Epoxy resins are regarded as thermosetting resins and have found various c- mercial applications after crosslinking with adequate curing agents [1-3]. H- ever, some epoxy resins have been used as thermoplastic resins without curing agents. Figure 1 shows the applications of epoxy resins that are classi?ed to three categories: thermosets in combination with curing agents, thermoplastics wi- out curing agents, and raw materials for modi?cation. The use in thermoplastics is not popular compared with the two other applications. Typical thermoplastic applications are found in stabilizers for vinyl resins, toners for copying - chines, ?re retardants for engineering plastics, and sizing material for glass or carbon ?bers. The epoxy resin most frequently used is the oligomer of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) whose chemical structure is shown below [1-3]. The DGEBA is composed of linear molecules with different molecular weights according to the variation of the repeated number (n) in the structural formula.

Molecular manipulation of nano- and microstructures paves the way to produce organic polymer materials by design. Such architectures comprise both the synthesis and the kinetics and thermodynamics of macromolecular organization and is the theme of this volume. The book consists of four articles reviewing living polymerization to produce precisely defined linear polyesters, comparing them to other living polymerization techniques. The articles also deal with the synthesis of polymeric dendrimers, either by the convergent or divergent approach; block copolymers synthesis, to define micromorphology in high performance polymers; and thereby tailoring their thermal, chemical, mechanical and dielectrical properties, and finally kinetics and thermodynamics for microstructural organization in macroporous thermosets.

The second edition of this textbook is identical with its fourth German edi tion and it thus has the same goals: precise definition of basic phenomena, a broad survey of the whole field, integrated representation of chemistry, physics, and technology, and a balanced treatment of facts and comprehen sion. The book thus intends to bridge the gap between the often oversimpli fied introductory textbooks and the highly specialized texts and monographs that cover only parts of macromolecular science. The text intends to survey the whole field of macromolecular science. Its organization results from the following considerations. The chemical structure of macromolecular compounds should be inde pendent of the method of synthesis, at least in the ideal case. Part I is thus concerned with the chemical and physical structure of polymers. Properties depend on structure. Solution properties are thus discussed in Part II, solid state properties in Part III. There are other reasons for dis cussing properties before synthesis: For example, it is difficult to understand equilibrium polymerization without knowledge of solution thermodynamics, the gel effect without knowledge of the glass transition temperature, etc. Part IV treats the principles of macromolecular syntheses and reactions.

With the aim of providing a deeper insight into possible mechanisms of biological self-organization, this thesis presents new approaches to describe the process of self-assembly and the impact of spatial organization on the function of membrane proteins, from a statistical physics point of view. It focuses on three important scenarios: the assembly of membrane proteins, the collective response of mechanosensitive channels and the function of the twin arginine translocation (Tat) system. Using methods from equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, general conclusions were drawn that demonstrate the importance of the protein-protein interactions. Namely, in the first part a general aggregation dynamics model is formulated, and used to show that fragmentation crucially affects the efficiency of the self-assembly process of proteins. In the second part, by mapping the membrane-mediated forces into a simplified many-body system, the dynamic and equilibrium behaviour of interacting mechanosensitive channels is derived, showing that protein agglomeration strongly impacts its desired function. The final part develops a model that incorporates both the agglomeration and transport function of the Tat system, thereby providing a comprehensive description of this self-organizing process.

Silicon in Polymer Synthesis gives the first concise overview of silicon used for the synthesis and modification of polymers. The first section gives an introduction to the topic. The subsequent chapters detail the current status both from the basic research as well as from the industrial application points of view.

Conformations and Solution Properties of Star-Branched Polyelectrolytes, by Oleg V. Borisov, Ekaterina B. Zhulina, Frans A. M. Leermakers, Matthias Ballauff and Axel H. E. Muller; Self-Assembled Structures of Amphiphilic Ionic Block Copolymers: Theory, Self-Consistent Field Modeling and Experiment, by Oleg V. Borisov, Ekaternia B. Zhulina, Frans A. M. Leermakers and Axel H. E. Muller; Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes Based on Polyionic Species of Branched Topology, by Dmitry V. Pergushov, Oleg V. Borisov, Alexander B. Zezin and Axel H. E. Muller; Co-assembly of Charged Copolymers as a Novel Pathway Towards Reversible Janus Micelles, by Ilja K. Voets, Frans A. Leermakers, Arie de Keizer, Marat Charlaganov and Martien A. Cohen Stuart; Fluorescence Spectroscopy as a Tool for Investigating the Self-Organized Polyelectrolyte Systems, by Karel Prochazka, Zuzana Limpouchova, Filip Uhlik, Peter Kosovan, Pavel Matejicek, Miroslav Stepanek, Mariusz Uchman, Jitka Kuldova, Radek Sachl, Jana Humpolickova, and M. Hof

The liquid crystalline state may be identified as a distinct and unique state of matter which is characterised by properties which resemble those of both solids and liquids. It was first recognised in the middle of the last century through the study of nerve myelin and derivatives of cholesterol. The research in the area really gathered momentum, however, when as a result of the pioneering work of Gray in the early 1970's organic compounds exhibiting liquid crystalline properties were shown to be suitable to form the basis of display devices in the electronic products. The study of liquid crystals is truly multidisciplinary and has attached the attention of physicists, biologists, chemists, mathematicians and electronics engineers. It is therefore impossible to cover all these aspects fully in two small volumes and therefore it was decided in view of the overall title of the series to concentrate on the structural and bonding aspects of the subject. The Chapters presented in these two volumes have been organised to cover the following fundamental aspects of the subiect. The calculation of the structures of liquid crystals, an account of their dynamical properties and a discussion of computer simulations of liquid crystalline phases formed by Gay Berne mesogens. The relationships between molecular conformation and packing are analysed in some detail. The crystal structures of liquid crystal mesogens and the importance of their X ray scattering properties for characterisational purposes are discussed.

H. Yoshida, T. Ichikawa Electron Spin Echo Studies of Free Radicals in Irridated Polymers M. Ogasawara Application of Pulse Radiolysis to the Study of Polymers and Polymerizations I. Kaetsu Radiation Synthesis of Polymeric Materials for Biomedical and Biochemical Applications S. Tagawa Radiation Effects of Ion Beams on Polymers H.Yamaoka Polymer Materials for Fusion Reactors

This volume is devoted to solidification of polymers in general; crystalline, liquid crystalline, and amorphous polymers, including oriented polymers and the effects of pressure and processing are discussed. A distinguished international group of authors has contributed to the volume.

The 9th Symposium on Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC) which was held at the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin-Buch, March, 1995, is the basis of this volume. It presents an actual survey of recent developments and results of ultracentrifugation methods in the frame of the following topics: Reversible Association Reactions.- Analysis of Supramolecular Structures Including Modeling.- Size Distribution Analysis and Gel Formation.- Hardware and Software Developments."

This volume contains the proceedings of the "International Workshop on Optical Methods and the Physics of Colloidal Dispersions," held in memory of Prof. Dr. Klaus Schatzel at the end of September, 1996, in Mainz, Germany. The meeting focused on two special aspects of colloidal science, namely novel optical methods and the physics of colloidal dispersions. In particular, the contributed papers show that the increase in the quality and number of suitable model systems has significantly enhanced our knowledge of colloidal properties, structures and dynamics."

If one dismisses the Prophetess Deborah who in her famous song after the victory over the Philistines sang "The mountains melted before the Lord" and her contemporary (on our time scale), the Egyptian Amenemhet, who designed the water clock, which was in fact the prototype of the capillary viscometer, the beginnings of modern rheology should be linked up with the works of the classics of natural sciences of the 19th century: J ames Clerk Maxwell, Lord Kelvin, and Ludwig Boltzmann, whose names are associated with the origination of the fundamental concepts of rheology. The founda tions of experimental rheology were also laid in the nineteenth century in the works of J. M. L. Poiseuille, T. Schwedoff, and others. The next step in the advancement of rheology dates back to the twenties of this century when E. C. Bingham, G. W. Scott-Blair, A. Nadai, and M. Reiner developed the fundamentals of the engineering approach to the technological properties of real materials, thereby outlining the numerous potential applications of rheology. The progress of polymer rheology was especially vigorous after World War II when polymeric materials found their way into industry and the home. Today, rheology is 60-70 per cent concerned with investigations of this kind of materials. Polymer rheology has evolved as an independent science over the last 10-15 years and is in its various aspects intimately entwined with molecular physics, continuum mechanics, and the processing of polymeric materials."