Radiation‐induced solid state polymerization

The literature on radiation‐induced solid state polymerization has been increasing exponentially in the last five years. Major advances have been made in retention of crystalline morphology during polymerization, in stereospecific polymerization, in modification of reactivity ratios in copolymerization and in molecular weight control of the product. However, at the present time, no commercial products have resulted from the study of radiation‐induced solid state polymerization. Chemically induced polymerization techniques have been keeping abreast of this explosive development in the solid state polymerization field and have up to this time precluded the use in industry of solid state polymerization. The major potential at the present time appears to be in the area of producing fibers without additional processing.