Downloaded by 80.82.77.83 on May 24, 2018 | https://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: January 28, 1999 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1998-0713.pr001
Preface
Significant international attention has been devoted to the reduction or elimination of traditional organic solvents from industrial processes. It has been demonstrated that some organic solvents have detrimental environmental effects on ecosystems. Waste reduction efforts are being catalyzed by environmental regulatory and product stewardship issues. In order to consolidate and raise awareness of the latest developments in solvent-free polymerizations and processes, the Division of Polymer Chemistry and the American Chemical Society organized an international symposium. The Solvent-Free Polymerizations and Processes symposium was held at the Fall 1997 American Chemical Society meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. More than 50 contributions from six countries were presented to very well attended meeting sessions. The importance of this research field is underscored by the breadth of the polymer chemistry contained in this publication. Research efforts in such diverse areas as controlled bulk free radical polymerization, polyester melt polycondensation, the use of "pre-polymers" in network formation, and the use of high pressure carbon dioxide as an environmentally benign solvent are all focused on the elimination or minimization of conventional organic solvents. The consolidation of these dissimilar topics will yield synergistic advances in waste reduction, novel chemistries, unique processes, and product enhancements. The editors thank the symposium speakers and attendees, and especially the authors of the subsequent chapters. It was a pleasure to work with the authors due to their exciting research and enthusiastic cooperation in producing a timely publication. We also thank the peer reviewers who gave their time and technical insights to further improve the contributions to this book. The editors also thank the Division of Polymer Chemistry (POLY) and the Division of Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering (PMSE) for their organizational work on the American Chemical Society meeting. It was outstanding and beneficial to all of the meeting attendees. Finally, we personally thank our employers, Eastman Chemical Company and Milliken Chemical, for the opportunity to
xi Long and Hunt; Solvent-Free Polymerizations and Processes ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1999.
organize this very relevant symposium and symposium book over the course of the past year.
T I M O T H Y E. L O N G
1
Polymer Research Division Eastman Chemical Company Kingsport, TN 37662
Downloaded by 80.82.77.83 on May 24, 2018 | https://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: January 28, 1999 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1998-0713.pr001
MICHAEL O. HUNT
2
Milliken Chemicals 920 Milliken Road Spartenburg, SC 29304
1
Current address: Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, V A 24061. Current address: DuPont Lycra, Chestnut Run Plaza, P.O. Box 80702, Wilmington, DE 19880-0702.
2
xii
Long and Hunt; Solvent-Free Polymerizations and Processes ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1999.
