NON-AQUEOUS DISPERSIONS OF WATER-SOLUBLE POLYMERS AND AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS THEREFROM

Stable non-aqueous dispersion of water-soluble polymers of extremely high molecular weight coupled with relatively low viscosity and rapid dilutability with water to form a polymer solution are obtained by polymerization of at least one water-soluble .alpha.,.beta.-monoolefinically unsaturated monomer such as acrylamide and dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate in water-in-oil emulsion with the aid of at least one photoinitiator and UV-light, and azeotropical distillation from water, before or after the addition of a water-soluble wetting agent, to a residual water content of less than 5% by weight, based on polymer. The dispersions are eminently suitable for the preparation of aqueous solution, as retention agents for fillers and water-removal accelerators in the production of paper.