ABSTRACT
The discovery, invention, and development of aromatic polycarbonates has closely followed and been stimulated by developments in aromatic polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate [1-4]. As wiJI be stated later, there was a span of 50 years between early published findings and the actual discovery of useful thermoplastic aromatic polycarbonates. There were many factors possible to account for the low level of activity such as lack of perceived need for high-temperature resistance in applications, shortage of suitable commercially feasible monomers, and absence of process technology to fabricate useful parts. As it turned out, all of these factors were converging when D. W. Fox and H. Schnell, who were working independently toward different goals, discovered the polycarbonate of bisphenol A and both recognized the unique properties of this most interesting polymer [4,5].
