"This is a Ph.D. dissertation. The positron is the antiparticle of the electron. It has the same mass as the electron and its charge is numerically identical but of opposite sign. The positron was first predicted by Dirac in 1930 and observed by Anderson for the first time in 1932. Being an antiparticle, a positron annihilates with an electron converting mass into energy in the form of radiation. Contents include: Simulation of electron and positron track structures in ploymers and simple hydrocarbons, Experimental methods, Positron formation dynamics in radiolytic tracks: a computer simulation study, Positronium formation in low density polyethylene, Charge accumulation in Polyethylene, Degradation of poly(paraphenylene vinylene) monitored by positron annihilation spectroscopy, Summary."

This book provides a comprehensive description of the principles and applications of positron and positronium chemistry. Pedagogical and tutorial in nature, it will be ideal for graduate students and researchers in the area of positron annihilation spectroscopy. The contributing authors are authoritative scientists prominent in the frontiers of research, actively pursuing positron annihilation research on chemical and applied systems. Contents: Introduction to Positron and Positronium Chemistry (Y C Jean et al.); Compounds of Positrons and Positronium (D M Schrader); Experimental Techniques in Positron Spectroscopy (P G Coleman); Organic and Inorganic Chemistry of the Positron and Positronium (G Duplotre & I Billard); Physical and Radiation Chemistry of the Positron and Positronium (S V Stepanov & V M Byakov); Positrons and Positronium in the Gas Phase (D M Schrader); Positron Porosimetry (M H Weber & K G Lynn); Positron Annihilation Studies on Superconducting Materials (C S Sundar); Positronium in Si and SiO 2 Thin Films (R Suzuki); Applications to Polymers (P E Mallon); Applications of Slow Positrons to Polymeric Surfaces and Coatings (Y C Jean et al.); Positron Annihilation Induced Auger Spectroscopy (S Amdani et al.); Characterization of Nanoparticle and Nanopore Materials (J Xu); AMOC in Positron and Positronium Chemistry (H Stoll et al.). Readership: Materials science researchers; physical chemists; polymer scientists and engineers; chemical and mechanical engineers; solid state physicists; graduate students in chemistry, physics, engineering and polymer science; coating industry researchers."