Modem materials polymers

Modem synthetic polymers are the subject of increasing research by conservation scientists. Not only does their frequent use in conservation treatments require a better understanding of their long term stabiUty, but also many objects, including those in collections of contemporary art and in history and technology museums, are made out of these new materials. 

J. M. G. Cowie, Polymers Chemistry Physics of modem materials, Blaekie and Son Ltd., Glasgow 1991. 

Cowie, J.M.G., Polymers Chemistry and Physics of Modem Materials, Int. Textbook, Aylesbury, 1973. 

It has been a long way from early synthetic polymers created as artificial substitutes (Kunststoffe) for scarcening metal resources, to modem materials tailormade to fill specific functions through particular properties and processing characteristics in many areas of application. Ever since they were first prepared, surprising new or improved properties have been discovered or engineered. 

Figure 2.33 Polymer-solvent phase diagram showing binodal, spinodal, and miscibility gap. Reprinted, by permission, from J. M. G. Cowie, Polymers Chemistry Physics of Modem Materials, 2nd ed., P. 167. Copyright 1991 by Chapman Hall.

One of the points made in Schwenz and Moore was that the physical chemistry laboratory should better reflect the range of activities found in current physical chemistry research. This is reflected in part by the inclusion of modem instrumentation and computational methods, as noted extensively above, but also by the choice of topics. A number of experiments developed since Schwenz and Moore reflect these current topics. Some are devoted to modem materials, an extremely active research area, that I have broadly construed to include semiconductors, nanoparticles, self-assembled monolayers and other supramolecular systems, liquid crystals, and polymers. Others are devoted to physical chemistry of biological systems. I should point out here, that with rare exceptions, I have not included experiments for the biophysical chemistry laboratory in this latter category, primarily because the topics of many of these experiments fall out of the range of a typical physical chemistry laboratory or lecture syllabus. Systems of environmental interest were well represented as well. 

Several experiments were devoted to the study of polymers. One was devoted to the study of spin-coating (121). A second uses light scattering to measure polymer sizes (122). There were several approaches to polymer kinetics (39, 123, 124, 125). Finally there was one study using differential scanning calorimetry to study polymer glasses (126). All of these experiments on modem materials can be found listed in Table VIII. 

J.M.G. Cowie Polymers Chemistry and Physics of Modem Materials (Chapman and Hall, New York, 1991) I.M. Campbell Introduction to Synthetic Polymers (Oxford University Press, New York, 1997)... 

Modem Materials, 2nd edn Glasgow Blackie New York Chapman and Hall, 1991. (d) Young, R. J. Lovell, P. A. Introduction to Polymers, 2nd edn Chapman and Hall London, 1991. (e) Allen, G., Bevington, L C. eds. Comprehensive Polymer Science The Synthesis, Characterization, Reactions and Applications of Polymers Pergamon Oxford, 1989. 

Cowie JMG, Anighi V (2008) Polymers chemistry and physics of modem materials. CRC Press, Boca Raton... 

Bueche, R, Physical Properties of Polymers , Interscience Publishers, New York, 1962. Cowie, J. M., G., Polymers Chemistry and Physics and Modem Materials , Blackie, Glasgow, 1991. 

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