Polymer science, history

Styrene and its polymers deserve a special place in polymer science history. The polymerization of a liquid obtained by Simon by the pyrolysis of storax in 1839 was the first recoiled polymerization of a vinyl monomer (1). Since he confused the polymer with an oxidation product, he called it styrene oxide. Blythe and Hofmann (2) suggested the name meta-styrol and Kopp (3) showed that this product and cinnanol, obtained by the distillation of cinnamic acid to be identical. Erlenmeyer (4) described this product as vinyl benzene. 

Condensation polymerization also has a special place in polymer science history. The first truly synthetic polymer, Bakelite, was developed in 1907, as the condensation product of phenol and formaldehyde [66]. Meanwhile, Wallace Carothers pioneered polyester synthesis in the 1930s at Dupont and developed a series of mathematical eqnations to describe the kinetics, stoichiometry, and molecular weight distribution of condensation polymerizations. 

Coarse-grained models have a longstanding history in polymer science. Long-chain molecules share many common mesoscopic characteristics which are independent of the atomistic stmcture of the chemical repeat units [4, 5 and 6]. The self-similar stmcture [7, 8, 9 and 10] on large length scales is only characterized by a single length scale, the chain extension R. 

The discovery and development of polypropylene, the one genuinely new large tonnage thermoplastics material developed since World War II, forms part of what is arguably the most important episode in the history of polymer science. For many years it had been recognised that natural polymers were far more regular in their structure than synthetic polymers. Whilst there had been some improvement in controlling molecular architecture, the man-made materials, relative to the natural materials, were structurally crude. 

R. B. Seymour, History of Polymer Science and Technology, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York (1982). 

The nanometer level of characterization is necessary for nanochemistry. We have learned from the history of once-new disciplines such as polymer science that progress in synthesis (production method) and in physical and chemical characterization methods are essential to establish a new chemistry. They should be made simultaneously by exchanging developments in the two areas. Surface forces measurement is certainly unique and powerful and will make a great contribution to nanochemistry, especially as a technique for the characterization of solid-liquid interfaces, though its potential has not yet been fully exploited. Another important application of measurement in nanochemistry should be the characterization of liquids confined in a nanometer-level gap between two solid surfaces, for which this review cites only Refs. 42-43. 

This publication is the record of the papers given and of the discussions at a meeting convened in May 1950 at Trinity College, Dublin by D.C. Pepper which is usually referred to as the First International Cationic (occasionally just Ionic) Symposium (A). It is important in the history of polymer science because many important new ideas were discussed there, some for the first time. These included Dainton and Ivin s theory of equilibrium polymerisations, co-catalysis (Plesch, Polanyi and Skinner), and the energetics of polymerisations. The present author made several contributions to that discussion, the most substantial of which was a joint theoretical paper which is reproduced here ... 

This volume is a collection of several papers presented in Las Vegas and a number of special contributions submitted in honor of Professor Mark. The collection is as diverse as the field of polymers, and is intended as a general overview of polymer science. The book will be interesting reading for anyone working in the field of polymers, interested in the history of science, or curious about specific developments of science. 

Professor Mark s story is told in three chapters by the Editor and four reminiscences by Rudolf Brill (whose association with Mark dates back to 1922), Hans Mark (his son), Linus Pauling, and Maurice Morton. The history of polymer science is given in separate chapters by the Editor, Robert Simha (who has worked with Professor Mark in two countries), and Carl Speed Marvel. One chapter by Charles Carraher gives an up to the minute report on the status of polymer education. The remainder of the book is a collection of reviews and previews of specific, timely topics in polymer science. Despite the diversity of topics, each area covered has contributions from Herman Mark. 

He has earned a lasting place in the history of polymer science through his research contributions, the successes of his students, his organizational genius, and his tireless promotion of the science and its students. It is entirely accurate to say that Herman Mark found polymers a curiosity and made them a science. 

There is an increased awareness of the place in history of science, particularly polymer science where many of those who contributed the basic building blocks are still alive. Ray Seymour is doing a series on the Pioneers of Polymer Science for Polymer News. Fred Eirich has been asked by the Journal of Chemical Education to write a history of the development of the "macromolecular concept." (As a side comment, those associated with the Journal of Chemical Education such as Tom Lippincott, have been "friendly" towards polymer chemistry and have assisted in the attempt to bring polymer chemistry into the mainstream of material presented to both the teaching staff and chemistry students alike). 

H. Mark, "Coming to an age of polymers in science and technology, History of Polymer Science and Technology, ed. by R. B. Seymour (New York and Basel Marcel Dekker, 1982), 1-9, on 5. 

On the history of this division, see R. D. Ulrich, The history of ACS division of polymer chemistry, in R. D. Ulrich (ed.), Contemporary Topics in Polymer Science, vol. 

See C.E. Carraher, Jr., Polymer education and the Mark connection. in G.A. Stahl (ed.), Polymer Science Overview A Tribute to Herman F. Mark (Washington, D.C. American Chemical Society, 1981), 123-142 id., History of polymer education - USA." in R. B. Seymour (ed.), History of Polymer Science and Technology (New York and Basel Marcel Dekker, 1982), 173-197. 

Throughout the history of polymer science there have been efforts to improve (increase) the Tg to increase the useful operating temperature range of polymers. The preponderance of the literature has concentrated on mechanically blended polymeric systems with little component interaction on the molecular level. Where epoxy systems are concerned, the incorporation of additives into the systems results in many changes to the morphology and physical behavior of the material formed. 

We are grateful to the many coworkers and colleagues who have assisted us in compiling this book. First, we wish to thank Professor Wayne Mattice (the Alex Schulman Professor at the Maurice Morton Institute of Polymer Science at the University of Akron) for his first chapter, which melds the history and theory underlying dendritic polymer chemistry it is also interesting to note that it was in 1978 that he did a sabbatical at Stanford with Professor Flory, who proposed structure-imperfect branched polymers in the 1940s. 

Morawetz, H., History of Polymer Science , in Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, Wiley-Interscience, John Wiley Sons, New York, 1988, Vol. 7, pp. 722-745. 

Smart materials such as these illustrate an important technological direction for materials science the design of materials with sophisticated properties that behave more like biological systems. Let s briefly recap our history. In Chapter 4 we noted a significant period of discovery when people modified natural polymers to improve their properties. We can call this period, roughly before 1900, Stage 1, and it asked the question, How can I improve upon nature This was followed by a century of synthetic polymer science in which... 

Polymer Age, 46 Polymer blends, 71, 98 Polymer Chemistry Innovations, Inc., 189 Polymer cycle, 178-179, 179 Polymer science future of, 203-219 history of, 45-79 relationships of, xxiv... 

Milestones in the history of polymer science (Morawetz, 1985, Percec, 2001, Hawker and Wooley, 2005)... 

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