Reaction Conditions

The exothermic polymerization process releases large amounts of heat, causing temperature control to be an important issue. Most polymerization processes run at approximately 350^oC, a condition most favorable to the reaction. Higher temperatures can cause a run-away reaction to begin. When this occurs, the plant can no longer control the reaction and decompression is the only recourse.

The next section, Polymerization, describes this reaction at a molecular level.