This review article summarizes the polymer preparation and processing that have been carried out in supercritical carbon dioxide.As will be shown

a number of polymerization reactions

such as the homogeneous freeradical polymerization of flourinated monomers

the dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate

the precipitation polymerization of acrylic acid

the inverse emulsion polymerization of acrylamide and the cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether

can be conducted in supercritical carbon dioxide.Polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide-swollen polymers can be used to prepare polymer blends with composition gradients. Moreover

supercritical carbon dioxide have been applied in the fractionation of polymers

the formation of porous polymers

and the preparation of polymer submicron fibers and particles.These reports strongly indicate that there is great potential for preparing a wide range of polymers in this enviromentally sound and enexpensive reaction medium.