The biological and biomedical applications of polymeric materials have increased greatly in the past few years. This book will detail some, but not all, of these recent developments. There would not be enough space in this book to cover, even lightly, all of the major advances that have occurred. Some earlier books and summaries are available by two of this book's Editors (Gebelein & Carraher) and these should be consul ted for additional information. The books are: "Bioactive Polymeric Systems" (Plenum, 1985); "Polymeric Materials In Medication" (Plenum, 1985); "Biological Acti vi ties of Polymers" (American Chemical Society, 1982). Of these three, "Bioacti ve Polymeric Systems" should be the most useful to a person who is new to this field because it only contains review articles written at an introductory level. The present book primarily consists of recent research results and applications, with only a few review or summary articles. Bioactive polymeric materials have existed from the creation of life itself. Many firmly believe that life could not even exist unless poly meric materials are used to form the basic building blocks. Although this assumption can not be rigorously proven, it is a fact that most, if not all, of the major biochemical pathways involve polymeric species, such as the proteins (including enzymes), polysaccharides and nucleic acids."

Examination of the early literature attests to the fact that the study of copolymerization was initiated when polymer science was in its infancy. It has continued to grow to a subject of major importance and has been a source of interest to both academic and industrialist alike. The wide spectrum of structures and properties available in the statistical copolymer has made this a fruitful field of exploration, but one particular and more restricted form which has held its own fascination for many is the limiting case of the strictly alternating copolymer. This is formed, in the ideal situation, when two monomers in a reaction mixture add consecutively to create a polymer chain with a regular {ABABAB} structure, irrespective of the monomer feed ratio. When this happens the resulting copolymer will always have the same composition, a feature which can be advantageous but also somewhat restrictive, as the ability to vary the properties is then limited. Within a series entitled Speciality Polymers it seems appropriate then to deal with this subject, particularly as no previous attempt has been made to draw together the various facets of alternating copolymerization into one volume. It also seems timely to present a more unified picture of the subject which will also illustrate the progress made.

W ALL ARE SURROUNDED by plastic materials and cannot imagine modem life and utilities without the synthetic polymers. And yet, how many of us can distinguish between polyethylene and PVC? After all, most people name any polymer as ''Nylon. /I Is there any distinction between polymers and plastics? This introductory textbook tries to answer these questions and many others. It endeavors to provide the basic information required in modem life about the best utilization of new materials in the plastics era; the chemical sources of synthetic polymers, and the processes in which small"simple" molecules are converted to giant macromolecules, namely, high polymers; and the understanding of the role of these unique structures, their behavior and performance, their mechanical and thermal properties, flow and deforma tion. As we are mainly interested in the final product, the processing of plastics, through shaping and forming, presents a significant challenge to polymer engineering. All this is broadly discussed, ending with modem issues like composites, ecology and future prediction, followed by up-to-date informa tion and data about old as well as novel high performance polymers. The text is particularly targeted towards senior students of science and engineering (chemical, material, mechanical and others) who may use it as the first window to the world of polymers. At the same time many profession als who are involved in the resin or plastics industry may prefer this approach without elaborate math or overloading.

After an introductory chapter, the processing, microstructure, and properties of various ceramic materials, reinforcements, and their composites are described. A separate chapter is devoted to processing of ceramic reinforcements, with a special emphasis on fibers. Processing of ceramic matrix composites is the next chapter, which includes novel techniques such as sol-gel processing and ceramics from polymeric precursors. The next four chapters cover the subjects of interface region in ceramic composites, mechanical and physical properties, and the role of thermal stresses and the important subject of toughness enhancement. Laminated composites made of ceramics are described in a separate chapter. Finally, a chapter is devoted to various applications of ceramic matrix composites. Throughout the text, the underlying relationships between the components of the triad: processing, microstructure, and properties are brought out. An exhaustive list of references and suggested reading is provided.

During the past two decades Membrane Science and Technology has made tremendous progress and has changed from a simple laboratory tool to large scale processes with numerous applications in Medicine and Industry. In this volume are collected papers presented at the First Europe Japan Congress on Membrane and Membrane processes, held in Stresa in June 1984. Other contributions to the Conference will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Membrane Science. This Conference was organized by the European Society of Membrane Science and Technology and the Membrane Society of Japan, to bring together European Scientists and Engineers face to face with their colleagues from Japan; in both countries membrane processes will play a strategic role in many industrial areas in the 1990s, as predicted by the Japanese project for Next Generation Industries and by the EEC Project on Basic Techno logical Research (BRITE). The large number of participants, of about four hundred from twenty six countries including USA, Australia, China and Brazil, the quality of the Plenary Lectures and Scientific Communications made the Conference a significant international success.

The fluorine atom, by virtue of its electronegativity, size, and bond strength with carbon, can be used to create compounds with remarkable properties. Small molecules containing fluorine have many positive impacts on everyday life of which blood substitutes, pharmaceuticals, and surface modifiers are only a few examples. Fluoropolymers, too, while traditionally associated with extreme high performance applications have found their way into our homes, our clothing, and even our language. A recent American president was often likened to the tribology of PTFE. Since the serendipitous discovery of Teflon at the DuPont Jackson Laboratory in 1938, fluoropolymers have grown steadily in technological and marketplace importance. New synthetic fluorine chemistry, new processes, and new apprecia tion of the mechanisms by which fluorine imparts exceptional properties all contribute to accelerating growth in fluoropolymers. There are many stories of harrowing close calls in the fluorine chemistry lab, especially from the early years, and synthetic challenges at times remain daunting. But, fortunately, modem techniques and facilities have enabled significant strides toward taming both the hazards and synthetic uncertainties, In contrast to past environmental problems associated with fluorocarbon refrigerants, the exceptional properties of fluorine in polymers have great environmental value. Some fluoropolymers are enabling green technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells for automobiles and oxygen selective membranes for cleaner diesel combustion.

During the past fifteen years commercial interest in compounds containing carbon fluorine bonds has burgeoned beyond all expectations, mainly owing to business opportunities arising from work on biologically active fluoroorganics-particularly agrochemicals, the relentless search for new markets for fluoropolymers and fluoro carbon fluids, developments in the field of medical diagnostics, and the drive to find replacements for ozone-depleting CFCs and Halon fire-extinguishing agents. Judging the situation to warrant the publication of a comprehensive collection of up-to-date reviews dealing with commercial organofluorine compounds within a single volume of manageable size (and hence reasonable cost), we were delighted to be invited by Plenum Publishing Corporation to produce a suitable book. In order to provide an authentic and wide-ranging account of current commercial applications of fluoroorganic materials, it clearly was necessary to assemble a sizeable team of knowledgeable contributing authors selected almost entirely from industry. Through their efforts we have been able to produce an almost complete coverage of the modem organofluorochemicals business in a manner designed to attract a reader ship ranging from experts in the field, through chemists and technologists currently unaware of the extent of industrial involvement with fluoroorganics, to students of applied chemistry. Promised chapters dedicated to perfluoroolefin oxides and 18F labeling of radiopharmaceuticals failed to materialize. This is somewhat unfortunate in view of our aim to achieve comprehensive coverage of the subject.

This volume contains a series of papers originally presented at the symposium on Water Soluble Polymers: Solution Properties and Applications, sponsored by the Division of Colloids and Surface Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. The symposium took place in Las Vegas City, Nevada on 9 to 11th September, 1997 at the 214th American Chemical Society National Meeting. Recognized experts in their - spective fields were invited to speak. There was a strong attendance from academia, g- ernment, and industrial research centers. The purpose of the symposium was to present and discuss recent developments in the solution properties of water soluble polymers and their applications in aqueous systems. Water soluble polymers find applications in a number of fields of which the following may be worth mentioning: cosmetics, detergent, oral care, industrial water treatment, g- thermal, wastewater treatment, water purification and reuse, pulp and paper production, sugar refining, and many more. Moreover, water soluble polymers play vital role in the oil industry, especially in enhanced oil recovery. Water soluble polymers are also used in ag- culture and controlled release pharmaceutical applications. Therefore, a fundamental kno- edge of solution properties of these polymers is essential for most industrial scientists. An understanding of the basic phenomena involved in the application of these polymers, such as adsorption and interaction with different substrates (i. e. , tooth enamel, hair, reverse - mosis membrane, heat exchanger surfaces, etc. ) is of vital importance in developing high performance formulations for achieving optimum efficiency of the system.

For several years, I have been responsible for organizing and teaching in the fall a short course on "Fundamentals of Adhesion: Theory, Practice, and Applications" at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Every spring I would try to assemble the most pertinent subjects and line up several capable lecturers for the course. However, there has always been one thing missing-an authoritative book that covers most aspects of adhesion and adhesive bonding. Such a book would be used by the participants as a main reference throughout the course and kept as a sourcebook after the course had been completed. On the other hand, this book could not be one of those "All you want to know about" volumes, simply because adhesion is an interdisciplinary and ever-growing field. For the same reason, it would be very difficult for a single individual, especially me, to undertake the task of writing such a book. Thus, I relied on the principle that one leaves the truly monumental jobs to experts, and I finally succeeded in asking several leading scientists in the field of adhesion to write separate chapters for this collection. Some chapters emphasize theoretical concepts and others experimental techniques. In the humble beginning, we planned to include only twelve chapters. However, we soon realized that such a plan would leave too much ground uncovered, and we resolved to increase the coverage. After the book had evolved into thirty chapters, we started to feel that perhaps our mission had been accomplished.

In this book, academic researchers and technologists will find important information on the interaction of polymeric and non-polymeric inhibitors with a variety of scale forming crystals such as calcium phosphates, calcium carbonate, calcium oxalates, barium sulfate, calcium pyrophosphates, and calcium phosphonates. Moreover, the book delivers information to plant managers and formulators who would like to broaden and deepen their knowledge about processes involved in precipitation of sparingly soluble salts and learn more about the inhibitory aspects of various commercially available materials. Furthermore, experienced researchers will obtain fruitful and inspiring ideas from the easily accessible information about overlapping research areas, which will promote discoveries of new inhibitors (synthetic and/or natural) for the currently unmet challenges.

Polymers and polymer composites have been increasingly used in place of metals for various industries; namely, aerospace, automotive, bio-medical, computer, electronhotograohy, fiber, and rubber tire. Thus, an understanding of the interactions between polymers and between a polymer and a rigid counterface can enhance the anplications of polymers under various environments. In meet ing this need, polymer tribology has evolved to deal with friction, lubrication and wear of polymeric materials ann to anSwer some of the problems related to polymer-polymer interactions or nolymer rigid body interactions. The purpose of this first International Symposium was to introduce advances in studies of polymer friction and wear, especially in Britain and the U. S. S. R. Most earlier studies of the Fifties were stimulated by the growth of rubber tire industries. Continuous research through the Sixties has broadened the base to include other polymers such as nylon, polyolefins, and poly tetra fluoroethylene, or PTFE. However, much of this work was published in engineering or physics journals and rarely in chemistry journals: presumably, the latter have always considered the work to be too applied or too irrelevant."

The subject of this volume is limited in that it addresses amphiphiles at liquid/air, liquid/liquid, and liquid/solid interfaces, with litte attention paid to vapor/solid interfaces. This volume will serve to summarize our current understanding of interfacial structure at the molecular level in these systems, and the relation of this structure to chemical and physicochemical phenomena.

In the modern organic synthesis industries, one of which is the synthetic rubber industry, ever increasing use is made of physical and physicochemical methods of analysis, which sur pass chemical methods in speed, accuracy, and sensitivity. By these methods it is often possible to arrive at the solution of problems in the investigation of complex mixtures of organic products which are not amenable to the usual chemical methods of analysis. One such physical method is ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The field of application of this method is restricted, in the main, to aromatic compounds and to systems containing double bonds conjugated among themselves or with functional groups. In the synthetic rubber industry ultraviolet spectroscopy finds appli cation in the analysis of a great variety of substances used in that industry: for the determination of impurities in monomers and intermediate products, in the study of the composition of certain polymers, for the quantitative estimation of various ingredients in rubbers, in the control of certain copolymeriza tion processes, and for many other purposes. The method can be used for the identification of certain compounds and can be applied in the determination of the composition of syn thetic rubber samples. Shortcomings of the method, which limit its analytical application in certain cases, are the super position of absorption spectra and their inadequate selectivity."

Asphaltenes have traditionally been viewed as being extremely complex, thus very hard to characterize. In addition, certain fundamental properties of asphaltenes have pre viously been inaccessible to study by traditional macroscopic methods, further limiting understanding of asphaltenes. These limitations inhibited development of descriptions regarding the microscopic structure and solution dynamics of asphaltenes. However, a variety ofmore recent studies have implied that asphaltenes share many chemical properties with the smaller, more tractable components of crude oils. Recent measurements have indicated that asphaltene molecular weights are not as arge as previously thought, perhaps in the range of 600 to I 000 amu. In addition, new experimental methods applied to asphaltene chemical structures have been quite revealing, yielding a broad understanding. Conse quently, the ability to relate chemical structure with physical and chemical properties can be developed and extended to the understanding of important commercial properties of asphal tenes. This book treats significant new developments in the fundamentals and applications of asphaltenes. In the first section ofthe book, new experimental methods are described that characterize asphaltene structures from the molecular to colloidallength scale. The colloidal properties are understandable in terms of asphaltene chemical structures, especially with regard to the heteroatom impact on bonding. However, quantitative measurements of the of asphaltene self-association still need to be determined. In the second section of enthalpy this book, the fundamental understanding of asphaltenes is related riirectly to asphaltene utilization."

This and its companion Volume 2 chronicle the proceedings of the First Technical Conference on Polyimides: Synthesis, Char acterization and Applications held under the auspices of the Mid Hudson Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers at Ellenville, New York, November 10-12, 1982. In the last decade or so there has been an accelerated interest in the use of polyimides for a variety of applications in a number of widely differing technologies. The applications of polyimides range from aerospace to microelectronics to medical field, and this is attributed to the fact that polyimides offer certain desirable traits, inter alia, high temperature stability. Polyimides are used as organic insulators, as adhesives, as coat ings, in composites, just to name a few of their uses. Even a casual search of the literature will underscore the importance of this class of materials and the high tempo of R&D activity taking place in the area of polyimides. So it was deemed that a conference on polyimides was both timely and needed. This conference was designed to provide a forum for discussion of various ramifications of polyimides, to bring together scientists and technologists interested in all aspects of polyimides and thus to provide an opportunity for cross-pollination of ideas, and to highlight areas which needed further and intensi fied R&D efforts. If the comments from the attendees are a baro meter of the success of a conference, then this event was highly successful and fulfilled amply its stated objectives.

Emulsification of vegetable oil-based resins was a daunting task when the author began his research, but the subsequent technology spawned a generation of stable emulsions for waterborne coatings based on vegetable oil-based alkyd resins, oils and fatty acids. Autoxidative polymerization of emulsified alkyd resins is an innovative and original contribution to emulsion technology, because conventional emulsion-polymerization is not applicable to alkyd resins. Emulsified alkyd particles are polymerized while dispersed in stable aqueous media-an original and patented innovation. Smooth and fa- drying alkyd coatings are generated from non-polymerized emulsions and air-dried with conventional metal driers, and have met with marketing success. The pre-polymerization innovation for emulsified alkyd particles provides very fast air-drying coatings that have potential markets for interior architectural latex coatings and waterborne pressure-sensitive adhesives and inks. The author demonstrates his knowledge of chemical reaction kinetics by employing a combination of oxygen concentration, internal reactor pressure and other reactor variables to finely control the rate and degree of autoxidative polymerization. He meticulously calculates surfactant chemistry by measuring hydrophile-lipophile balance values, and solubility parameters to emulsify characterized resins. The relationship between hydrophi- lipophile values and solubility parameters is shown in explicit equations. Homogenization equipment used during the course of this research to generate emulsions is shown in detailed drawings together with concise particle size and distribution data. The author reports research spawned internationally by his research in the fields of alkyd-acrylic hybrids, polyester and oil-modified urethane resins.

Honolulu is a most beautiful place, suitable for all occa sions. Its choice as the meeting site for the first Joint Chemical Congress between the American Chemical SOCiety and the Chemical Society of Japan was praised by scientists from both sides. During this Congress, the International Conference on Adhesion and Adsorption of Polymers was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel between April 2 and 5, 1979. We had speakers from ten nations presenting over forty papers related to the subject matter. It was a memorable event. Unlike our two previous adhesion symposia held in 1971 and 1975, this was the first time in the same conference that we discussed both adhesion and adsorption of polymers simultaneously. These two important phenomena are not only inter-related, but also equally important in adhesive technology as well as biochemical processes. The papers presented to this Conference deal with these two phenomena from both fundamental and practical viewpoints. Furthermore, with the advance of new surface analytical techniques, the actual, microscopic happenings at the interfaces can be pin pointed. Thus, characterization of interface became one of the major focuses of this Conference. As a result, a broad coverage of the subject matter includes statistical thermodynamics, surface physics, surface analysis, fracture mechaniCS, viscoelasticity, failure analysis, surface modification, adsorption kinetics, bio polymer adsorption, etc. Thanks to the diligence of our contri butors, we are now able to publish the final papers in these two volumes."

In the first half of this century, great strides were made in under standing the behavior of polymers in dilute solutions or in the solid state. Concentrated solutions, on the other hand, were commonly regarded as mainly of interest to practitioners, being too complex for the rigorous application of statistical theory. Given the preoccupation with the isolated polymer molecule and the attendant focus on the state of infinite dilution, it is not surprising that aggregation, and inter-polymer associ ation in general, was the bugaboo of experimentalists. These attitudes have changed remarkably over the last few decades. The application of sealing theory to polymer solutions has stimulated investigation of the semi-dilute state, and the region between infinite dilution and swollen gel is no longer perceived as terra incognita. New techniques, such as dynamic light scattering, have proven to be of much value in such investigations. At the same time, it has become clear that consideration of strong inter- and intra-polymer forces, superimposed on the familiar description of the statistical chain, is prerequisite to the application of polymer science to numerous systems of interest. Para mount among these, of course, are biopolymers, their complexes and assemblies. The isolated random coil must be viewed as tl rarity in nature."

During the past few decades, much research has been reported on the formation of insoluble monomolecular films of lipids and biopolymers (synthetic polymers and proteins) on the surface of water or at the oil-water interface. This interest arises from the fact that monomolecular film studies have been found to provide much useful information on a molecular scale, information that is useful for understanding many industrial and biological phenomena in chemical, agricultural, pharmaceutical, medical, and food science applications. For instance, information obtained from lipid monolayer studies has been useful in determining the forces that are known to stabilize emulsions and biological cell membranes. The current texts on surface chemistry generally devote a single chapter to the characteristics of spread monolayers of lipids and biopolymers on liquids, and a researcher may have to review several hundred references to determine the procedures needed to investigate or analyze a particular phenomenon. Furthermore, there is an urgent need at this stage for a text that discusses the state of the art regarding the surface pheqomena exhibited by lipids and biopolymers, as they are relevant to a wide variety of surface and interfacial processes.

The development and application of bioactive nano-structured constructs for tissue regeneration is the focus of the research summarised in this thesis. Moreover, a particular focus is the rational use of supercritical carbon dioxide foaming and electrospinning technologies which can lead to innovative polymeric bioresorbable scaffolds made of hydrolysable (both commercial and 'ad-hoc' synthesized) polyesters. Mainly, the author discusses the manipulation of polymer chemical structure and composition to tune scaffold physical properties, and optimization of scaffold 3D architecture by a smart use of both fabrication techniques. The multidisciplinary nature of this research is imperative in pursuing the challenge of tissue regeneration successfully. One of the strengths of this thesis is the integration of knowledge from chemistry, physics, engineering, materials science and biomedical science which has contributed to setting up new national and international collaborations, while strengthening existing ones.

For several decades, polymer science has sought to rationalize the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of polymer networks largely within the framework of statistical thermodynamics. Much of this effort has been directed toward the rubbery rather than the glassy state. It is generally assumed that networks possess an av erage composition to which average properties may be assigned; from such a continuum view, a powerful analysis of such properties as modulus, swelling, birefringence and thermoelasticity has emerged. In the years following the rise of polymer characterization (the late 40's and early 50's), many scientists began to study ap parent relations between the properties of linear polymer molecules and the networks obtainable therefrom. This search was also stimu lated by the wide range of applications of polymer networks in com mercial elastomers, thermosets and coatings. Frequently, these data were confidently matched with curves obtained from statisti cally describable models of networks of ghost chains, uniformly distributed in space. More recently, it has become apparent that polymer chains in networks are not as ideal as assumed in the formulation of statis tical models, and there has been a shift in emphasis towards the less than ideal, perturbed and possibly inhomogeneous networks which are more frequently encountered in practice. The continuum approach, however, had to be developed before inhomogeneous systems could be described; the present volume, therefore, contains both views."

These volumes, 3 and 4, of Fracture Mechanics of Ceramics con stitute the proceedings of an international symposium on the frac ture mechanics of ceramics held at the Pennsylvania State Univer sity, University Park, PA on July 27, 28, and 29, 1977. Volumes 1 and 2 were published previously as the proceedings of a sympo sium of the same name held July 11, 12, and 13, 1973, also at Penn State. All four volumes published to date concentrate on the fracture aspects of the mechanical behavior of brittle ceramics in terms of the characteristics of cracks. The program chairmen gratefully acknowledge the financial as sistance for the symposium provided by the Office of Naval Re search, the Energy Research and Development Administration, and the Army Research Office. Without their support the quality and mag nitude of this conference simply would not have been possible. Numerous individuals contributed to the success of the con ference, but unfortunately they cannot all be listed here. However the program chairmen would especially like to recognize the contri butions of Penn State Conference Coordinator, Mr. Ronald Avillion, whose expertise in planning and organization was indispensable; Dr. Fred R. Matson for his interesting after dinner speech; and Drs. A. M. Diness, J. C. Hurt, and D. W. Readey for their en couragement and valuable suggestions regarding the program. Finally, we wish to also thank our joint secretaries for the patience and help in bringing these proceedings to press."