WO2000076737A1

WO2000076737A1 - Process and apparatus for preparing a composition using a continuous reactor and mixer in series

Info

Publication number: WO2000076737A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/016523
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Thompson Keillor, Iii; Phillip L. Wing; David J. Blakeslee; Marcos Franca; Daudi Abe; Ha Q. Pham
Original assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
Priority date: 1999-06-15
Filing date: 2000-06-15
Publication date: 2000-12-21
Also published as: AR025176A1; US6436326B1; EP1196272A1; JP2003502447A; AU5490900A; KR20020010704A; AR024361A1; BR0012118A; CN1355738A; WO2000076736A1; CA2374324A1; DE60002333T2; EP1196239A1; CA2374889A1; US20020180099A1; AU5491000A; AU5491100A; AR024360A1; CN1355726A; DE60002333D1

Abstract

A process and apparatus for preparing compositions from one or more resinous materials and other ingredients using continuous reactors (10) combined with continuous mixers (20). The process and apparatus prepares a composition by (a) reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers in a continuous reactor (10) to manufacture one or more resinous materials, (b) continuously conveying the material to a mixer (20), (c) preparing the resinous material for mixing, and (d) continuously mixing the resinous materials with other ingredients to form a composition.

Description

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING A COMPOSITION USING A CONTINUOUS REACTOR AND MIXER IN SERIES

The present invention pertains to a process and an apparatus for preparing a composition by blending at least two or more components together to form the composition using a continuous mixer, wherein at least one of the components of the composition is a resinous material manufactured in a continuous reactor.

Heretofore, chemical compositions have been prepared as a blend, mixture or compounded product by a variety of mixing means. Regardless of the mixing means employed, however, the relative success of the blending operation is often dependent on the manner in which the resinous materials or other ingredients in the final composition are handled in route to the point of their addition to the mixer and how the resinous materials or other ingredients are pre-mixed. If, for example, a resinous material or other ingredient becomes contaminated during handling, or the resinous material with other ingredients of the composition are not properly pre-mixed, the quality of the resulting composition will suffer. As each new batch or lot of a resinous material is supplied to the mixing operation, the quality of the resulting composition can be affected by any variation in the properties of the resinous materials, such as viscosity, average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, that occurs from one batch or lot to the next.

In addition, reduction in the number of steps required to prepare or handle the resinous material and other ingredients from which a composition is produced, reduces the final cost of that composition.

There is thus a need for a process and apparatus for preparing a resinous material to be blended into a composition, and a process and apparatus for preparing the composition itself, that reduces the extent to which resinous materials must be handled and stored.

The present invention pertains to a process and an apparatus for preparing compositions from one or more resinous materials and other ingredients using one or more continuous reactors combined with a continuous mixer. The process and apparatus of the present invention prepares a composition by (a) reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers in a continuous reactor to manufacture one or more resinous materials, (b) continuously conveying the resinous materials to a mixer, (c) preparing the resinous materials for mixing, and (d) continuously mixing the resinous materials with other ingredients to form a composition. Current commercial processes involve recovering the resinous materials as a flake and then combining the flake material with other additives in a mixer. The process and apparatus of the present invention integrates the operations of (i) preparing the resinous materials and (ii) mixing the resinous materials with other ingredients to form a composition; and manufactures the composition without recovering the resinous material from a separate resinous material manufacturing process; and thus avoids problems associated with isolating the resinous materials.

The process and apparatus of the present invention enables the preparation of a lower cost blended composition characterized by improved consistency and quality. By adding a resinous material directly to a blending mixer without first recovering the resinous material in a form suitable for handling or storage, contamination and variability of the resinous material are reduced, thus eliminating costs with handling and/or storing the resinous material. The process and apparatus also enables the production of compositions using resinous materials that are difficult to isolate in a form suitable for storage and handling.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of one embodiment of the process and apparatus of the present invention, and in particular, illustrates a continuous reactor in combination with a continuous mixer.

Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of another embodiment of the process and apparatus of the present invention.

The process of the present invention involves the preparation of both a composition and certain of the components that are contained within the composition. For example, a resinous material, may be used as one component in the preparation of a composition by the process of the present invention, and such resinous material may itself be prepared by the process of the present invention.

Generally, the process of the present invention includes the steps of (a) reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers in a continuous reaction to manufacture one or more resinous materials, (b) continuously conveying the resinous material from step (a) to a mixer; and (c) continuously mixing the resinous material with other ingredients added to the resinous material to form a composition.

In the broadest scope of the present invention and with reference to Figure 1 , there is shown a preferred embodiment of the flow process and apparatus of the present invention. Figure 1 shows a continuous reactor generally indicated by numeral 10 linked to a mixer generally indicated by numeral 20 via a connection means generally indicated by numeral 30, in the instant case, a conduit 30. In another embodiment, shown in Figure 2, various pieces of equipment may be incorporated in the connection mean 30 as described below. A continuous feed stream of one or more components in conduit 1 1 is fed into the reactor 10 wherein the components form a product in reactor 10 and exits the reactor as a product stream in conduit 12 flowing from the exit end of the reactor 10. The product from reactor 10 becomes the feed stream to the mixer 20 wherein the product stream 12 is mixed with other ingredients fed to reactor 20 via conduit 13. The mixer 20 mixes the components entering the mixer from conduits 12 and 13 to form a blended composition product in the mixer 20 and exits the mixer as a product stream in conduit 14 flowing from the exit end of the mixer 20.

The continuous reactor 10 useful in the present invention is preferably a plug flow type reactor and may be a pipe or tubular reactor, or an extruder. It is preferred to use an extruder. More than one such reactor may be used in the present invention and any number of reactors may be used for the preparation of different resinous materials. Any one or more of the reactors may be connected in parallel directly to the mixer 20 in which the composition is prepared; or any one or more of the reactors may be connected in series prior to being connected to the mixer. A pipe or tubular joint 30 is suitable for use as the means of making the connection between any one or more reactors 10 with the mixer 20.

The preferred type of mixer 20 useful in the present invention is an extruder, particularly a twin-screw extruder. However, other types of mixers, such as co-kneaders, may be used in the present invention as well.

With reference to Figure 2, there is shown another preferred embodiment of the process and apparatus of the present invention including a reactor 10 linked in fluid flow communication with a mixer 20 via conduits 31 , 32, 33, 34 and 35 making up conduit system generally indicated by numeral 30, with various optional equipment incorporated in between. In Figure 2, preferably a slurry feed stream in conduit 21 from a feed tank or slurry vessel 22 is continuously rate added to the reactor 10 using for example a rate addition pump (not shown). A preferred process and apparatus for preparing a slurry feed to the reactor 10 is described in copending U.S. Patent Application, Attorney Docket No. 44646 1 , entitled "Process and Apparatus For Preparing a Composition Using a Slurry Feed" filed by Peter Keillor, of even date herewith. Although not shown, the slurry feed 21 to the reactor 10 may include a liquid monomer stream from a storage vessel which is heated by a heat exchanger and rate added to a slurry vessel using a rate addition pump or alternately a control valve. The temperature of the liquid monomer stream may be controlled to produce a slurry stream that is pumpable. In some cases, the liquid monomer stream is heated to a temperature required to melt any solid monomers present in the slurry vessel. A solid monomer stream from a solid addition system is rate added to the slurry vessel and a high speed mixer in the slurry vessel combines the solid monomer stream and the liquid monomer stream to form the slurry feed stream to the reactor 10. Although not shown, if required to complete the reaction, the slurry stream 21 may be optionally combined with a catalyst stream from a catalyst addition pump. The slurry and catalyst may be combined together in the slurry feed line 21 to form a slurry feed stream to the reactor 10. Preferably and alternatively, a high speed inline mixer located within the slurry line is used and the feed from the inline mixer is fed into the continuous reactor 10. The monomers and catalyst added to continuous reactor 10 are heated to a sufficient temperature required to produce a reaction. The output stream in conduit 31 from the continuous reactor 10 is force-conveyed through a conduit system 30 connecting the continuous reactor 10 with the continuous mixer 20 using resinous material pump 23. A liquid additive storage tank (not shown) and metering flow control pump (not shown) can also be attached anywhere along the conduit system 30 to add any liquid additives or other ingredients to the resinous material before conveying to the mixer 20.

The resinous material pump 23 operates to control the flow rate of the resinous material exiting the continuous reactor 10 and to maintain the required resinous material flow rate to the mixer 20. Proper resinous material flow rate control is required for proper ratios in the composition.

As aforementioned, the conditions of the resinous material from the continuous reactor 10 may be modified before introduction into the continuous mixer 20. In the embodiment of Figure 2, there is shown a filter system 24 which removes any particulate matter from the resinous material to purify the resinous material; and a heat exchanger system 25 which reduces the temperature of the resinous material to the required temperature for proper mixing. Some compositions may require splitting the feed of the resinous material between separate feed ports on the continuous mixer 20. Again with reference to Figure 2, other solid ingredients are added from a continuous addition system 40 through conduit 41 to the mixer 20 and combined with the resinous material flowing from conduit 35. At the solids discharge end of the continuous mixer 20 through conduit 51 , the product composition formed in mixer 20 is transferred to a flaker 52 to solidify and form the final solid product which is preferably solid flakes 53 which can further be handled, packaged or stored.

Although not shown, a variation of the process and apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 or 2, may include multiple continuous reactors similar to reactor 10 that can be combined to feed one or more resinous materials to the continuous mixer 20.

The resinous material, useful in preparing the composition of the present invention, is itself prepared by polymerizing one or more monomers and/or oligomers in a continuous polymerization reactor. The resinous material formed is more specifically a polymer. Typically, a catalyst may be added to the polymerization reaction mixture for the purpose of obtaining a specific type of resinous material, or a desired rate of conversion. The monomer(s), oligomer(s), and catalyst when used, may each separately, or in groups of two or more, be fed to the polymerization reactor in one or more of the following forms: a liquid solution, a slurry, or a dry physical mixture.

The resinous material from which a composition is prepared according to the process of the present invention may be virtually any polymer or copolymer. The resinous material need not have any particular molecular weight to be useful as a component in the composition. The resinous material may have repeating units ranging from at least two repeating units up to those resinous materials whose size is measured in the hundreds or thousands or repeating units. Particular resinous materials that may be used in the process of the present invention include for example, epoxy resins, polyesters, urethanes, acrylics and others as set forth in U.S. Patent No. 5,094,806. The most preferred resinous materials useful in the present invention from among those listed above are epoxy resins and polyesters. Epoxy resins useful in the present invention, and materials from which epoxy resins may be prepared, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,612,156. Polyesters useful in the present invention, and materials from which polyesters may be prepared, are described in Volume 12 of Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, pages 1 - 313. In the production of a resinous material to be used as a component of a composition of the present invention, various conditions or parameters have an effect on the course of the polymerization reaction. Typical examples of these conditions or parameters are as follows: the rate of feed to the reactor of the monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s); the temperature at which the reaction occurs; the length of time during which the reaction occurs; and the degree to which the reactants are mixed or agitated during the reaction. The rate of feed of monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) can be influenced, for example, by valve adjustment on a pressured line. The temperature at which the reaction occurs can be influenced, for example, by the direct heating or cooling of the monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) or to the reactor itself. The length of time during which the reaction occurs can be influenced, for example, by the size of the reactor, such as the length of a pipe, tube or extruder, or the speed at which the reactants move into and out of the reactor, such as may result from the particular speed or design of an extruder screw, or the introduction of a pressurized inert gas into a pipe or tube. The degree to which the reactants are mixed or agitated during the reaction can be influenced, for example, by the size, shape and speed of blades or other mixing elements, by the presence of a static mixing element in a pipe or tube, or the speed of the screw in an extruder.

The quality of the composition prepared by the process of the present invention is improved if the properties of the resinous material to be used as a component in the composition are known and maintained at a desired level. Typical examples of resinous material properties that may be analyzed for this purpose are viscosity, melt index, melt flow rate, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, equivalent weight, melting point, glass transition temperature, density, specific gravity and purity. For example, when an epoxy resin is used as a resinous material, it is desired that the viscosity of the epoxy resin be in the range of from 1 to 100,000 centipoise. The analytical techniques that may be used to determine resinous material properties such as the foregoing include ultrasonic wave energy, Raman, infrared, near infrared, and dielectrics energy. A preferred process and apparatus used to determine resinous material properties is described in copending U.S. Patent Application, Attorney Docket No. 44646 2, entitled "Process and Apparatus for

Preparing a Composition of Matter Utilizing an Ultrasonic Device" filed by Shawn Maynard, of even date herewith.

With reference to Figure 2, the compositions of the present invention are prepared by continuously conveying the resinous material prepared in the reactor 10 to a mixer 20 through a connection 30 between the reactor 10 and the mixer 20. If more than one reactor is used, a connection is established between each reactor and the mixer. The device 26 useful for measuring the properties of the resinous material may be located anywhere along the conduit system 30. In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the resinous material product from reactor 10 may be modified or further treated before the resinous material prepared in the reactor 10 is conveyed to the mixer 20. For example, the resinous material may be pre-mixed with other ingredients before the resinous material is conveyed to the mixer. This pre-mixing may occur in the reactor, at the exit from the reactor, anywhere along the connection means between the reactor and the mixer, or in another separate apparatus prior to the resultant pre-mixture entering the mixer. The ingredients from which the pre- mixture is prepared may be any number of ingredients including, for example, one or more polymers that have not been prepared in the reactor; reactive or inert compounds; additives such as pigments, fillers or stabilizers; or mixtures thereof. The pre-mixture once formed is then conveyed to the mixer for preparation of the final overall composition of matter of the present invention in the mixer.

In another optional embodiment of the present invention, the resinous material prepared in the reactor, or the pre-mixture described above, may be modified by adjusting a condition of the resinous material or pre-mixture. For example, the condition of the resinous material prepared in the reactor may be adjusted before the resinous material, for example a polymer, is conveyed into the mixer. This type of adjustment of condition of the polymer often occurs when the polymer is in the form of a melt, and may, for example, take the form of changing the temperature of the polymer, changing the pressure to which the polymer is subjected, deactivating a catalyst used to make the polymer or purifying the polymer. Purifying the polymer may, for example, involve removing particulate matter with a filter.

The composition of matter of the present invention is prepared by compounding the resinous material, prepared in the continuous reactor described above, with the remaining components of the composition. The remaining components of the composition includes a number of other ingredients. For example, the other ingredients may include an additional resinous material, such as an epoxy or a polyester, or other resinous materials listed above. The remaining components of the composition may also include ingredients such as conventional additives for example hardeners for an epoxy resin such as dicyandiamide; fillers; pigments; stabilizers and mixtures thereof. Other additives useful as ingredients for the composition of the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,416,148. An advantageous feature of the present invention is that such additives may be incorporated as a liquid into the composition. After mixing all of the components of the composition that is, resinous material(s) and other ingredients, in the mixer, the composition is recovered in any suitable form for handling, particularly in a solid form such as in the form of a flake or pellet.

In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the process and apparatus of the present invention may be used for preparing powder coatings formulations. Powder coatings formulations are produced in a continuous process by using, for example, two extruders in series. The first extruder produces a resinous material such as an epoxy product, that is continuously fed as a molten melt into the second extruder that combines the epoxy product with a polyester, pigments, hardeners and/or other additives to produce the powdered coating formulation. The resinous materials, more specifically the epoxy resins, is produced in the first extruder and then used for feeding into the second extruder. The first extruder is operated at a temperature sufficient to cause a reaction between the following two reactants: (A) at least one material having an average of more than one vicinal epoxy group per molecule, and (B) at least one material having a average of one group reactive with component (A) such as a hydroxyl thiol carboxyl, isocyanate, thioisocyanate, or secondary amine group or a combination of such groups per molecule. Optionally, at least one catalyst (C) for promoting the reaction between components (A) and (B) may be used if a catalyst is required to effect the reaction between components (A) and (B). Also optionally, one or more chain terminators (D) may be used. The reaction produces a resinous material for feeding into the second extruder.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a continuous process is used for producing a powder coating composition via a compounding extruder, fed by a continuous process for producing a resinous material in a first extruder. A resinous material typically used by powder coating manufacturers is an advanced epoxy resin. The apparatus for producing an advanced epoxy resin comprises feed equipment for a liquid epoxy resin, bisphenol A, and a catalyst, coupled to a first extruder reactor which in turn, is coupled to a second compounding extruder. An example of a reaction for producing an advanced epoxy resin is illustrated as follows:

-9- The feed equipment must be capable of controlling the mole ratio to achieve the desired epoxide equivalent weight in the final product. The first extruder provides a continuous reactor with little backmixing for the above reaction. The epoxy product prepared in the first reactor extruder is continuously fed as a melt into the second compounding extruder. Additionally, the other ingredients for the powder coating formulation, such as hardeners, fillers, pigments, and additives, are fed into the second compounding extruder as solids, either pre-blended or separately. The second compounding extruder provides for the melt blending of the components, as is commonly practiced by powder coating manufacturers to produce powder coatings. The rest of the process for powder coatings manufacture in the form of a solid advanced epoxy resin includes conventional processes for solidifying, packaging, storing, and transporting the solid advanced epoxy resin.

Example 1

A. Apparatus

The apparatus used in this Example 1 included a continuous reactor and a continuous mixer. The continuous reactor was a Krupp Werner-Pfleiderer ZSK-58 intermeshing, co-rotating, twin screw extruder. The reactor extruder barrel had an internal diameter of 58 millimeters with a length to diameter ratio of 48. The barrel consisted of 12 barrel sections. In the 12 sections, there was a feed section. A temperature controller was used to control the barrel temperature of each zone. The continuous mixer was a Krupp Werner-Pfleiderer ZSK-50MC intermeshing, co-rotating, twin screw extruder. The mixer extruder barrel had an internal diameter of 50 millimeters with a length to diameter ratio of 28. The barrel consisted of 7 barrel sections with the resinous material fed into barrel sections 1 and 3 and the other ingredients added into barrel 2. B. Process

Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (EEW=181) and p,p'-bisphenol were rate added to a mixing tank and thoroughly mixed to form a slurry. The catalyst used was a 70 percent solution in methanol of ethyltri-p-tolylphosphonium acetate acid complex. The slurry had the following ratios epoxy resin: 71.3 weight percent, bisphenol A: 28.6 weight percent, and catalyst: 1200 parts per million.

The slurry was then fed to the 58 mm Krupp, Werner & Pfleiderer reactor extruder described above. The conditions of the Krupp Werner & Pfleiderer extruder were:

JO- ambient temperature at the feed throat, 330°F (165°C) on the second barrel, 380°F (193°C) on the third barrel, 415°F (212°C) on barrels 4 through 12.

The resultant epoxy resin from the reactor extruder having an epoxide equivalent weight of 690, was filtered, fed through an exchanger and cooled to 275°F (135°C). Then the molten epoxy resin was fed to the compounding extruder described above. The molten epoxy resin fed was split between zones 1 and 3 of the compounding extruder. The first zone received 25 percent of the molten epoxy resin flow and the remaining 75 percent was added to the third zone. The molten epoxy resin was combined with the other ingredients of the formulation which were added from a solids feeder into barrel 2 of the compounding extruder. The compounding extruder was operated at 75°F (24°C) on barrels 1 through 6 and 100°F (38°C) on barrel 7. The following were the ratio of materials in the formulation:

Epoxy resin: 100 parts

Curing agent: 4 parts Flow agent: 2 parts

Black Pigment: 4 parts

Flattening Agent: 27 parts

The resulting powder coatings product was analyzed for proper pigment dispersion, reactivity, and gloss. The powder coatings product manufactured by the process described in this Example 1 matched the properties of the powder coatings product manufactured by the traditional process of pre-blending all components.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A process for preparing a composition of matter comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing one or more resinous materials in at least one or more continuous reactors, each of which reactors is connected to a mixer, (b) conveying the resinous material(s) from each reactor to the mixer through a connection between each reactor and the mixer, and

(c) preparing the composition of matter by admixing, in the mixer with the resinous material(s) prepared in each reactor, one or more other components of the composition.

2. The process of Claim 1 wherein step (b), the conveyance of resinous material(s) from each reactor to the mixer, is performed at a controlled rate.

3. The process of Claim 1 wherein the resinous material prepared in step (a) is one or more polymers prepared by reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers.

4. The process of Claim 3 wherein the polymer is an epoxy resin.

5. The process of Claim 1 wherein a single resinous material is prepared in one reactor which is connected to a single mixer.

6. The process of Claim 4 wherein the epoxy resin is prepared in a first reactor, and a substance that is reactive with the epoxy resin is prepared in a second reactor.

7. The process of Claim 4 wherein the substance reactive with an epoxy resin is a polyester.

8. The process of Claim 1 wherein the composition is a coating formulation.

9. The process of Claim 8 wherein the resinous material in step (a) is a polymer and the polymer is prepared by reacting, in a reactor which is connected to a mixer, (i) a substance containing an average of more than one vicinal epoxy group per molecule and (ii) a substance containing an average, per molecule, of more than one moiety that is reactive with the substance (i).

10. The process of Claim 9 wherein, in step (a), the substance (ii) is a polyhydroxyl compound.

11. The process of Claim 10 wherein the polyhydroxyl compound is bisphenol-A.

12. The process of Claims 1 and 9 wherein, in step (c), the one or more other components is at least one member selected from: a substance that is reactive with an epoxy resin, a substance that is not reactive with an epoxy resin, a pigment, a stabilizer and a filler.

13. The process of Claim 9 wherein the substance (i) and/or the substance

(ii) are fed to the reactor in a slurry.

14. The process of Claim 1 wherein the composition of matter is a polymer melt.

15. The process of Claim 14 wherein the melt is preparing a melt of one or more polymers by reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers in a reactor; and preparing the composition of matter by admixing with the polymer melt, one or more other components of the composition of matter.

16. The process of Claim 15 including the step of adjusting a condition of the polymer melt prior to conveying to the mixer.

17. The process of Claim 15 wherein the condition of the melt is adjusted by changing the temperature of the melt.

18. The process of Claim 15 wherein the condition of the melt is adjusted by purifying the melt.

19. The process of Claim 18 wherein the melt is purified by removing particulate matter from the melt.

20. The process of Claim 19 wherein the particulate matter is removed from the melt with a filter.

21. The process of Claim 15 wherein the condition of the melt is adjusted by deactivating a catalyst contained in the melt.

22. The process of Claim 15 wherein the condition of the melt is adjusted by changing the pressure to which the melt is subjected.

23. The process of Claim 3 including the steps of:

(a) preparing one or more polymers by reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers in a continuous reactor, (b) forming a pre-mixture comprising (i) the polymer(s) prepared in step (a) and (ii) one or more other components of the composition, (c) conveying the pre-mixture to a mixer, and

(d) preparing the composition of matter by admixing, in the mixer, one or more other components of the composition with the pre-mixture.

24. The process of Claim 23 wherein the pre-mixture formed in step (b) comprises (i) the polymer(s) prepared in the reactor and (ii) one or more polymers not prepared in the reactor.

25. The process of Claim 24 wherein the polymer(s) not prepared in the reactor comprise a polyester, a urethane, an acrylic or a dicyandiamide.

26. The process of Claim 23 wherein the pre-mixture formed in step (b) comprises (i) the polymer(s) prepared in the reactor and (ii) one or more additives selected from a pigment, a stabilizer and a filler.

27. The process of Claim 23 wherein the pre-mixture is formed inside the reactor.

28. The process of Claim 23 wherein the pre-mixture is formed at the exit of the reactor.

29. The process of Claim 23 wherein the pre-mixture is formed in a connection between the reactor and the mixer.

30. A process for preparing a composition of matter comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing one or more resinous materials in at least one reactor that is connected to a mixer,

(b) measuring at least one property of the resinous material prepared in step (a),

(c) in view of the result of the measurement made in step (b), adjusting at least one condition that affects the preparation of the resinous material in step (a),

(d) conveying from the reactor to the mixer, through the connection between the reactor and the mixer, the resinous material prepared after the adjustment of condition performed in step (c), and

(e) preparing the composition of matter by admixing, in the mixer with the resinous material prepared in the reactor, one or more other components of the composition.

31. The process of Claim 30 wherein the resinous material prepared in step (a) is a polymer prepared by polymerizing one or more monomers and/or oligomers.

32. The process of Claim 31 wherein the property of the polymer measured in step (b) is at least one member selected from viscosity, melt index, melt flow rate, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution and equivalent weight.

33. The process of Claim 32 wherein the condition of the polymerization that is adjusted is at least one member selected from: rate of feed of the monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s), catalyst concentration, stoichiometry, reaction temperature, rate of mixing, degree of mixing, rate of reaction, and length of reaction time.

34. The process of Claims 1 and 30 wherein the reactor is an extruder.

35. The process of Claims 1 and 30 wherein the mixer is an extruder.

36. An apparatus for preparing a composition of matter comprising:

(a) at least one continuous reactor adapted for preparing one or more resinous materials in the reactor;

(b) a mixer connected to the reactor, said mixer adapted for preparing the composition of matter by admixing, in the mixer with the resinous material(s) prepared in the reactor, one or more other components of the composition; and

(c) a means for conveying the resinous material(s) from the reactor to the mixer through a connection between the reactor and the mixer.

37. The apparatus of Claim 36 including a means for controlling the rate of the conveyance of the resinous material(s) from each reactor to the mixer.

38. The apparatus of Claim 36 wherein the resinous material prepared in the reactor is a polymer prepared by reacting one of more monomers and/or oligomers.

39. The apparatus of Claim 38 wherein the polymer is an epoxy resin.

40. The apparatus of Claim 36 wherein there is only one reactor.

41. The apparatus of Claim 39 including a first reactor for preparing an epoxy resin, and a second reactor for preparing a substance that is reactive with the epoxy resin.

42. The apparatus of Claim 38 wherein the substance reactive with an epoxy resin is a polyester.

43. An apparatus of Claim 36 wherein the composition prepared in the reactor is a coating formulation.

44. The apparatus of Claim 43 wherein the reactor is adapted for preparing a polymer, said polymer being a reaction product of (i) a substance containing an average of more than one vicinal epoxy group per molecule, and (ii) a substance containing an average, per molecule, of more than one moiety that is reactive with the substance (i).

45. The apparatus of Claim 43 wherein the polymer is an epoxy resin.

46. The apparatus of Claim 43 wherein the substance (ii) is a polyhydroxyl compound.

47. The apparatus of Claims 46 wherein the polyhydroxyl compound is bisphenol-A.

48. The apparatus of Claims 38 and 44 wherein the one or more other components of the composition admixed with the polymer comprise at least one member of: a substance that is reactive with an epoxy resin, a substance that is not reactive with an epoxy resin, a pigment, a stabilizer and a filler.

49. The apparatus of Claim 44 including a means for feeding substance (i) and/or substance (ii) to the reactor in a slurry form.

50. An apparatus for preparing a composition of matter comprising:

(a) a reactor for preparing a melt of one or more polymers by reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers,

(b) means for adjusting the condition of the polymer melt, (c) a mixer connected to the reactor, said mixer adopted for preparing the composition of matter by admixing with the polymer melt one or more other components of the composition, and

(d) means for conveying the polymer melt to the mixer through a connection between the reactor and the mixer.

51. The apparatus of Claim 50 wherein the adjustment mean of (b) is adopted for changing the temperature of the melt.

52. The apparatus of Claim 50 wherein the adjustment mean of (b) is adopted for purifying the melt.

53. The apparatus of Claim 52 wherein the purifying means comprises a means for removing particulate matter from the melt.

54. The apparatus of Claim 53 wherein means for removing particulate matter from the melt is a filter.

55. The apparatus of Claim 50 wherein the adjustment means of (b) is adapted for deactivating a catalyst contained in the melt.

56. The apparatus of Claim 50 wherein the adjustment means of (b) is adapted for changing the pressure to which the melt is subjected.

57. An apparatus for preparing a composition of matter comprising:

(a) a continuous reactor adopted for preparing one or more polymers by reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers, (b) means for forming a pre-mixture comprising (i) the polymer(s) prepared in the reactor and (ii) one or more other components of the composition,

(c) means for conveying the pre-mixture to a mixer from the means for forming the pre-mixture of (b), and

(d) a mixer adapted for preparing the composition of matter by admixing, in the mixer, one or more other components of the composition with the pre-mixture.

58. The apparatus of Claim 57 wherein the pre-mixture includes the polymer(s) prepared in the reactor and one or more polymers not prepared in the reactor.

59. The apparatus of Claim 58 wherein the poiymer(s) not prepared in the reactor comprise a polyester, a urethane, an acrylic or dicyandiamide.

60. The apparatus of Claim 59 wherein the pre-mixture is formed from the polymer(s) prepared in the reactor and one or more additives selected from a pigment, a stabilizer, and a filler.

61. The apparatus of Claim 58 wherein the pre-mixture is formed inside the reactor.

62. The apparatus of Claim 58 wherein the pre-mixture is formed at the exit of the reactor.

63. The apparatus of Claim 62 wherein the pre-mixture is formed in a connection between the reactor and the mixer.

64. An apparatus for preparing a composition of matter, comprising: (a) a reactor for preparing one or more polymers by reacting one or more monomers and/or oligomers; (b) a mixer connected to the reactor, said mixer adapted for preparing the composition of matter by admixing, in the mixer with the polymer(s) prepared in the reactor, one or more other components of the composition;

(c) a means for measuring at least one property of the polymer(s) inside the reactor;

(d) a means for adjusting at least one condition that affects the polymerization of the monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) within the reactor in view of the result of the measurement made by the measuring means of (b); and

(e) a means for conveying from the reactor to the mixer, through the connection between the reactor and the mixer, the polymer(s) prepared after the adjustment of condition is made by the adjustment means of (c).

65. The apparatus of Claim 64 wherein the property of the polymer measured by the measuring means of (c) is at least one member selected from: viscosity, melt index, melt flow rate, molecular weight, molecular weight distribution and equivalent weight.

66. The apparatus of Claim 64 wherein the condition of the polymerization that is adjusted by the adjustment means is at least one member of: rate of feed of the monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s), catalyst concentration, stoichiometry, reaction temperature, rate of mixing, degree of mixing, rate of reaction and length of reaction time.

67. The apparatus of Claims 36 and 64 wherein the reactor is an extruder.

68. The apparatus of Claims 36 and 64 wherein the mixer is an extruder.