Procedure for manufacture of synthetic rubber

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR CHARGING INGREDIENTS TO AN AQUEOUS EMULSION POLYMERIZATION SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC RUBBER, WHEREIN SAID EMULSION COMPRISES A MONOMERIC MATERIAL COMPRISING A CONJUGATED DIENE, WATER, A MERCAPTAN AS A MODIFIER, AN ALKALI METAL FATTY ACID SOAP AS AN EMULSIFIER, AN ACTIVATOR, AND AN OXIDANT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING INTRODUCING SAID WATER, SAID MERCAPTAN, SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL, AND A FATTY ACID IN AN AMOUNT STOICHIOMETRICALLY EQUIVALENT TO SAID SOAP, INTO THE ZONE OF SAID POLYMERIZATION, AGITATING THE RESULTING ADMIXTURE SO AS TO COMPLETELY DISSOLVE SAID FATTY ACID AND SAID MERCAPTAN IN SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL, INTRODUCING AN AQUEOUS ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE INTO ADMIXTURE WITH SAID FATTY ACID-CONTAINING ADMIXTURE IN AN AMOUNT TO REACT WITH SAID FATTY ACID TO FORM SAID SOAP AND TO RENDER A RESULTING SOAPCONTAINING ADMIXTURE HAVING A PH OF FROM 9 TO 12, AGITATING THE RESULTING HYDROXIDE-CONTAINING ADMIXTURE UNDER TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS SO AS TO FORM SAID SOAP, WHEREBY SAID EMULSION IS FORMED, AND INTRODUCING SAID ACTIVATOR AND SAID OXIDANT INTO ADMIXTURE WITH THE EMULSION SO FORMED.