Physical Chemistry Research for Engineering and Applied Sciences, Volume Two

This book presents some fascinating phenomena associated with the remarkable features of high performance polymers and also provides an update on applications of modern polymers. It offers new research on structure–property relationships, synthesis, and purification, and potential applications of high performance polymers.

The collection of topics in this book reflects the diversity of recent advances in modern polymers with a broad perspective that will be useful for scientists as well as for graduate students and engineers. The book helps to fill the gap between theory and practice. It explains the major concepts of new advances in high performance polymers and their applications in a friendly, easy-to-understand manner.

The book opens with a presentation of classical models, moving on to increasingly more complex quantum mechanical and dynamical theories. Coverage and examples are drawn from modern polymers.

Dr. Eli M. Pearce was president of American Chemical Society. He served as dean of the Faculty of Science and Art at Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn, as well as a professor of chemistry and chemical engineering. He was director of the Polymer Research Institute, also in Brooklyn. At present, he consults for the Polymer Research Institute. A prolific author and researcher, he edited the Journal of Polymer Science (Chemistry Edition) for 25 years and was an active member of many professional organizations.

Bob A. Howell, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Director of the Center for Applications in Polymer Science at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. He received his PhD in physical organic chemistry from Ohio University in 1971. His research interests include flame retardants for polymeric materials, new polymeric fuel-cell membranes, polymerization techniques, thermal methods of analysis, polymer-supported organoplatinum antitumor agents, barrier plastic packaging, bioplastics, and polymers from renewable sources. A particular current research interest is the development of nontoxic, environmentally friendly flame retardants based on renewable biosources.

Richard A. Pethrick, PhD, DSc, is currently a research professor and professor emeritus in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, Glasglow, Scotland. He was Burmah Professor in Physical Chemistry and has been a member of the staff there since 1969. He has published over 400 papers and edited and written several books. He currently holds a number of EPSRC grants and is involved with Knowledge Transfer Programmes involving three local companies involved in production of articles made out of polymeric materials. He has acted as a consultant for BAE Systems in the area of explosives and a company involved in the production of anticorrosive coatings. Dr. Pethrick is on the editorial boards of several polymer and adhesion journals and was on the Royal Society of Chemistry Education Board. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Institute of Materials, Metals and Mining. Previously he chaired the ‘Review of Science Provision 16-19’ in Scotland and the restructuring of the HND provision in Chemistry. He was for a number of years the Deputy Chair of the EPSRC IGDS panel and involved in a number of reviews of the courses developed and offered under this program. He has been a member of the review panel for polymer science in Denmark and Sweden and the National Science Foundation in the USA.

Gennady E. Zaikov, DSc, is head of the Polymer Division at the N. M. Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, and professor at Moscow State Academy of Fine Chemical Technology, Russia, as well as professor at Kazan National Research Technological University, Kazan, Russia. He is also a prolific author, researcher, and lecturer. He has received several awards for his work, including the Russian Federation Scholarship for Outstanding Scientists. He has been a member of many professional organizations and on the editorial boards of many international science journals.