An introduction concerning the synthesis, structure and properties of the individual molecules constituting polymeric materials.

Accompanied by an introductory overview of the history of polymer science, this book contains biographical sketches of 12 pioneers, from Marcellin Berthollet and John Wesley Hyatt to Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta. It also includes time charts before each chapter that summarise significant events.

With such a wide diversity of properties and applications, is it any wonder that industry and academia have such a fascination with polymers? A solid introduction to such an enormous and important field is critical to the modern polymer scientist-to-be, but most of the available books do not stress practical problem solving or include recent advances. Serving as the polymer book for the new millennium, Introduction to Polymer Science and Chemistry: A Problem Solving Approach unites the fundamentals of polymer science and polymer chemistry in a seamless presentation. Emphasizing polymerization kinetics, the author uses a unique question-and-answer approach when developing theory or introducing new concepts. The first four chapters introduce polymer science, focusing on physical and molecular properties, solution behavior, and molecular weights. The remainder of the book explores polymer chemistry, devoting individual, self-contained chapters to the main types of polymerization reactions: condensation; free radical; ionic; coordination; and ring-opening. It introduces recent advances such as supramolecular polymerization, hyperbranching, photoemulsion polymerization, the grafting-from polymerization process, polymer brushes, living/controlled radical polymerization, and immobilized metallocene catalysts. With numerical problems accompanying the discussion at every step along with numerous end-of-chapter exercises, Introduction to Chemical Polymer Science: A Problem Solving Approach is an ideal introductory text and self-study vehicle for mastering the principles and methodologies of modern polymer science and chemistry.

Molecular Characterization of Polymers presents a range of advanced and cutting-edge methods for the characterization of polymers at the molecular level, guiding the reader through theory, fundamentals, instrumentation, and applications, and supporting the end goal of efficient material selection and improved material performance. Each chapter focuses on a specific technique or family of techniques, including the different areas of chromatography, field flow fractionation, long chain branching, static and dynamic light scattering, mass spectrometry, NMR, X-Ray and neutron scattering, polymer dilute solution viscometry, microscopy, and vibrational spectroscopy. In each case, in-depth coverage explains how to successfully implement and utilize the technique. This practical resource is highly valuable to researchers and advanced students in polymer science, materials science, and engineering, and to those from other disciplines and industries who are unfamiliar with polymer characterization techniques. - Introduces a range of advanced characterization methods, covering aspects such as molecular weight, polydispersity, branching, composition, and tacticity - Enables the reader to understand and to compare the available technique, and implement the selected technique(s), with a view to improving properties of the polymeric material - Establishes a strong link between basic principles, characterization techniques, and real-life applications

Integrating latest research results and characterization techniques, this book helps readers understand and apply fundamental principles in nonlinear polymer rheology. The author connects the basic theoretical framework with practical polymer processing, which aids practicing scientists and engineers to go beyond the existing knowledge and explore new applications. Although it is not written as a textbook, the content can be used in an upper undergraduate and first year graduate course on polymer rheology. • Describes the emerging phenomena and associated conceptual understanding in the field of nonlinear polymer rheology • Incorporates details on latest experimental discoveries and provides new methodology for research in polymer rheology • Integrates latest research results and new characterization techniques like particle tracking velocimetric method • Focuses on the issues concerning the conceptual and phenomenological foundations for polymer rheology • Has a companion website for readers to access with videos complementing the content within several chapters

This book is a concise and clearly written introduction to the modern theory of polymer physics. The book describes basic concepts and methods of investigating the statistical properties of the assembly of chain-like molecules. The topics discussed include scaling theory, concentration fluctuation, gels, and reptation. Both graduate students and researchers in physics, physical chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science will find this an extremely useful textbook and reference work.