An Overview for the General Reader The fact that silicone rubber boots made those footprints on the moon, and that other silicone polymers made possible the construc tion and functioning of space suits and space vehicles, has led to the general belief that silicones are very modem materials conjured up to meet the needs of space travel. Actually, though, silicone chemis try has deep roots in human history, dating from the dawn of the race and extending through all of geology, mineralogy, and the ancient ceramic arts. This little book seeks to put the development of silicone materials in perspective as part of the fascinating involvement of the element silicon in our daily lives, from the stuff the earth and the moon are made of to the modem use of ultra pure silicon in transistors and computers, and the use of ordi nary elementary silicon to make silicone rubber, silicone oil, sili cone resins, and silicon or silicone-containing polishes, drugs, and fragrances. Of course these are not our only connections with silicon. The natural compounds of silicon and oxygen (the silicates) are the starting materials for making bricks, tile, cement, glass, and a host of modem ceramic products. The widespread usefulness of silicon and its compounds comes about for two reasons: first, there is so much of it, and second, it is so versatile.

Chemistry and Technology of Silicones retains the nature of a monograph despite its expanded scope, giving the reader in condensed form not only a wide-ranging but also a thorough review of this rapidly growing field. In contrast to some other monographs on organosilicon compounds that have appeared in the interim, the silicones occupy in this edition the central position, and the technological part of the work is entirely devoted to them. This book comprises 12 chapters, and begins with a general discussion of the chemistry and molecular structure of the silicones. The following chapters then discuss preparation of silanes with nonfunctional organic substituents; monomeric organosilicon compounds RnSiX4-n; and organosilanes with organofunctional groups. Other chapters cover preparation of polyorganosiloxanes; the polymeric organosiloxanes; other organosilicon polymers; production of technical silicone products from polyorganosiloxanes; properties of technical products; applications of technical silicone products in various branches of industry; esters of silicic acid; and analytical methods. This book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of molecular chemistry.

Silicon based materials and polymers are made of silicon containing polymers, mainly macromolecular siloxanes (silicones). This book covers the different kinds of siliconbased polymers: silicones, silsesquioxanes (POSS), and silicon-based copolymers. Other silicon containig polymers: polycarbosilanes, polysilazanes, siloxane-organic copolymers, silicon derived high-tech ceramics: silicon carbide and oxycarbide, silicon nitride, etc. have also a very important practical meaning and a hudge number of practical applications. These materials make up products in a variety of industries and products, including technical and medical applicatons. Polycrystalline silicon is the basic material for large scale photovoltaic (PV) applications as solar cells. Technical applications of crystalline (c-Si) and amorphous (a-Si) silicon (fully inorganic materials), silicon nanowires are still quickly growing, especially in the fi eld of microelectronics, optoelectronics, photonics. and photovoltaics, catalysts, and different electronic devices (e.g. sensors, thermoelectric devices). This book is ideal for researchers and as such covers the industrial perspective of using each class of silicon based materials. Discusses silanes, silane coupling agents (SCA), silica, silicates, silane modified fillers, silsesquioxanes, silicones, and other silicon polymers and copolymers for practical applications as polymeric materials and very useful ingredients in materials science.

This issue of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology records the proceedings of a Workshop on the Immunology of Sili cones held at the Natcher Conference Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, March 13 and 14, 1995. A large num ber of investigators from North America and Europe met to discuss available data on how the immune system responds to silicones and related materials. Some aspects of this field are controversial. Nonetheless, the meeting was marked by a civil and open ex change of scientific information and divergent interpretations, re flecting the traditions of scientific communication. Each invited participant was asked to submit an article sum marizing his/her presentation. Most of the papers are published as submitted, with only editorial changes to conform with the guide lines given to each contributor or revisions to clarify aspects of the paper. The papers should not be regarded as peer-reviewed publi cations. This preface will attempt to outline some of the immu nological areas of investigation relating to silicones.

Silicone Surface Science offers a survey of the major topics concerning the properties and behavior of silicone surfaces. It covers all main aspects of the subject, including: polydimethylsiloxane, spread monolayers, self-assembled monolayers, hydrophobicity and super-hydrophobicity, coupling agents, surfactants, fluorosilicones, surface treatments and surface analysis. This book brings together the field's leading experts who investigated both fundamental and applied aspects of silicone surface science and technology, and introduces the reader to the origins and historical development of silicone surfaces as well as to their most significant current key features. Silicone Surface Science is an invaluable guide and indispensable reference source for all those interested in this important area of polymer and materials science and technology, from graduate students to experienced scientists alike.

Silicon-containing Polymers reflects the growing interest worldwide in this developing field. Silicon polymers are now finding use as moulding materials, rubbers, ceramic precursors, in lithography and reprography as photosensitive materials, as conducting polymers, and in a host of other applications. This book presents up-to-date research from all over the world. It brings together research from the forefront of a multidisciplinary subject, covering the synthesis, modification, characterization, properties and applications of polysiloxanes, polysilylenes, polysilazanes and organosilicate derivatives. Silicon-containing Polymers will be of interest to researchers and postgraduates in any area of materials science, as well as some areas of inorganic chemistry.