This book reports on the design, synthesis and characterization of new small molecule electron acceptors for polymer solar cells. Starting with a detailed introduction to the science behind polymer solar cells, the author then goes on to review the challenges and advances made in developing non-fullerene acceptors so far. In the main body of the book, the author describes the design principles and synthetic strategy for a new family of acceptors, including detailed synthetic procedures and molecular modeling data used to predict physical properties. An indepth characterization of the photovoltaic performance, with transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS), photo-induced charge extraction, and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) is also included, and the author uses this data to relate material properties and device performance. This book provides a useful overview for researchers beginning a project in this or related areas.

This book provides an overview of polyolefine production, including several recent breakthrough innovations in the fields of catalysis, process technology, and materials design. The industrial development of polymers is an extraordinary example of multidisciplinary cooperation, involving experts from different fields. An understanding of structure-property and processing relationships leads to the design of materials with innovative performance profiles. A comprehensive description of the connection between innovative material performance and multimodal polymer design, which incorporates both flexibility and constraints of multimodal processes and catalyst needs, is provided. This book provides a summary of the polymerization process, from the atomistic level to the macroscale, process components, including catalysts, and their influence on final polymer performance. This reference merges academic research and industrial knowledge to fill the gaps between academic research and industrial processes. * Connects innovative material performance to the flexibility of multimodal polymer design processes; * Provides a comprehensive description of the polymerization process from the atomic level to the macroscale; * Presents a polyhedric view of multimodal polymer production, including structure, property, and processing relationships, and the development of new materials.

This book exclusively focuses on the science and fundamentals of polymer gels, as well as the numerous advantages that polymer gel-based materials offer. It presents a comprehensive collection of chapters on the recent advances and developments in the core science and fundamentals of both synthetic and natural polymer-based gels, and pays particular attention to applications in the various research fields of biomedicine and engineering. Key topics addressed include: polysaccharide-based gels and their fundamentals; stimuli-responsive polymer gels; polymer gels applied to enzyme and cell immobilization; chitosan-based gels for cancer therapy; natural polymeric and gelling agents; radiation dosimetry; polymeric gels as vehicles for enhanced drug delivery across the skin; transport in and through gel; and polymer gel nanocomposites and functional gels. The book's extensive and highly topical coverage will appeal to researchers working in a broad range of fields in industry and academia alike.

This book addresses a range of synthesis and characterization techniques that are critical for tailoring and broadening the various aspects of polymer gels, as well as the numerous advantages that polymer gel-based materials offer. It presents a comprehensive collection of chapters on the recent advances and developments in the science and fundamentals of both synthetic and natural polymer-based gels. Topics covered include: synthesis and structure of physically/chemically cross-linked polymer-gels/polymeric nanogels; gel formation through non-covalent cross-linking; molecular design and characterization; polysaccharide-based polymer gels: synthesis, characterization, and properties; modified polysaccharide gels: silica-based polymeric gels as platforms for the delivery of pharmaceuticals; gel-based approaches in genomic and proteomic sciences; emulgels in drug delivery; and organogels. The book provides a cutting-edge resource for researchers and scientists working in various fields involving polymers, biomaterials, bio-nanotechnology and functional materials.

Many industrial formulations such as detergents, paints, foodstuff and cosmetics contain both surfactants and polymers and their interaction govern many of the properties. This book is unique in that it discusses the solution chemistry of both surfactants and polymers and also the interactions between the two. The book, which is based on successful courses given by the authors since 1992, is a revised and extended version of the first edition that became a market success with six reprints since 1998. Surfactants and Polymers in Aqueous Solution is broad in scope, providing both theoretical insights and practical help for those active in the area.

This book contains a thorough discussion of surfactant types and gives information of main routes of preparation. A chapter on novel surfactants has been included in the new edition. Physicochemical phenomena such as self-assembly in solution, adsorption, gel formation and foaming are discussed in detail. Particular attention is paid to the solution behaviour of surfactants and polymers containing polyoxyethylene chains. Surface active polymers are presented and their interaction with surfactants is a core topic of the book. Protein-surfactant interaction is also important and a new chapter deals with this issue. Microemulsions are treated in depth and several important application such as detergency and their use as media for chemical reactions are presented. Emulsions and the choice of emulsifier is discussed in some detail. The new edition also contains chapters on rheology and wetting.

Surfactants and Polymers in Aqueous Solution is aimed at those dealing with surface chemistry research at universities and with surfactant formulation in industry.

This book discusses recent advances in hydrogels, including their generation and applications and presents a compendium of fundamental concepts. It highlights the most important hydrogel materials, including physical hydrogels, chemical hydrogels, and nanohydrogels and explores the development of hydrogel-based novel materials that respond to external stimuli, such as temperature, pressure, pH, light, biochemicals or magnetism, which represent a new class of intelligent materials. With their multiple cooperative functions, hydrogel-based materials exhibit different potential applications ranging from biomedical engineering to water purification systems. This book covers key topics including superabsorbent polymer hydrogel; intelligent hydrogels for drug delivery; hydrogels from catechol-conjugated materials; nanomaterials loaded hydrogel; electrospinning of hydrogels; biopolymers-based hydrogels; injectable hydrogels; interpenetrating-polymer-network hydrogels: radiation- and sonochemical synthesis of micro/nano/macroscopic hydrogels; DNA-based hydrogels; and multifunctional applications of hydrogels. It will prove a valuable resource for researchers working in industry and academia alike.

With contributions by leading international experts, this book presents a detailed compilation of a new and very active field. It is the first book devoted to the covalent coupling of molecular precursors on surfaces that allows the preparation of 0D, 1D and 2D molecules that cannot be synthesized in solution. This book is aimed at students and researchers interested in nanochemistry and molecular devices and it gives the reader a pedagogical up-to-date vision of the most recent developments. The editor ensures a multidisciplinary approach involving molecular chemistry, surface sciences, surface spectroscopies, theory, scanning tunneling and non-contact atomic force microscopies.

This book effectively links the latest scientific advances to current technological applications of polymers, mainly focusing on biodegradable polymers obtained from biomass. The individual chapters were written by academic and industry researchers alike, introducing readers to topics that have received little attention in the literature to date. Key topics covered include polymers used in various areas such as food packaging, pharmaceuticals, energy production and the cosmetics industry, as well as the treatment of aqueous effluents.

Written with the non-scientist in mind, this book employs the molecule and its interactions to explain the characteristics of living organisms in terms of the underlying chemistry of life. Following introductory chapters on the fundamentals of life, attention then turns to small molecules such as hormones and neurotransmitters and subsequently to macromolecules including proteins and nucleic acids. The interactions between small and macromolecules remains a central point throughout the book. These include enzymatic catalysis, hormone action, neurotransmission, regulation of metabolism, biosynthesis of macromolecules, the mechanism of action of drugs, taste, olfaction, learning and memory, and chemical communication.
A second central point of emphasis is the sensitive relationship between chemical structure and biological activity. Examples abound and include why subtle changes in fatty acid architecture have positive or negative outcomes for human health in omega-three fatty acids and trans fats and how modest changes in the chemical decoration of the steroid skeleton provide the difference between male and female sex hormones. Beyond these examples taken from the chemistry of small molecules, the book includes a thoughtful consideration of genomics, including the relationship between genome structure and species. The theme of human health appears throughout the book. Cardiovascular medicine, cancer, metabolic diseases, and diseases of the nervous system receive significant attention including consideration of how a variety of drugs work in combating these issues.
In sum, the goal of this book is to inform the non-scientist community in a way that will lead to increased understanding of the relationship between chemistry and life.

This book describes the development of three dimensional electroactive fibres using a novel coaxial wet-spinning approach from organic conductors in combination with non-conducting hydrogel polymers. This book also presents the characterization and evaluation of multiaxial biofibres in terms of mechanical, physical, electrochemical and biological properties, and explores their use in a diverse range of applications including implantable electrodes, drug delivery systems and energy-storage systems. In the first chapter, the author highlights the significance of engineering three dimensional fibres, introduces the involved hydrogels and organic conductors with emphasis on their biomedical application, and collects some of the previously established methods for fabrication of biofibres. In the second chapter, particular attention is given to the overall experimental fabrication methods and characterization analyses conducted in the work. Chapters three to five present the main findings of this work, in which readers will discover how novel hybrid hydrogel fibres with an inner core of chitosan and alginate were prepared and characterized, how graphene was incorporated into coaxial wet-spun biofibres, and how one-dimensional triaxial fibres were developed using a novel coaxial wet-spinning fibre production method and applied as potential battery devices. In the final chapter of this work, the author summarizes the main achievements of the work and outlines some recommendations for future research.

This book discusses the mechanisms of electric conductivity in various ionic liquid systems (protic, aprotic as well as polymerized ionic liquids). It hence covers the electric properties of ionic liquids and their macromolecular counterpanes, some of the most promising materials for the development of safe electrolytes in modern electrochemical energy devices such as batteries, super-capacitors, fuel cells and dye-sensitized solar cells. Chapter contributions by the experts in the field discuss important findings obtained using broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and other complementary techniques. The book is an excellent introduction for readers who are new to the field of dielectric properties of ionic conductors, and a helpful guide for every scientist who wants to investigate the interplay between molecular structure and dynamics in ionic conductors by means of dielectric spectroscopy.

This book describes the tremendous progress that has been made in the development of gas separation membranes based both on inorganic and polymeric materials. Materials discussed include polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs), metal organic frameworks (MOFs), carbon based materials, zeolites, as well as other materials, and mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) in which the above novel materials are incorporated. This broad survey of gas membranes covers material, theory, modeling, preparation, characterization (for example, by AFM, IR, XRD, ESR, Positron annihilation spectroscopy), tailoring of membranes, membrane module and system design, and applications. The book is concluded with some perspectives about the future direction of the field.

This book describes the design, fabrication and evaluation of a polymer-based neural interface for a cochlear electrode array, reviewed in terms of fabrication process, functionality, and reliability. Polymer-based devices have attracted attention in the neural prosthetic field due to their flexibility and compatibility with micro-fabrication process. A liquid crystal polymer (LCP) is an inert, highly water-resistant polymer suitable for the encapsulation of electronic components and as a substrate material for fabricating neural interfaces. The author has designed, fabricated, and evaluated an LCP-based cochlear electrode array for an improved polymer-based cochlear implant. The thesis deals with 3 key topics: atraumatic deep insertion, tripolar stimulation, and long-term reliability. Atraumatic insertion of the intracochlear electrode and resulting preservation of residual hearing have become essential in state-of-the-art cochlear implantation. A novel tapered design of an LCP-based cochlear electrode array is presented to meet such goals. For high-density and pitch-recognizable cochlear implant, channel interaction should be avoided. Local tripolar stimulation using multi-layered electrode sites are shown to achieve highly focused electrical stimulation. This thesis addresses another vital issue in the polymer-based neural implants: the long-term reliability issue. After suggesting a new method of forming mechanical interlocking to improve polymer-metal adhesion, the author performs accelerating aging tests to verify the method's efficacy. The aforementioned three topics have been thoroughly examined through various in vitro and in vivo studies. Verification foresees the development of LCP-based cochlear electrode array for an atraumatic deep insertion, advanced stimulation, and long-term clinical implant.

This volume is a new follow-up volume that complements Dynamic Light Scattering (1993) by the same author. The volume is directed to the recent development in the light scattering technique and to describing a wide spectrum of its applications. Both the theoretical development and utilization are traced by authors who are expert in their fields. Development in static light scattering as applied to simple liquids, polymer solutions, and multi-component polymer mixtures are dealt with. The scattering theory of colloidal dispersions is described and scattering from rod-like polyelectolytes is reviewed. There are chapters on concentrated polymer systems, aggregation phenomena, polymer-polymer interactions, polyelectrolytes in solution. Emphasis is given to more complex systems, for example, ternary polymer systems, complex micellar systems, and block copolymers in the ordered and disordered states. Low-angle light scattering is reviewed, as well as simultaneous static and dynamic light scattering. The determination of particle size distributions and combined chromatographic light scattering techniques are also treated.

An applications-oriented resource on step-growth polymerization

Step-growth polymers–polymer chains of any length that combine to form a longer polymer chain–comprise a large portion of the commodity plastics industry today, including polyesters, polyamides, and polyurethanes. Synthetic Methods in Step-Growth Polymers provides a concise source of information on synthetic techniques, purification, and characterization methods for step-growth polymers and also addresses future synthetic trends.

This applications-oriented handbook is a one-stop, at-your-fingertips source of information for researchers, technologists, and industrial managers. Encompassing a single reference of the classical and state-of-the-art synthetic techniques for preparing polymers via step-growth polymerization, Martin Rogers and Timothy Long’s text provides a historical background of step-growth polymerization, basic information regarding major classes of step-growth polymers, and experimental techniques such as purification, synthesis, and characterization. Chapters include:

• Polyurethanes and Polyureas
• Polyimides and Other High-Temperature Polymers
• Non-Traditional Step-Growth Polymerization–ADMET
• Non-Traditional Step-Growth Polymerization–Transition Metal Coupling
• Depolymerization and Recycling

All chapters are contributed by leading experts in their respective fields. Chemists, chemical engineers, and materials scientists, as well as industrial, academic, and government libraries, will find Synthetic Methods in Step-Growth Polymers to be an unparalleled resource for this category of polymerization.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field. The chapter "Polymeric Nanoparticle-Mediated Gene Delivery for Lung Cancer Treatment" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This volume describes the application of fluorescence spectroscopy in polymer research. The first chapters outline the basic principles of the conformational and dynamic behavior of polymers and review the problems of polymer self-assembly. Subsequent chapters introduce the theoretical principles of advanced fluorescence methods and typical examples of their application in polymer science. The book closes with several reviews of various fluorescence applications for studying specific aspects of polymer-solution behavior. It is a useful resource for polymer scientists and experts in fluorescence spectroscopy alike, facilitating their communication and cooperation.

Advances in Polymer Science enjoys a longstanding tradition and good reputation in its community. Each volume is dedicated to a current topic, and each review critically surveys one aspect of that topic, to place it within the context of the volume. The volumes typically summarize the significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years and discuss them critically, presenting selected examples, explaining and illustrating the important principles, and bringing together many important references of primary literature. On that basis, future research directions in the area can be discussed. Advances in Polymer Science volumes thus are important references for every polymer scientist, as well as for other scientists interested in polymer science - as an introduction to a neighboring field, or as a compilation of detailed information for the specialist.

This book presents a comprehensive study on microextrusion-based 3D bioprinting technologies for bioinks with various crosslinking mechanisms, chiefly focusing on the bioprinting process and bioink properties to provide readers with a better understanding of this state-of-the-art technology. Further, it summarizes a number of general criteria and research routes for microextrusion-based 3D bioprinting using three experimental studies based on shear-thinning, thermo-sensitive and non-viscous hydrogel bioinks. The book also presents sample applications in the areas of stem cells and cell matrix interaction. The book highlights pioneering results in the development of bioprinting technologies and bioinks, which were published in high-quality journals such as Advanced Materials, Biofabrication and ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. These include an in-situ crosslinking strategy that overcomes the viscosity limits for bioinks, which is virtually impossible using conventional strategies, and can be generalized for other bioink formulations.

"Ion Beam Treatment of Polymers, Second Edition" presents the results of polymer investigations and technique development in the field of polymer modification by high-energy ion beams. It shows how to use ion beam equipment in the polymer industry, as well as how to use it to produce new polymer materials. The authors, scientists and researchers active in the field, provide analysis and data from their work, and give an overview of related work by others. The authors focus on wetting, adhesion, hardness, chemical activity, environmental stability, biocompatibility, new synthesis methods, and space flight construction.

The technologies of material modification by a beam of high energy ions have wide applications in different fields, from microelectronics to medicine. Historically, ion beam treatment of polymers had fewer applications due to high costs of ion beam equipment and low costs of polymer materials. The modern development of new pulse sources with a high current density and wide ion beams increase the effectiveness of ion beam technology for polymers.
Collates data from many scientists working in polymer chemistry, physics of ion beam implantation, and in development and production of ion beam equipment Covers industrial and scientific applications of ion beam implanted polymersIntegrates physical and chemical aspects of the processes in polymers treated by ion beams

Lianwei Li's Ph.D. thesis solves a long-standing problem in polymer physics: how does a hyperbranched chain pass through a cylindrical pore smaller than its size under an elongational flow field? The question was asked by the Nobel Laureate, the late Professor de Gennes in the 70s but has never been seriously addressed through real experiments. This thesis outlines how Lianwei Li developed a novel polymerization strategy using a seesaw-type macromonomer to prepare a set of "defect-free" hyperbranched chagins with different overall molar masses and controllable uniform subchain lengths. The author then unearthed how the critical (minimum) flow rate at which a hyperbranched chain can pass through the pore, is dependent on the overall molar mass and the subchain length. The experimental results give a unified description of polymer chains with different topologies passing through a small cylindrical pore, which enables us to separate chains by their topologies instead of their sizes in ultrafiltration. In addition, this research also reveals how the chain structure of amphiphilic hyperbranched block and graft copolymers affect their solution properties, including the establishments of several classic scaling laws that relate the chain size and the intrinsic viscosity to the overall molar mass and the subchain length, respectively. This work has led to numerous publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

Approaching the material from a chemistry and engineering perspective, High Performance Polymers presents the most reliable and current data available about state-of-the-art polymerization, fabrication, and application methods of high performance industrial polymers.

Chapters are arranged according to the chemical constitution of the individual classes, beginning with main chain carbon-carbon polymers and leading to ether-containing, sulfur-containing, and so on. Each chapter follows an easily readable template, provides a brief overview and history of the polymer, and continues on to such sub-topics as monomers; polymerization and fabrication; properties; fabrication methods; special additives; applications; suppliers and commercial grades; safety; and environmental impact and recycling.

High Performance Polymers brings a wealth of up-to-date, high performance polymer data to you library, in a format that allows for either a fast fact-check or more detailed study. In this new edition the data has been fully updated to reflect all developments since 2008, particularly in the topics of monomers, synthesis of polymers, special polymer types, and fields of application.
Presents the state-of-the-art polymerization, fabrication and application methods of high performance industrial polymers.
Provides fundamental information for practicing engineers working in industries that develop advanced applications (including electronics, automotive and medical)
Discusses environmental impact and recycling of polymers.

The series Advances in Polymer Science presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science. It covers all areas of research in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics, material science. The thematic volumes are addressed to scientists, whether at universities or in industry, who wish to keep abreast of the important advances in the covered topics. Advances in Polymer Science enjoys a longstanding tradition and good reputation in its community. Each volume is dedicated to a current topic, and each review critically surveys one aspect of that topic, to place it within the context of the volume. The volumes typically summarize the significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years and discuss them critically, presenting selected examples, explaining and illustrating the important principles, and bringing together many important references of primary literature. On that basis, future research directions in the area can be discussed. Advances in Polymer Science volumes thus are important references for every polymer scientist, as well as for other scientists interested in polymer science - as an introduction to a neighboring field, or as a compilation of detailed information for the specialist. Review articles for the individual volumes are invited by the volume editors. Single contributions can be specially commissioned. Readership: Polymer scientists, or scientists in related fields interested in polymer and biopolymer science, at universities or in industry, graduate students

This book summarizes the recent advances in applications of starch in state-of-the-art drug carriers (hydrogel, micro- and nano-particulate carriers) with stimulus-responsive and target-specific properties. It also highlights the role of starch and its derivatives in transmucosal administration to improve the bioavailability of drugs. Further, it outlines the principles of effective, advanced, starch-based drug delivery systems and illustrates how these principles are key to the development of future drug delivery strategies. This interesting reference resource is useful for students, researchers and engineers in the fields of carbohydrate chemistry, polymer sciences and drug delivery.