELOW -40*C. IN A LIQUID ETHER HAVING A PKA OF GREATER THAN 20, SIAD PKA BEING GREATER THAN THE PKA OF SAID ACID, (G) A LITHIUM POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN A NON-POLAR, NON-SOLVATING LIQUID HYDROCARBON SOLVENT BETWEEN -90* AND ABOUT 100*C., (H) AN ALKALINE EARTH METAL POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN A NON-POLAR, NON-SOLVATING LIQUID HYDROCARBON BETWEEN -90* AND 100*C., (I) A MAGNESIUM GRIGNARD REAGENT IN A NON-POLAR, NON-SOLVATING LIQUID HYDROCARBON MEDIUM BETWEEN -90* AND ABOUT 100*C., (J) A LITHIUM POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN A LIQUID MEDIUM COMPRISING A HYDROGEN SOLVENT FOR METHYL METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER BETWEEN -40* AND 100*C., (L) A MAGNESIUM GRIGNARD HALIDE FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF BROMIDE AND IODIDE BETWEEN -40* AND FOR METHYL METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER BETWEEN -40* AND 100*C., (L) A MAGNESIUM GRIGNARD HALIDE FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF BROMIE AND IODIDE BETWEEN -40* AND 100*C. IN A LIQUID MEDIUM METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER CARBON SOLVENT FOR METHYL METHACYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER, (M) A MAGNESIUM GRIGNARD CHLORIDE BETWEEN 25* AMD 100*C. IN A LIQUID MEDIUM COMPRISING A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT FOR METHYL METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER, (N) A LITHIUM POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN A LIQUID MEDIUM COMPRISING A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT FOR METHYL METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER BELOW ABOUT -40*C., (O) AN ALKALINE EARTH METAL POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR IN A LIQUID MEDIUM COMPRISING A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT FOR METHYL METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER BELOW ABOUT -40*C., (P) A MAGNESIUM GRIGNARD HALIDE FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF BROMIDE AND IODIDE IN A LIQUID MEDIUM COMPRISING A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT FOR METHYL METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER BELOW ABOUT -40*C., (Q) A MAGNESIUM GRIGNARD CHLORIDE IN A LIQUID MEDIUM COMPRISING A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT FOR METHYL METHACRYLATE AND NOT OVER 5% OF A LIQUID ETHER BELOW ABOUT 25*C., AND (R) AN ALKALI METAL POLYMERIZATION INITIATOR OF AN ATOMIC WEIGHT GREATER THAN SEVEN BELOW -40*C. IN A LIQUID HYDROCARBON SOLVENT, WHEREBY POLYMERS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE ARE FORMED WHICH POSSESS STERIC REGULARITIES WITHOUT DEVELOPED CRYSTALLINITY, POLYMERIZATION SYSTEMS (A) THROUGH (F) PROVIDING POLYMERS LEADING TO CRYSTALLINITY CORRESPONDING TO THE X-RAY DIFFRACTION PATTERN CHARACTERIZED IN FIGURE 2, HERE IDENTIFIED AS TYPE A, POLYMERIZATION SYSTEMS (G) THROUGH (M) PROVIDING POLYMERS LEADING TO CRYSTALLINITY CORRESPONDIN TO THE X-RAY DIFFRACTION PATTERN CHARACTERIZED BY FIGURE 3(A), HERE IDENTIFIED AS TYPE B, AND POLYMERIZATION SYSTEMS (N) THROUGH (R) LEADING TO CRYSTALLINITY CORRESPONDING TO THE X-RAY DIFFRACTION BETWEEN CHARACTERIZED BY FIGURE 5(A), HERE IDENTIFIED AS TYPE D, (2) SEPARATING THE RESULTING POLYMER, (3) MIXIN SAID RESULTING POLYMER WITH A CRYSTALLIZING ORGANIC SOLVENT WHICH HAS A SOLUBILITY PARAMETER $ FROM EIGHT TO 10 AND WHICH HAS A MOLAR VOLUME BELOW 450 AND AT LEAST A MINIMUM MOLAR VOLUME RELATED TO THE SOLUBILITY PARAMETER OF SOLVENTS AS DEFINED IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE FOR TYPES A, B, AND D: TABLE OF MINIMUM MOLAR VOLUMES (V1) IN ML, FOR CHANGES IN $ FOR TYPES A, B, AND D