Green polymer field blossoming

THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DESIGNing polymers and developing polymerization processes that are safe, prevent pollution, and are more efficient in the use of materials and energy are enormous, judging by the breadth of topics discussed several weeks ago at a symposium on green polymer chemistry. The symposium, held at the American Chemical Society's national meeting in Washington, D.C., was sponsored by the Division of Polymeric Materials: Science & Engineering and organized by Elliot P. Douglas, associate professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Florida, Gainesville. "The number of presentations that combined different aspects of green polymer chemistry or that combined green polymer chemistry with another 'hot' topic suggests that we are moving into a new phase of green polymer chemistry in which the end goal is not the green chemistry," Douglas remarked. "Rather, the green chemistry is just another available tool that can be used to address a ...