Polymers suited to the formation of polymeric articles which may be advantageously subjected to the presently described inventive processes include, without limitation thereto, hydrophobic polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) or polysiloxanes; hydrophilic polymers, such as poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), and poly(vinyl alcohol); biodegradable polymers such as p