Process for the production of paste-forming vinyl chloride polymers

A process for the production of paste-forming polymers of vinyl chloride by emulsion or microsuspension polymerization, utilizes as the auxiliary dispersant an alcohol glycol ether of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl- or alkylene residue of 16-30 carbon atoms, R.sub.1 is H or an alkyl residue of 1-2 carbon atoms, and n is a number from 1 to 3. It is also possible to employ the predispersion method. The polymers yield pastes of low viscosity and an almost Newtonian fluid characteristic, and final products exhibiting a high resistance to fogging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The preparation of polyvinyl chloride which is suitable for paste 
production, in accordance with either the continuous or discontinuous 
method of preparation, is known. 
Use of the continuous method results in forming a paste PVC for plastisols 
which has a desired low viscosity in the high shear range, but a high 
viscosity at low shear rates. Also, the rise in paste viscosity per unit 
time is relatively high. Furthermore, these PVC compositions contain 
relatively high emulsifier concentrations. A high emulsifier concentration 
has undesirable effects on both the final PVC product and also on the 
preparation of the product. 
The PVC compositions prepared in accordance with the discontinuous method 
can be polymerized by emulsion polymerization with markedly lower 
quantities of emulsifier, especially if the emulsifier is added according 
to the teachings of German Patent No. 1,964,029 or in accordance with the 
laid-open disclosure of Belgian Patent No. 656,985. In all instances, 
though, the plastisols which are produced in the aforementioned 
discontinuous methods exhibit a higher paste viscosity than those prepared 
by continuous polymerization. 
It is also known to conduct vinyl chloride polymerization according to the 
so-called microsuspension method, as described, for example, in DAS No. 
1,069,387. Even though processing by the spread coating method can be more 
difficult, due to the frequently occurring dilatancy of the pastes 
prepared with these types of PVC at higher shear gradients, still, the use 
of this paste polyvinyl chloride type is widespread. For stabilizing the 
microsuspension polymerization of the vinyl chloride monomers the use of 
long-chain alcohols has been disclosed, in addition to emulsifiers, for 
example in DOS No. 1,520,133. Other patent disclosures claim linear-chain 
aliphatic alcohols having a C atom range of 10 to 30. In many applications 
the lower homologs, such as C.sub.10 -C.sub.14, are preferred since their 
melting point lies. only slightly above room temperature and their 
handling as liquids requires only low energy expenditures. In contrast, 
the higher alcohols, starting with about C.sub.14 with their melting 
points above 50.degree. C., necessitate higher expenditures in energy and 
technology. However, the volatility of the lower homologs can be harmful 
in the finished plasticized polyvinyl chloride article. This volatility 
leads to "fogging", a name that has been coined by persons skilled in the 
art. Fogging is particularly undesirable when using PVC in automobile 
production since it can lead to a greasy, troublesome coating, for 
example, on the glass panes. 
Organic compounds of low water but high VC solubility have been utilized as 
auxiliary dispersants in other discontinuous processes for vinyl chloride 
polymerization. Such embodiments are disclosed in: 
DOS No. 2,850,105; DOS No. 2,742,178; EP No. 0,030,524; DOS No. 3,210,891; 
DOS No. 3,242,088 and German Patent Application No. P 33 43 766.1. 
The polymerizations of the aforementioned cited six processes are performed 
with fatty alcohols as the auxiliary polymerizing component. The 
polymerization autoclave is charged with water, emulsifier, alcohol, 
optionally an initiator, and also additional conventional additives, and 
the mixture is heated under agitation to above the alcohol melting point. 
Before adding the vinyl chloride, the mixture is cooled, if required, to 
the polymerization temperature. Utilizing during this process a fatty 
alcohol which has a melting point markedly, e.g., about 10.degree. C. 
above, the polymerization temperature, i.e., e.g. about 40.degree. to 
50.degree. C., a paste polyvinyl chloride is obtained which is suitable as 
a high viscosity paste, as demonstrated by comparative Test A in the 
specification, infra. It would be desirable to employ long-chain fatty 
alcohols, e.g., C.sub.20 up to C.sub.30, on account of their lower 
volatility. However, the melting points of these alcohols lie 
significantly above the polymerization temperature ordinarily set for 
producing paste polyvinyl chloride. This means, for example, that in a 
paste PVC which has a K-value of 70, fatty alcohols up to about C.sub.18 
can be utilized. It is also possible to use alcohol mixtures of 
high-molecular and low-molecular fatty alcohols in order to lower the 
melting point. When raising the K-value of the polymer, the C chain length 
of at least part of the fatty alcohol component must be correspondingly 
shortened. These fatty alcohols, though, promote the undesirable fogging 
which is more pronounced, particularly at higher K-values. By using fatty 
alcohols, either alone or in a mixture, which have a melting point close 
to room temperature, a paste PVC is obtained suitable as a high-viscosity 
paste, as demonstrated by Comparative Test B, infra. This finding is 
pointed out in DOS No. 2,850,105, and it is also noted therein that the 
melting point of the auxiliary agent must not be substantially (10.degree. 
C.) below the polymerization temperature in order to avoid high-viscosity 
pastes and low stability of the dispersions, especially for dispersions 
with solid content of 40-60%. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
These and other drawbacks of the prior art have been overcome, in a process 
aspect, by a process for the production of paste-forming homopolymers of 
vinyl chloride or copolymers of mixtures of vinyl chloride with up to 30% 
by weight of copolymerizable monomers, by discontinuous polymerization in 
an aqueous emulsion or in aqueous microsuspension, in the presence of at 
least one water-soluble or monomer-soluble catalyst and of an emulsifier 
system comprising anionic emulsifier and auxiliary dispersant, the 
improvement comprising utilizing as the auxiliary dispersant an alcohol 
gylcol ether of the general formula 
##STR2## 
wherein R is a branched or straight chain alkyl, or alkylene moiety of 
16-30 carbon atoms, R.sub.1 is hydrogen or an alkyl moiaty of 1-2 carbon 
atoms, and n is a number of 1 to 3. 
DETAILED DISCUSSION 
It is possible to prepare a predispersion from the anionic emulsifier, the 
auxiliary dispersant, and at least a portion, e.g., about 5 to 100 %, 
preferably 10-100%, of the aqueous phase required for polymerization, and 
only then to add the remaining components. When using a monomer-soluble 
catalyst, a predispersion can be prepared from the anionic emulsifier, the 
auxiliary dispersant, the monomer-soluble catalyst, and at least a 
portion, e.g., about 5 to 100 % preferably 10-100%, of the aqueous phase 
needed for polymerization, and only then is the monomer added. In this 
case, the dispersion can be formed by means of a homogenizing machine. It 
is also possible to homogenize a mixture of the anionic emulsifier, the 
auxiliary dispersant, the catalyst, at least a portion, e.g., about 10 to 
100 % of the aqueous phase needed for polymerization, and at least a 
portion, e.g., about 0 to 100 % of the monomer, with the use of a 
homogenizing machine. An additional process embodiment is to add a mixture 
of the anionic emulsifier, the auxiliary dispersant, and optionally water 
to the polymerization charge, either batchwise or continuously during the 
polymerizing period. 
In another embodiment of the invention, the predispersion can be prepared 
with only about 30-80% by weight of the total amount of anionic emulsifier 
required, and added to the polymerization charge, while the remainder of 
the anionic emulsifier, or of a component forming the anionic emulsifier, 
e.g. potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide a the like, is added in metered 
amounts as an aqueous solution, either batchwise or continuously, to the 
polymerization mixture after a conversion of 10-60% by weight. In the 
generic formula describing the preferred class of auxiliary dispersants, 
##STR3## 
n is preferably either 1 or 2; R is preferably a straight-chain alkyl 
moiety of 18-22carbon atoms, and R.sub.1 is preferably hydrogen or a 
methyl group. R can also be an alkylphenyl moiety of 18-22 carbon atoms. 
Suitable alcohols for forming the backbone of the auxiliary dispersants 
are, for example: cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, arachidyl 
alcohol, behenyl alcohol, lignoceryl alcohol and cerotyl alcohol. Stearyl 
alcohol, arachidyl alcohol, and behenyl alcohol are preferred. Mixtures of 
such alcohols are also suitable. The alcohols on which the glycol ethers 
are based can be reacted with 1-3 moles of ethylene oxide, 1,2-propylene 
oxide, or 1,2-butylene oxide according to conventional methods. 
Preferably, 1-2 moles of propylene oxide are utilized for the reaction. In 
particular, 1-2 moles of ethylene oxide are utilized for the reaction with 
the basic alcohol. It is known to those skilled in the art that in such a 
reaction, a Poisson distribution results, i.e., after the reaction of an 
alcohol with, for example, 2 moles of ethylene oxide, there are also 
formed certain smaller proportions of glycol ethers exhibiting both higher 
and lower degrees of oxethylation, as well as unreacted alcohols. The 
degree of oxalkylation, i.e., n in the general formula for the alcohol 
glycol ethers, always represents the number of moles of alkylene oxide 
utilized for reaction with one mole of the alcohol. 
The alcohol glycol ethers to be used as the auxialiary dispersants are 
added in an amount from 0.05-2.5 preferably 0.1-2.0% by weight based on 
monomer. 
Suitable anionic emulsifiers are the anionic surfactants listed in Ullmanns 
Encyklopedie der technischen Chemie 22: 455 et seq. (1982). These include, 
for example, alkali metal or ammonium salts of fatty acids, of 
alkylsulfonic acids, alkylarylsulfonic acids, sulfosuccinic acid esters, 
or fatty alcohol sulfates which should be utilized in quantities of 
0.2-3.0% by weight, preferably 0.5-1.5% by weight, based on the monomer. 
The process of this invention makes it possible to produce latices having a 
solids content of up to about 60% by weight without appreciable formation 
of undesirable coagulates. The viscosity of the pastes of polyvinyl 
chloride obtained is low, and the pastes have an almost Newtonian fluid 
type behavior. Finished articles obtained from this paste PVC exhibit an 
especially low fogging measured as a high gloss of .gtoreq.80 (according 
to the testing procedure described below 
The melting point of the auxiliary dispersants can be more than 10.degree. 
C. below the polymerization temperature without any negative effect on the 
stability of the dispersions or the paste viscosities. Also, in this case, 
the polymerization temperature can be immediately set during the 
dispersing step without requiring additional energy and time for melting 
the alcohol and cooling to the polymerization temperature. 
According to the process of this invention, after completion of 
polymerization, a latex is obtained which has a solids content of up to 
60%. The anionic emulsifier and the auxiliary dispersant can be dispersed 
in water, thus forming a predispersion. In the case where a 
monomer-soluble initiator is selected for the polymerization, the 
initiator can, similarly, be added to the mixture. If the melting points 
of the polyglycol ethers range above room temperature the dispersing step 
is preferably performed at temperatures above the melting point of the 
polyglycol ether. If necessary, the polymerization temperature can be set 
after adding the vinyl chloride. The dispersing step can also be carried 
out by homogenizing machines known to those in the art. Homogenization can 
be conducted both before and after addition of vinyl chloride. The 
emulsifier or emulsifier mixture can be added either continuously or 
batchwise during the polymerizing period, as described in DOS Nos. 
3,210,981. Also in apportioned addition, e.g. about 30 to 80%, of the pure 
emulsifier can be added in metered quantities according to German Patent 
Application No. P 33 43 766.1. The volatility of the glycol ethers 
intended as auxiliary dispersants is substantially lower as compared to 
that of the basic alcohols. At the same time, by alkoxylation of the 
alcohols, the melting point can be lowered markedly below the 
polymerization temperature required for producing high-molecular weight 
paste polyvinyl chloride. Typical melting points are 20.degree.-45.degree. 
C. When setting the claimed alkoxylation degrees wherein n in the formula 
ranges from 1-3, a portion of the alcohol employed may remain unreacted in 
the reaction mixture, and can be removed by distillation. The advantage of 
lowering the melting point and reducing volatility, however, remains 
preserved if the undistilled reaction mixture as such is directly 
utilized. 
It is especially surprising that PVC products are obtained by the process 
of the invention which can be processed into low-viscosity pastes, since 
the patent literature (DOS No. 2,742,178, page 10, lines 9-11) warns 
against the use of alkoxylated alcohols, and although the water solubility 
of the basic alcohols is increased by the alkoxylation. It is equally 
surprising that their potency as auxiliary dispersants remains intact even 
when the melting point, due to alkoxylation, lies more than 10.degree. C. 
below the polymerization temperature. Another suprising fact is that 
despite the introduction of methyl side chains in alkoxylation with 
propylene oxide, the excellent properties of the compounds as auxiliary 
dispersants remains intact. 
The use of nonionic emulsifiers from the class of alkoxylated alcohols 
besides anionic emulsifiers, especially in the production of copolymers of 
vinyl chloride, has already been disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 
3,399,157 or German patent No. 2,604,630. However, the disclosed nonionic 
emulsifiers are in all cases products having hydrophilic lipophilic 
balance (HLB) values in excess of 10. Substantially higher alkoxylation 
degrees are necessary for this purpose (10-20) than the ones claimed 
herein. Also, these highly alkoxylated products are not effective as 
auxiliary dspersants but rather result, in the process versions described, 
in instabilities during polymerization at the indicated concentrations and 
impair the thermal stability of the polyvinyl chloride. The alkoxylated 
alcohols utilized in accordance with this invention are not oil-in-water 
emulsifiers. 
When selecting a suitable monomer-soluble initiator, care must be taken 
that this initiator will not suffer marked disintegration during the 
dispersing step. Preferably, initiators are used which, at the required 
dispersing temperature, exhibit half-life values greater than 10 hours, 
and most preferably, greater than 20 hours. When an initiator which has a 
large half-life value is chosen, on account of the high melting point of 
the alkyl glycol ether employed, the subsequent polymerization reaction 
should be controlled by means of suitable reducing agents. Suitable 
reducing agents are described in the monograph of Kainer, 
"Polyvinylchlorid und Vinylchlorid--Mischpolymerisate" Springer 
Publishers, 1965, page 46 to 50. 
Except for the amount of water required for the possible metered feeding of 
emulsifier systems and also, if desired, the activator as reducing agent, 
the total amount of water needed for polymerization can be introduced into 
the reactor together with the preparation of the predispersion. Buffer 
salts can be added to the water; for example, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium 
acetate, sodium borate and the like. 
Suitable comonomers include vinyl acetate, vinylidene chloride, vinyl 
ethers, acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, esters, maleic acid mono- and 
diesters and the like. The comonomer can be present in the copolymer in an 
amount of up to 30% by weight, preferably between 1 and 20% by weight. The 
ratio of monomer to water can vary widely, including up to very high vinyl 
chloride concentrations (about 1:0.5 to 1:1.6 monomer to water). In 
general, it is desired to perform the polymerization so that latices are 
obtained having as high a solids content as possible; for example, 50-60% 
by weight. Of course, final conversion should be as high as possible. 
The conventional per compounds can be utilized as the water-soluble 
catalysts, such as H.sub.2 O.sub.2, potassium persulfate and the like, as 
well as the redox systems, as indicated, for example, in Kainer, 
"Polyvinylchlorid und Vinylchlorid-Mischpolymerisate" [Polyvinyl Chloride 
and Vinyl Chloride Copolymers], Springer Publishers, 1965, pages 46 et 
seq. 
It is also possible, considering the respective dispersing and homogenizing 
temperature, to use monomer-soluble initiators and, if necessary, i.e., 
the reducing agents conventionally employed for a redox reaction. Examples 
for monomer-soluble initiators include azo compounds, such as 
azobisisobutyronitrile, 2,2'-azo-bis (2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile); or 
peroxides, such as dicyclohexyl peroxydicarbonate, 
di-n-butylperoxydicarbonate, dicetyl peroxydicarbonate, dilauroyl 
peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide, dipropionyl peroxide, 
tert-butylperoxy-2-ethylhexanoate, tert-butyl-peroxybenzoate, cumyl 
hydroperoxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Suitable reducing agents 
include sodium thiosulfate, sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, ascorbic 
acid, isoascorbic acid, and sodium borohydride. 
The initiators can be added in amount of 0.005-0.5% by weight, preferably 
0.01-0.1% by weight, based on the monomer. 
The polymerization temperature--depending on the desired molecular 
weight--can be about 35.degree.-70.degree. C. The duration of 
polymerization is, as always, dependent on the polymerization temperature 
and the catalyst concentrations and can be from about 4 to 16 hours. 
Agitation of the mixture should suitably be carried out at the conventional 
peripheral speeds, preferably with the paddle or impeller agitators 
customarily employed in emulsion or microsuspension polymerization 
methods. 
Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art 
can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its 
fullest extent. The following preferred specific embodiments are, 
therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitative of 
the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever. In the preceding 
text and the following examples, all temperatures are set forth 
uncorrected in degrees Celsius and all parts and percentages are by 
weight, unless otherwise indicated. 
The melting points of the auxiliary dispersants utilized are listed in 
Table 3.

EXAMPLE 1 
A 6 m.sup.3 agitated autoclave is charged with 1,600 kg of 60.degree. C. 
warm, demineralized water. Under agitation, 18 kg of Na 
alkylbenzenesulfonate (mixture of C.sub.10 -C.sub.18 
-n-alkylbenzenesulfonates), 22 kg of a C.sub.20 /C.sub.22 -n-alkyl 
diethylene glycol ether, as well as 3.7 kg of monosodium phosphate are 
added thereto. After exclusion of air/oxygen, 1,800 kg of vinyl chloride 
is introduced. The mixture is set at 52.degree. C., the agitator speed at 
10 rpm. By metered feeding of a 0.5% strength H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution and 
of a 0.2% strength aqueous ascorbic acid solution, the reaction is started 
up. Further dosing of the catalyst components is adjusted so that the 
polymerization temperature of 52.degree. C. remains constant at almost 
full cooling capacity (jacket: 600,000 kJ/h; reflux condenser: 120,000 
kJ/h). The period from onset of reaction to pressure drop is about 6 
hours. 
The demonomerized dispersion is processed to polyvinyl chloride powder by 
way of a spray dryer. The conditions are set so that the oowder grain size 
contains only 2% by weight of particles &gt;40 .mu.m. In order to determine 
rheological behavior in a paste, respectively 100 parts of polyvinyl 
chloride and 60 parts of dioctyl phthalate are mixed and the paste 
viscosities measured after a storage period of 2 hours. All measured paste 
viscosities at D=1 s.sup.-1 and 100 s.sup.-1 are compiled in Table 1. 
For testing the fogging values, the product is subjected to the following 
experiment: 
The residual gloss of a glass plate is measured with a 60.degree. 
reflectometer after exposing this glass plate to a fogging precipitate, as 
a yardstick for fogging. A 1-liter glass beaker having a planar bottom, a 
height of 190 mm and an external diameter of 90 mm and a ground rim is 
filled with 15 g of powdered PVC. The glass beaker is sealed with the aid 
of silicone rings and a specially cleaned 2 mm thick glass plate with the 
dimensions of 115 mm.times.115 mm and dipped into a bath thermostated to 
90.degree. C. From above, a cooling plate of 20.degree. C. is placed on 
top of the glass plate over its entire area so that any possibly present 
volatile proportions of the powder, heated to 90.degree. C., can condense 
on the glass plate that has been cooled to 20.degree. C. After 6 hours, 
the glass plate is removed from the apparatus and the residual gloss of 
the glass plate (gloss of plate before beginning of test: 100%) is 
measured with a photoelectric gloss measuring device having a measuring 
head for a 60.degree. angle of incidence and a 60.degree. angle of exit. 
The gloss values of all measurements are compiled in Table 2. 
EXAMPLE 2 
A 6 m.sup.3 agitated autoclave is charged with 1,600 l of demineralized 
water having a temperature of 60.degree. C. Under agitation, 16.8 kg of 
myristic acid, 1.5 kg of sodium hydroxide solution, 200 g of sodium 
borohydride, 4 g of copper sulfate, and 18.3 kg of stearyl monoethylene 
glycol ether are introduced. After exclusion of air/oxygen, 1,800 kg of 
vinyl chloride is added. This mixture is set at a temperature of 
42.degree. C., the agitator speed is set at 10 rpm. The reaction is 
started up with a 0.5% aqueous H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution. Half an hour 
after onset of reaction, 100 kg of a 2.5% strength aqueous sodium 
hydroxide solution is added in metered amounts within 4 hours. The 
dispersion (solids content: 48%) is worked up as in Example 1. The pH 
value of the aqueous product extract is set at 5.0 with the aid of a 6% 
strength oxalic acid solution included during the spraying step in the 
nozzle sprayer (mode of operation in accordance with German Patent No. 
2,531,780, Example 3). The paste viscosity, the paste including dioctyl 
phthalate in a ratio of 100:60, can be derived from Table 1. 
The fogging value is determined as in Example 1. The result can be seen 
from Table 2. These two examples are embodiments of the invention 
conducted in the absence of an organic peroxide. 
EXAMPLE 3 
A 6 m.sup.3 agitated autoclave is charged with 1,800 kg of demineralized 
water. To this are added 18 kg of alkylaryl sulfonate, 18 kg of stearyl 
diethylene glycol ether, 6.5 kg of dicetyl peroxydicarbonate, and 1,800 kg 
of vinyl chloride. This mixture is stirred at 25.degree. C. for 15 minutes 
and subsequently forced into a 6 m.sup.3 agitated autoclave by way of a 
homogenizer under a homogenizing pressure of 180 bar. In the autoclave, 
the reaction mixture is heated up to the polymerization temperature of 
52.degree. C. The polymerization period is about 12 hours. Working up of 
the dispersion (solids content 42%) takes place as in Example 1. Table 1 
indicates the paste viscosity of the powder, made into a paste with 
dioctyl phthalate in a ratio of 100:60. The fogging value is determined as 
in Example 1. The result can be seen from Table 2. 
EXAMPLE 4 
A 6 m.sup.3 agitated.autoclave is charged with 1,250 kg of 52.degree. C. 
warm, demineralized water. Under agitation, 17.5 kg of Na 
alkylbenzenesulfonate, 11 kg of stearyl diethylene glycol ether, 6 g of 
copper sulfate, 1 kg of tert-butyl perbenzoate are added thereto. After 
exclusion of air, the mixture is set at 43.degree. C., the agitator speed 
at 10 rpm, and 2,200 kg of vinyl chloride is introduced. By metered 
feeding of a 0.2% aqueous ascorbic acid solution, the reaction is started 
up and further metered feeding is executed so that, with constant 
polymerization temperature of 43.degree. C., the cooling capacity of 
jacket cooler and reflux condenser is almost completely exploited. The 
period from onset of reaction to pressure drop is 6 hours. The dispersion 
(solids content 59.5%) is worked up in correspondence with Example 1. The 
paste viscosity can be derived from Table 1, the fogging value from Table 
2. 
EXAMPLE 5 
Example 4 is repeated except for maintaining the temperature at 52.degree. 
C. during polymerization in order to adjust the K-value to 70. The 
dispersion (solids content: 60.0%) is worked up corresponding to Example 
1. The paste viscosity can be seen from Table 1, the fogging value from 
Table 2. 
EXAMPLE 6 
A 6 m.sup.3 agitated autoclave is charged with 1,250 kg of 60.degree. C. 
warm, demineralized water. Under agitation, 17.5 kg of Na 
alkylbenzenesulfonate, 11 kg of C.sub.20/22 -alkyl dipropylene glycol 
ether, and 6 g of copper sulfate are added. After exclusion of air, the 
mixture is set at 52.degree. C., the agitator speed at 10 rpm, and 2,200 
kg of vinyl chloride is added. The reaction is started up by the metered 
feeding of an aqueous 0.2% strength ascorbic acid solution and a 0.5% 
strength H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution, and the metered feeding into the 
solution is continued so that the cooling capacity of the jacket cooler 
and reflux condenser is almost completely utilized at a constant 
polymerization temperature of 52.degree. C. The time from onset of 
reaction to pressure drop is 6 hours. The dispersion (solids content: 
56.0%) is worked up in correspondence with Example 1. The paste viscosity 
can be derived from Table 1, the fogging value from Table 2. 
COMATIVE EXAMPLE A 
A 6 m.sup.3 agitated autoclave is charged with 1,600 kg of 60.degree. C. 
warm, demineralized water. Under agitation, 16.7 kg of myristic acid, 1.5 
kg of sodium hydroxide solution, and 16.3 kg of stearyl alcohol, 4 g of 
copper sulfate, and 200 g of sodium borohydride are introduced. After 
exclusion of air/oxygen, 1,800 kg of vinyl chloride is added. The mixture 
is set at a temperature of 43.degree. C., the agitator speed at 10 rpm. 
The reaction is started up and controlled by the metered feeding of a 0.5% 
strength H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution. Half an hour after beginning of the 
reaction, 100 l of 2% strength sodium hydroxide solution is fed in metered 
quantities into the reactor. The time from beginning of reaction to 
pressure drop is 6 hours. The dispersion (solids content 49.9%) is worked 
up in accordance with Example 1. The paste viscosity can be seen from 
Table 1, the fogging value from Table 2. 
COMATIVE EXAMPLE B 
The test proceeds as described in Comparative Example A, except for using 
lauryl alcohol in place of stearyl alcohol. The dispersion (solids content 
37.1%) is worked up as described in Exampl 1. The paste viscosity can be 
derived from Table 1, the fogging value from Table 2. 
COMATIVE EXAMPLE C 
The process is conducted in this test as cited in Example 1, except for 
using stearyl alcohol in place of a C.sub.20 / C.sub.22 -alkyl diethylene 
glycol ether. The dispersion (solids content: 46%) is worked up as set 
forth in Example 1. The paste viscosity can be seen from Table 1, the 
fogging value from Table 2. 
COMATIVE EXAMPLE D 
The procedure of Example 6 is followed, but using the C.sub.20 /C.sub.22 
-alcohol instead of the C.sub.20 /C.sub.22 -alkyl dipropylene glycol 
ether. A large quantity of coagulate is obtained (solids content of 
dispersion: 26.4%). 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Paste Viscosities PVC/DOP = 100/60 
Example/ 
Comp. (dPa s) 
Example D = 1 s.sup.-1 D = 100 s.sup.-1 
______________________________________ 
1 43 40 
2 45 40 
3 25 23 
4 43 33 
5 39 30 
6 35 30 
A 220 100 
B Not Measurable 
C 45 39 
D 155 108 
______________________________________ 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
Fogging Test 
Example/ Gloss 
Comp. Example (%) 
______________________________________ 
1 87 
2 82 
3 81 
4 89 
5 87 
6 91 
A 71 
B 33 
C 65 
D 81 
______________________________________ 
TABLE 3 
______________________________________ 
Melting Point of Auxiliary Dispersants 
mp 
Auxiliary Dispersant (.degree.C.) 
______________________________________ 
Lauryl Alcohol (C.sub.12) 
24 
C.sub.16/18 -Alcohol 51-52 
C.sub.20/22 -Alcohol 60 
C.sub.16/18 -Alcohol + 1 EO 
41 
C.sub.16 -Alcohol + 1 EO, Distilled, 
41 
Purity 99% 
C.sub.16/18 -Alcohol + 2 EO 
37 
C.sub.20/22 -Alcohol + 2 PO 
49 
______________________________________ 
As demonstrated by the examples, the pastes produced with the polyvinyl 
chloride prepared in accordance with this invention exhibit completely 
surprisingly an almost Newtonian fluid characteristic with a 
simultaneously very low viscosity. The finished articles made from 
polyvinyl chloride produced according to the invention are distinguished 
by an especially low fogging.