This review is focused on controlled/living radical polymerization methods for the preparation of various copolymers. A brief introduction to the subject of radical polymerization, and early attempts to control it, is followed by a detailed examination of the literautre on controlled/living radical copolymerizations from the mid-90's until 2001. The topics covered include statistical/gradient, block, graft, and star copolymers and the polymerization methods used to produce them. These copolymers were prepared using three major controlled radical methods (either nitroxide mediated...

Biomaterials repair, reinforce or replace damaged functional parts of the (human) body. All mechanical and biological interactions between an implant and the body occur across the interface, which has to correspond as nearly as possible to its particular function. Much of the progress in adapting polymer materials for use in a biological environment has been obtained through irradiation techniques. For this reason the most recent developments in four key areas are reviewed in this special volume: (1) the analysis of the topology and the elemental composition of a functional surface, (2) the...

A renewed interest in aliphatic polyesters has resulted in developing materials important in the biomedical and ecological fields. Mainly materials such as PLA and PCL homopolymers have so far been used in most applications. There are many other monomers which can be used. Different molecular structures give a wider range of physical properties as well as the possibility of regulating the degradation rate. By using different types of initiators and catalysts, ring-opening polymerization of lactones and lactides provides macromolecules with advanced molecular architectures. In the future, new...

Nanotechnology is the creation of useful materials, devices, and systems through the control of matter on the nanometer-length scale. This takes place at the scale of atoms, molecules, and supramolecular structures. In the world of chemistry, the rational design of molecular structures and optimized control of self-assembly conditions have enabled us to control the resultant self-assembled morphologies having 1 to 100-nm dimensions with sing- nanometer precision. This current research trend applying the bottom-up approach to molecules remarkably contrasts with the top-down approach in...

With the highest impact factor of all publications ranked by ISI within Polymer Science, this collection of short and concise reports on the physics and chemistry of polymers, each written by world-renowned experts, is still valid and useful after 10 years.

Control of polymeric structure is among the most important endeavours of modern macromolecular science. In particular, tailoring the positioning and strength of intermolecular forces within macromolecules by synthetic me- odsandthusgaining structuralcontrolover the?nalpolymeric materials has become feasible, resulting in the ?eld of supramolecular polymer science. - sides other intermolecular forces, hydrogen bonds are unique intermolecular forces enabling the tuning of material properties via self-assembly processes 1 overawiderangeofinteractionstrengthrangingfromseveralkJmol tosev- 1...

The rapidly-developing field of confined polymers is reviewed in this volume. Special emphasis is given to polymer aspects of this interdisciplinary problem. Taken together, the contributions offer ample evidence of how the field of polymer science continues to evolve with the passage of time. The topics revolve around the tendency of surfaces to impede chain relaxation and to stimulate new sorts of chain organization. These have been implicated in a variety of spectacular phenomena. Here is a listing of authors and affiliations: K. Binder (Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz, Germany);...