An in-depth review of important preparative methods for the synthesis and chemical modification of polymers, this authoritative second edition examines the advantages and limitations of various polymerization applications and procedures. It features new approaches and innovative strategies from the most prominent industry and academic laboratories, reflecting the burgeoning role of polymers in modern science and technology. The book analyzes biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications; investigates the use of polyolefins, polymeric dienes, aromatic polyethers, polymides, and metal-containing macromolecules; and covers polymers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and maleic acid.

This book advocates the importance and value of errors for the progress of scientific research! Hans Kricheldorf explains that most of the great scientific achievements are based on an iterative process (an 'innate self-healing mechanism'): errors are committed, being checked over and over again, through which finally new findings and knowledge can arise. New ideas are often first confronted with refusal. This is so not only in real life, but also in scientific and medical research. The author outlines in this book how great ideas had to ripen over time before winning recognition and being accepted. The book showcases in an entertaining way, but without schadenfreude, that even some of the most famous discoverers may appear in completely different light, when regarding errors they have committed in their work. This book is divided into two parts. The first part creates a fundament for the discussion and understanding by introducing important concepts, terms and definitions, such as (natural) sciences and scientific research, laws of nature, paradigm shift, and progress (in science). It compares natural sciences with other scientific disciplines, such as historical research or sociology, and examines the question if scientific research can generate knowledge of permanent validity. The second part contains a collection of famous fallacies and errors from medicine, biology, chemistry, physics and geology, and how they were corrected. Readers will be astonished and intrigued what meanders had to be explored in some cases before scientists realized facts, which are today's standard and state-of-the-art of science and technology. This is an entertaining and amusing, but also highly informative book not only for scientists and specialists, but for everybody interested in science, research, their progress, and their history!

This book advocates the importance and value of errors for the progress of scientific research! Hans Kricheldorf explains that most of the great scientific achievements are based on an iterative process (an 'innate self-healing mechanism'): errors are committed, being checked over and over again, through which finally new findings and knowledge can arise. New ideas are often first confronted with refusal. This is so not only in real life, but also in scientific and medical research. The author outlines in this book how great ideas had to ripen over time before winning recognition and being accepted. The book showcases in an entertaining way, but without schadenfreude, that even some of the most famous discoverers may appear in completely different light, when regarding errors they have committed in their work. This book is divided into two parts. The first part creates a fundament for the discussion and understanding by introducing important concepts, terms and definitions, such as (natural) sciences and scientific research, laws of nature, paradigm shift, and progress (in science). It compares natural sciences with other scientific disciplines, such as historical research or sociology, and examines the question if scientific research can generate knowledge of permanent validity. The second part contains a collection of famous fallacies and errors from medicine, biology, chemistry, physics and geology, and how they were corrected. Readers will be astonished and intrigued what meanders had to be explored in some cases before scientists realized facts, which are today's standard and state-of-the-art of science and technology. This is an entertaining and amusing, but also highly informative book not only for scientists and specialists, but for everybody interested in science, research, their progress, and their history!

In 1906, Hermann Leuchs, a student of Emil Fischer, discovered the class of N-Carboxy-aminoacid-anhydrides, also known as Leuch's anhydrides, or abbreviated NCAs. These compounds are, even 80 years after their discovery, valuable intermediates in organic synthesis due to their reactivity: NCAs polymerize with the elimination of carbondioxide to yield polypeptides, model compounds for proteins. They can be used as starting material for a variety of pharmaceutically interesting products and for synthetic polymers (fibres and films). Ralph Hirschmann demonstrated the step by step synthesis of ribonuclease utilizing NCAs as monomers. The author of this monograph, Hans R. Kricheldorf, University Hamburg, is, on account of his own research in Freiburg and Hamburg, predestined to give the reader an insight into the organic chemistry of NCAs and related heterocycles as well as macromolecular chemistry, that is the synthesis of polypeptides and the structure-reactivity relationship. I predict a good accept- ance of this book about the class of cyclic aminoacid derivatives by scientists in various areas. Aachen, September 1986 Helmut Zahn Acknowledgment The author would like to express his gratitude to the american chemical society, the royal society of chemistry, Marcel Dekker Inc., John Wiley & Sons, Hiithig & Wepf Verlag and Kobunshi Gakkai for the permission to reproduce figures from their journals.

In diesem Buch werden experimentelle Ergebnisse zum Konzept der molekularen Evolution geschildert und kritisch bewertet. Dies geschieht erstmals aus der Sicht eines Polymerchemikers.

Wer neue Ideen hat, stoesst oftmals erst auf Ablehnung. Das ist in den Naturwissenschaften und in der Medizin nicht anders als im alltaglichen Leben. Wie der Autor eindrucksvoll darstellt, haben viele wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und heute allgemein anerkannte Theorien mitunter Jahrzehnte oder gar Jahrhunderte benoetigt, ehe sie von den Koryphaen der damaligen Zeit endlich akzeptiert wurden. Manche Entdecker wurden gar erst posthum gefeiert, und so manch grosser Name erscheint in wenig strahlendem Licht, wenn man seine Irrtumer genauer unter die Lupe nimmt. Und das versteht der Autor vorzuglich, ohne dabei Schadenfreude aufkommen zu lassen. Ein kurzweiliges Lesevergnugen nicht nur fur wissenschaftlich oder historisch Interessierte!

An in-depth review of important preparative methods for the synthesis and chemical modification of polymers, this authoritative second edition examines the advantages and limitations of various polymerization applications and procedures. It features new approaches and innovative strategies from the most prominent industry and academic laboratories, reflecting the burgeoning role of polymers in modern science and technology. The book analyzes biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications; investigates the use of polyolefins, polymeric dienes, aromatic polyethers, polymides, and metal-containing macromolecules; and covers polymers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and maleic acid.