Polymers

The second edition of Macromolecular Chemistry broadens into two areas: biomacromolecules, Volume 1 and polymers, Volume 2. Polymers covers polymer history, polymerization reactions, polymer morphology, technology, characterization and testing, processing, and recycling. The book discusses the building blocks of synthetic polymers, comparison of macromolecules and polymers, polymer classification, and illustration of polymer chemical structures. Polymerization reactions such as step-growth polymerization and chain-growth polymerization are extensively discussed. It then presents tacticity, molecular interactions and polymer crystals. Biodegradable polymers, biomedical polymers, conducting polymers, electroluminescent polymers, water-soluble polymers, additives, adhesives, fibres, and coatings are described. The next section explores inorganic polymers such as polysilanes, polysiloxanes, and polyphosphazenes. The book then delves into polymer characterization and testing, including Infrared Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, NMR, X-ray Spectroscopy, and Electron Microscopy, and the last section addresses selected polymer processing techniques such as moulding, casting, extrusion, coatings, and foaming.