Solid State Polymerization Reactions

Abstract

In clarifying the properties of individual molecules chemistry has mainly been concerned with the gaseous and the liquid phase, but now it is proceeding to the solid phase for analysing the interactions between molecules. In some cases, molecules of a monomer fixed in a crystal lattice react easily forming a polymer, the crystal form of which is completely different from that of the monomer. These reactions which are now called solid state polymerization have seldom been cited in the literature, but they are attracting ever increasing attention. A special type of solid state polymerization initiated by high energy radiation is reviewed here.