Processing of polymers with supercritical fluids

The removal of impurities, such as residual solvents, unreacted monomers, c atalysts, and side-reaction products from polymers represents an important step in polymer processing. Conventional devolatilization techniques for th e purification of polymers have limited effectiveness. Devolatilization wit h supercritical fluids, however, can enhance impurity removal by increasing the thermodynamic driving force and molecular diffusivity.