Flammability has been recognized as an increasingly important social and scientific problem. Fire statistics in the United States (Report of the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. "America Burning: ' 1973) emphasized the vast devastation to life and property--12.000 lives lost annually due to fire. and these deaths are usually caused by inhaling smoke or toxic gases: 300.000 fire injuries: 11.4 billion dollars in fire cost at which 2.7 billion dollars is related to property loss: a billion dollars to burn injury treatment: and 3.3 billion dollars in productivity loss. It is obvious that much human and economic misery can be attributed to fire situations. In relation to this. polymer flammability has been recognized as an in creasingly important social and scientific problem. The development of flame-retardant polymeric materials is a current example where the initia tive for major scientific and technological developments is motivated by sociological pressure and legislation. This is part of the important trend toward a safer environment and sets a pattern for future example. Flame retardancy deals with our basic everyday life situations-housing. work areas. transportation. clothing and so forth-the "macroenvironment" capsule within which "homosapiens" live. As a result. flame-retardant polymers are now emerging as a specific class of materials leading to new and diversified scientific and technological ventures."

This marks the first publieation of the Division of Polymer Chemistry, Ine., Ameriean Chemieal Soeiety, bien nia1 polymer symposia. This new series will feature new and novel deve10pments in polymer seience and technology as presented at these symposia. This volume reports the proeeeding of the Eighth Bi ennia1 Polymer Symposium of the Division of Polymer Chem istry held at Key Biseayne, Florida on November 20 - 24, 1976. It is eoneerned with a number of developments having both scientifie and praetical significance. These inelude polymerie liquid erysta1 systems in the melt and in solu tion, polymer blends, and nove1 polymers in extended chain conformations produced by solid-state polymerization. Rates of eonformationa1 transitions and cis-trans isomeri zations in polymers, a new look at rubber elasticity theory and new synthetie procedures for stiffening polymer ehains are some of the new scientific developments. The book conc1udes with two approaches for the use of polymers in the important field of slow drug release. The authors are all we1l-known seientists and inelude Nobel Laureate Paul Flory, first recipient of the Polymer Division Award whieh was presented at this Symposium. Eli M. Pearee John R. Schaefgen v CONTENTS The Molecular Theory of Rubber Elasticity 1 (Polymer Division Award Address) P. J. Flory Liquid Crystalline Solutions from POlyhydrazides in Aqueous Organic Bases . . . . . . . 19 J. D. Hartzler and P. W. Morgan Properties of Rigid-Chain Polymers in Dilute and Concentrated Solutions . . . ."