This book deals with three related areas having both fundamental and technological interest. In the first part, the objective is to provide a bird's eye view on structure in polymeric solids. This is then complemented by a chapter, directly technological in its emphasis, dealing with the influence of processing on polymeric materials. In spite of the technological interest, this leads to some of the current fundamental theory. Part II, concerned with liquid crystals, starts with a discussion of the physics of the various types of material, and concludes with a treatment of optical applications. Again, aspects of the theory are stressed though this part is basically phenomenological in character. In Part III, an account is given first of the use of chemical-bonding arguments in understanding the electronic structure of low-dimensional solids, followed by a comprehensive treatment of the influence of dimen sionality on phase transitions. A brief summary of dielectric screening in low-dimensional solids follows. Space-charge layers are then treated, including semiconductor inversion layers. Effects of limited dimensionality on superconductivity are also emphasized. Part IV concludes the volume with two specialized topics: electronic structure of biopolymers, and topological defects and disordered systems. The Editors wish to acknowledge that this book had its origins in the material presented at a course organized by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste.

This important book provides an introduction to the liquid state. A qualitative description of liquid properties is first given, followed by detailed chapters on thermodynamics, liquid structure in relation to interaction forces and transport properties such as diffusion and viscosity. Treatment of complex fluids such as anisotropic liquid crystals and polymers, and of technically important topics such as non-Newtonian and turbulent flows, is included. Surface properties and characteristics of the liquid-vapour critical point are also discussed. While the book focuses on classical liquids, the final chapter deals with quantal fluids.

Among the various new directions in modern polymer science, the design and investigation of liquid crystal (LC) polymers have been the ones growing most actively and fruitfully. In spite of that, the possible formation of an anisotropic LC phase was only demonstrated theoretically for the first time in the 1950s by Onsager [1] and Flory [2], and then experimentally verified in the studies with polypeptides solutions. In essence, the studies of these LC lyotropic systems did not deviate from the theme of purely academic interest. It was at the beginning of the 1970s that the experimental "explosion" occurred, when aromatic polyamides were synthesized and their ability to form LC solutions in certain very aggressive solvents was discovered. The search for practical applications of such LC systems was crowned with the successful creation of the new generation of ultrastrong high-modulus ther mostable fibers, such as the Kevlar, due to the high degree of order of the macromolecules in the anisotropic LC state. In fact, these investigations coincided with the swift emergence on the practical "scene" of thermotropic low-molar-mass liquid crystals, with the use of these materials in microelectronics and electro optics (figures and let ters indicators, displays in personal computers, and flat TV, etc.). Polymer scientists also began to develop methods of synthesizing thermotropic LC polymers by incorporating mesogenic fragments in the main (main-chain LC polymers) or side branchings of the macromolecules (side-chain or comb shaped polymers).

The different physical properties displayed by low molar mass organic materials and polymers are a result of their molecular organisation. In order to understand the structure – property relationship of a material it is necessary to first look at the interactions at a molecular level. This new edition of Polymer Structure Characterization provides readers with the background needed to understand the factors that influence molecular organization and how this affects the morphology and bulk physical properties of a material. In order to introduce the concepts, the book first looks at small molecular systems and builds up to complex macromolecular systems. The second edition has been fully revised and updated to include new examples and references. Topics covered include: organic crystals, liquid crystals, plastic crystals, polymer crystal growth, amorphous glassy materials, polymer surfaces and interfaces, colloids and molecular organization in liquids as well as two new chapters on self-assembly and biopolymer systems. The book is intended to provide complimentary material for a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in materials science, molecular chemistry and chemical physics. In addition to polymer and material scientists, the book would also be of interest to chemists and physicists studying the properties of organic materials.

Liquid crystal polymers are sometimes called super polymers--with good reason. Their wide range of exceptional properties and ease of processing make them design candidates for many demanding applications. This new book provides a thorough review of LCP technology with the emphasis on the chemistry, synthesis and characterization of the material in its many variants. Additional chapters cover processing and applications. From the Editor's Preface The field of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers has grown substantially in the last two decades, with fundamental research, publications, commercial products, and patents. In the 1980's, Dr. Ralph Miano led my colleagues and me at Hoechst Celanese in commercializing the first thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers, based on Dr. Gordon Calundann's composition patents. Today, more than seven companies have produced thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer materials, with at least 50 variants available. Hence, it is timely to compile a comprehensive review on the nature of this type of material and the ongoing progress in this field.... The goals of this book are to summarize previous work, provide new insights into this class of polymers, and add to the understanding of the formation of liquid crystallinity. This book covers a wide range of topics and addresses different disciplines in the field. The chapters are arranged as a learning scheme for the professional, from basic science to applied engineering. The first few chapters summarize the syntheses of various polyester, polyester-amid, and polyimide liquid crystalline polymers. The science and origins of liquid crystal formation are revealed. Next, we introduce the characterizations of these materials by their different chemical and physical aspects. Because most commercially available thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers have been used in the form of composites, we have also incorporated a chapter on polymer blends, detailing blending mechanisms and resultant properties. Two chapters on thermosetting liquid crystalline polymers integrate them with other topics, because of their unique importance and their applications for microelectronics and packaging. The final chapter deals with the engineering and processing aspects of thermoplastic liquid crystalline polymers for a variety of applications.