Integration of Fundamental Polymer Science and Technology-2

Polymer science has matured into a fully accepted branch of materials science. This means that it can be described as a 'chain of knowledge' (Manfred Gordon), the beads of the chain representing all the topics that have to be studied in depth if the relationship between the structure of the molecules synthesized and the end-use properties of the material they constitute is to be understood. The term chain indicates the connectivity of the beads, i.e. the multidisciplinary approach required to achieve the aim, knowledge, here defined as quantitative understanding of the relationship mentioned above in all its parts. Quite a few conferences are being held at which the disciplinar beads themselves are discussed in detail, and new results within their framework are presented. In this respect, the TUPAC Microsymposia in Prague have made themselves indispensable, to mention one successful example. The bi­ annual TUPAC Symposia on Macromolecules, on the other hand, supply interdisciplinary meeting places, which have the advantage and the disadvantage of a large attendance. Smaller-size conferences of a similar nature can often be found on a national level. The organizers of the young, but already well-appreciated, Rolduc Meetings on the interplay between fundamental science and technology in the polymer field struck an interesting chord' when they realized that focussing on the basic science behind technological problems would serve the purpose of concentration on insight along the chain of knowledge and avoid the surrender to too large a size for the meeting to really be a meeting.

1: Chemistry.- Regio- and Stereospecificity in Propylene Polymerization with Chiral Catalytic Systems.- Chemical Aspects in the Synthesis of Poly(e-Caprolactam) for the RIM Process.- Anionic Ring-Opening Polymerization of Carbonates and Formation of Blockcopolymers.- Preparation of Block Copoly(arylene Sulphides) Utilising Preferential Polymer Formation in Polymerisation of Copper(I) 4-Bromothiophenoxides.- Recent Advances in Cationic Polymerization.- Fast Ton Conduction in Comb Shaped Polymers.- Stabilization of Poly(ethylene Terephthalate) (PET) against Hydrolysis by Carboxylic End Group Capping.- Graft Copolymerization of Styrene-Maleic Anhydride and Cis- Polybutadiene.- A Study of Infrared Laser-Initiated Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate.- Cationic Transannular Oligomerization of 1,5-Cyclooctadiene.- Alternating Copolymers via Complexed Monomers.- New Fluorinated Silicones and Polystyrenes.- Ionomer Model Systems—Synthesis-Characterization-Rheology.- Study on the Kinetics of Emulsion Polymerization by Regressive Simulation.- Polysiloxanes with Pendant Carbazole Groups. Preparation and Photoconductivity.- 13C-NMR Study of the Microstructure of Ethylene-Vinyl Alcohol Copolymers.- 2: Chain-Dynamics/Conformation.- Monte Carlo Study of Cyclic Polymers.- Conformational Analysis and Order-Disorder Transitions in Flexible Molecular Chains.- The Iterative Convolution Technique and its Application to the Excluded Volume Problem in the Configurational Properties of Polymers.- Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties of Polymers and Chemical Structure: from Computer Simulations to Experimental Data.- Influence of Chain Semiflexibility on the Properties of Polymer Liquid Crystals.- Conformationally Disordered Mesomorphic Phases on Cyclododecane and Cyclotetradecane.- Dynamics at Interfaces.- Super-Slow Motions in Crystalline Polyoxymethylene, a Complete Elucidation Using 2D Solid State NMR.- Molecular Mobility of Oligomeric Methyl-H-Siloxanes.- Conformational Changes in a Series of Soluble Polydiacetylenes.- Transient Electric Birefringence Studies on Polyelectrolyte Solutions.- Electric Birefringence Relaxation of Polyelectrolytes without Added Salt.- Single and Double Structure of Xanthan.- 3: Thermodynamics/Blends.- Mean Field Lattice Equations of State.- Light Scattering Characterization of Polymer Blends in Solution.- On the Interpenetration Effect of Two Homogeneous Polymers Differing in Molecular Weight in a Good Solvent.- Determination of Binodal and Spinodal Points by Means of the Pressure Pulse Induced Critical Scattering Method.- The Simha-Somcynsky Hole Theory: Thermodynamic Properties Based on Compositional Derivatives.- Miscibility and Melt Morphology of Binary Polymer Blends of Solution Chlorinated Polyethylene and Polycaprolactone.- A Uniform Characterisation of the Particle Size and Particle Size Distribution in Polymer Mixtures.- Nylon-Rubber Blends.- Specific Interactions and Interdiffusion in Polymer Blends by FT-IR Spectroscopy.- Miscibility of Poly(carbonate) and Copolyester of Poly(ethyleneterephthalate-Co-P-Hydroxybenzoate).- Structured Polymer Blends-1.- 4: Networks/Gels.- Thermodynamics of Swelling of Model Networks.- Theoretical Treatment of Network Formation in a Three-Stage Process.- Azo-Group Containing Styrene-Butadiene-Copolymer System for Self-Crosslinking.- Thermoreversible Gelation of Synthetic Polymers.- Thermoreversible Gelation of Atactic Polystyrene: Phase Transformation and Morphology.- Polyelectrolyte-Surfactant Complexes.- The Photoacoustic Effect for the Polymeric Network.- 5: Crystallization.- Analysis of Condis Crystals.- Chain Folding and Conformational Disorder in Cycloalkane Crystallites—A Model for Polyethylene.- Polymer Crystallization: a Monte Carlo Simulation of Lamellar Growth.- What do Long Alkanes Reveal about Polymers?.- The Effect of Side Groups on the Crystallization of Polymers; an X-Ray Diffraction Approach.- Kinetics and Mechanisms of Flow-Induced Crystallization.- Structure and Crystallization of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Ethylene Copolymers including very Low Density Polyethylens.- Solution Induced Crystallization of Polycarbonate by THF.- 6: Structure/Morphology.- Rigid Rod Polymers with Flexible Side Chains: a New Class of Liquid Crystalline Polymers.- Solid State NMR Studies of the Relationship between Polymer Structure/Dynamics at the Segmental Level and Macroscopic Physical Properties.- Element Specific Microscopic Imaging of Polymeric Materials.- Optical Anisotropy of Polycarbonates.- Birefringence in Injection-Moulded Optical Components.- Curie Transition of the 70/30 Polyvinylidene-Trifluor Ethylene Copolymer as Revealed by X-Ray Synchrotron Radiation.- A Real-Time X-Ray Study of the Drawing of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene using Synchrotron Radiation.- 13C Solid-State NMR and DSC Studies of the Effects of ?-Irradiation of LLDPE.- Electric Field Stimulated Changes of the Structure of LDPE.- Raman Microprobe Spectra of a Spin-Oriented and Drawn PET Filament.- Effect of Trace Amounts of ZnO on Crystallinity and Mechanical Properties of Irradiated Polyethylene.- A Fourier-Transform Infrared Study on the Polymer-Water Molecular Interaction for Hydrophobic Polymers.- Novel Modified Hemodialytic Film. The Study on the Permeability and Structural Characteristic of Poly[(ethylene-Vinyl Alcohol)/Acrylamide] Grafting Film.- 7: Rheology/Processing.- A New Reptation Model for Polymeric Liquids.- Melt Strength Behaviour of Polyethylenes and Polyethylene Blends and Its Relation to Bubble Stability in Film Blowing.- Rheological Properties of Thermoplastic Elastomers by Hydrogen Bonding.- A Classification of Crystallization Phenomena for Conditions of Polymer Processing.- Processing and Properties of UHMW-PE.- Rolltrusion: Double-Orientation of Polymers using a Single Step Process.- Rheology of Chemically Reacting Polymers.- Rheology of Reacting Polymer Systems near the Gel Point.- The Reactive Processing of Composite Materials: Structure- Property Relations in RRIM Copolyurethanes.- Structure-Property Relationships in Diamine-Extended, RIM Poly(urethane-Urea)s.- Influences of Processing on the Electrical Degradation of Quartz- Filled Epoxy Resin.- Deformation and Break-Up of Droplets in Elongational Flow.- 8: Fibres/Composites.- A New Deformation Model for PETP Fibres….- The Structural Mechanics of Nylon and Polyester Fibres: Approaches to Theoretical Understanding.- Compressive Failure in High Modulus Polymeric Fibres.- Recent Progress in the Development of High Modulus Flexible Polymers.- Thermotropic Liquid Crystal Polymers with Flexible Chain Elements. Synthesis, Spinning and Mechanical Properties.- Micromechanics of Deformation of High Modulus Polymer Fibres and Composites.- Developments and Applications of Continuous Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics.- Theoretical Study of the Stress Transfer in Fiber-Reinforced Composites.- Composite Modelling: Polyetheretherketone/Carbon Fibre Composite (APC-2). Experimental Evaluation of Cross-Plied Laminates and Theoretical Prediction of Their Properties.- Evaluation of Coir and Jute Fibres as Reinforcement in Organic Matrix Resins.