Abstract:
The invention provides a method for a preparation of a polymer selected from the following: (a) modified interpolymer comprising, in polymerized form, a conjugated diene and an aromatic alpha-olefin, or (b) a modified polymer comprising, in polymerized form, a conjugated diene; and wherein said method comprising at least the following steps: polymerizing monomers comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer in at least one polymerization reactor, in the presence of at least one solvent, to form the polymer, optionally coupling a fraction of the polymer chains using at least one coupling agent, modifying the polymer with at least one modifying agent, in at least one reactor, in the presence of the at least one solvent, to form a modified polymer solution; optionally, contacting the modified polymer solution with at least one proton donating compound; contacting the modified polymer solution with water; removing the at least one solvent; contacting the removed solvent with at least one material that will react with, and/or absorb, silanol to form a purified solvent, recirculating the purified solvent back to the at least one polymerization reactor or to a storage container.
Abstract:
Methylotrophic micro-organisms are cultivated in known manner on the carbon substrate, methanol, using continuous measuring and secondary feeding processes in order to restrict the methanol concentration to very low values. According to the invention, a cultivation method comprising a plurality of cultivation stages is carried out in agitated and aerated bioreactors, the average methanol concentration decreasing from one stage to the next owing to suitable feeding methods. To that end, the methanol fed in during the cultivation stage (k-2) is proportional to the alkaline solution added in metered amounts during the regulation of the pH, in the cultivation stage (k-1), as the specific dosage, and in the final cultivation stage (k) first as the specific and then as the pO2-regulated dosage. This method prevents an accumulation of toxic intermediates and avoids the need to measure and regulate the methanol concentration during the entire cultivation period, such that costs are considerably reduced, in particular when the method is applied on an industrial scale.