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Ring-forming polymerizations: Parts B1 and B2. Heterocyclic rings
Book Reviews Ring-forming polymerizations: Parts B1 and B2. Heterocyclic rings R. J. Cotter and M. Matzner Academic Press, New York, 1972. B1 : 422 pp. $34.50; B2:568 pp. $39.50 In these two volumes the authors complete their survey of polymerization systems in which cyclic units are formed to become integral parts of the polymer chain. Part A, published in 1969 dealt solely with carbocyclic and organometallic rings and the present work gives attention to heterocyclic unit formation. The treatment of this very extensive field follows that so well adopted in the earlier volume, both in the provision of critical reviews of the syntheses involved and in extensive tabulation where each individual polymer is listed together with available data on properties and relevant references. The volumes are the result of a long and detailed study of the journal and patent literature and indicate the enormous amount of work which has gone into polymers of this type, work promoted to some considerable extent by the search for materials of high thermal resistance and enhanced physical and mechanical properties. Several such products are, of course, now commercially available. In the three chapters comprising Part 1 attention is given to polymers based on multibond reactions (e.g. poly Schiffs bases, carbodiimides) and to those with heterocyclic units containing two or three carbon atoms (oxa- and thiadiazoles, triazoles, imidazoles, triazines, etc.). Part 2 has four chapters covering heterocyclic units with four carbon atoms (polyimides, amido- and ester-imides, piperazine, acetals, ketals), intra/intermolecular reactions, polymerization of a,fl-unsaturated aldehydes (acrolein polymers) and a miscellany of ring-forming reaction products ranging from polytetrazoles to polyferrocenes. The work forms a worthwhile contribution to the bibliography of polymers. It has been meticulously and clearly presented and, thanks to the introduction of supplementary lists of references, includes literature published up to 1971. Subject and author indexes are given and the many tables relating to synthesis and properties are particularly useful. Printing and binding are of excellent standard. Both volumes will be of considerable interest not only to those engaged primarily in polymer synthesis but indeed to organic chemists more generally, as well as to many of other disciplines who are concerned with polymer structure/property studies and specialized applications. The books will form a standard source for consultation and reference, and can be recommended to library shelves, but the prices quoted (S75 in all), while being understandably high for a work of this nature, may place them out of reach for personal acquisition by many individuals.
R. J. W. Reynolds
Structure and properties of polymer films Edited by R. W. Lenz and R. S. Stein Plenum Press, New York, 1973, 345 pp. $22.50 This is the first volume in a symposium series on Polymer Science and Technology and contains the edited proceedings of the Borden Award Symposium, Boston, April 1972. It contains eighteen papers by distinguished authors covering applications of light scattering (four papers), stress-optical phenomena, dichroism, interferometry, infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray analysis, together with studies on mechanical properties in relation to structure (five papers including one on the e.s.r, study of molecular fracture) and on the transport of fluids through polymer films (two papers). The co-ordinating theme of this collection of research papers is, of course, polymer films, their structure and properties. 'Structure' here covers crystal structure and orientation, amorphous phase orientation and lamellar, fibrillar and spherulitic morphologies. Having said this, there is little further that can be added to integrate the scope and treatment of the subject matter, since, as in most
symposia, almost all the papers are devoted to specific research topics, materials or techniques. The inevitably disjointed result is offset by the consistently high standard of the work reported, and by the value of the collection as a means of bringing workers in the field up to date. It is thus to be recommended to those wishing to keep abreast of developments in the 'structure-property' field of solid polymers in general (i.e. not just films). It is clearly not intended to provide either a reference book or a textbook on the subject.
E. H. Andrews
Chemistry in space research Edited by R. F. Landel and A. Rembaum Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1972. Dfl, 653 pp. 133.00 In many respects this book is unique. It is the first attempt to present in one volume a survey of the principal areas of space research through chemistry. Chemistry has played an indispensable role in opening space to man and his instruments. Chemically powered rockets made possible man's departure from earth to the moon and the exploitation of high temperature ablative polymers assured his safe return through the intense heat of re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. To meet the demands of the extreme environmental conditions encountered in the space programme new materials had to be developed. Under the conditions of outer and inner space, chemistry is very different from the chemistry we are familiar with in the terrestrial environment. In a very illuminating opening chapter, Libby reviews four general aspects of the space environment which have chemical significance---high pressure chemistry, radiation chemistry, high temperature chemistry and vacuum chemistry. High pressure chemistry is of relevance to studies of the matter inside planets. It is interesting to read of recent progress in the construction of a megabar (1 million atm) press. Such a facility would open up the science of planetary interiors to more direct laboratory attack. Radiation chemistry, which is essentially the chemistry of ions, concerns the chemical effects of solar radiation and cosmic rays. (Young contributes a separate chapter on chemistry in planetary atmospheres.) High temperature chemistry arises from the very high solar temperatures reaching into the chemistry of plasma. Vacuum chemistry relates to the chemical consequences of the extremely low population of molecules in interplanetary space, largely the chemistry of very clean surfaces devoid of air and other gases. Libby envisages the possibility of using space ships as chemical laboratories for the production of materials such as diamond by the evaporation of carbon. Atmospheric contamination of the surfaces has been held responsible for past failures and the hope is that the use of high vacuum of the levels available in outer space will lead to success. As the Editors remark, 'space--vast, unexplored space---constitutes a problem and a m y s t e r y . . . By the mystery of space we mean the mystery of life'. The search for extraterrestrial life and the quest for clues to the origin of life as we know it on this earth have been strong motivating factors in space exploration. Three very stimulating chapters are devoted to Prebiological synthesis of organic compounds, Carbonaceous meteorites--possible sites of extraterrestrial life?, and terrestrial and extraterrestrial stable organic molecules. Of most direct interest to readers of this journal are those chapters dealing with the various roles of polymeric materials in the space programme. The urgent need to extend the operating range of plastic materials to meet the extremely stringent environmental requirements spawed and spurred an intensive effort on the synthesis of high temperature polymers. In a comprehensive and authoritative chapter, Pezdirtz and Johnston review the techniques for evaluating thermal stability, new concepts and criteria for achieving thermal stability and some basic molecular structures which promote stability in polymers. Again, ablative polymers and composite materials are the foundation of re-entry. An excellent, in-depth treatment of the chemical aspects of ablation is provided by Ladacki. (In a book singularly free of errors, one misconception has crept in on p 298: the polymer Noryl is not produced from o-cresol but is a binary polymer of PPO and polystyrene.) The
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R. J. W. Reynolds
Structure and properties of polymer films Edited by R. W. Lenz and R. S. Stein Plenum Press, New York, 1973, 345 pp. $22.50 This is the first volume in a symposium series on Polymer Science and Technology and contains the edited proceedings of the Borden Award Symposium, Boston, April 1972. It contains eighteen papers by distinguished authors covering applications of light scattering (four papers), stress-optical phenomena, dichroism, interferometry, infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray analysis, together with studies on mechanical properties in relation to structure (five papers including one on the e.s.r, study of molecular fracture) and on the transport of fluids through polymer films (two papers). The co-ordinating theme of this collection of research papers is, of course, polymer films, their structure and properties. 'Structure' here covers crystal structure and orientation, amorphous phase orientation and lamellar, fibrillar and spherulitic morphologies. Having said this, there is little further that can be added to integrate the scope and treatment of the subject matter, since, as in most
symposia, almost all the papers are devoted to specific research topics, materials or techniques. The inevitably disjointed result is offset by the consistently high standard of the work reported, and by the value of the collection as a means of bringing workers in the field up to date. It is thus to be recommended to those wishing to keep abreast of developments in the 'structure-property' field of solid polymers in general (i.e. not just films). It is clearly not intended to provide either a reference book or a textbook on the subject.
E. H. Andrews
Chemistry in space research Edited by R. F. Landel and A. Rembaum Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1972. Dfl, 653 pp. 133.00 In many respects this book is unique. It is the first attempt to present in one volume a survey of the principal areas of space research through chemistry. Chemistry has played an indispensable role in opening space to man and his instruments. Chemically powered rockets made possible man's departure from earth to the moon and the exploitation of high temperature ablative polymers assured his safe return through the intense heat of re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. To meet the demands of the extreme environmental conditions encountered in the space programme new materials had to be developed. Under the conditions of outer and inner space, chemistry is very different from the chemistry we are familiar with in the terrestrial environment. In a very illuminating opening chapter, Libby reviews four general aspects of the space environment which have chemical significance---high pressure chemistry, radiation chemistry, high temperature chemistry and vacuum chemistry. High pressure chemistry is of relevance to studies of the matter inside planets. It is interesting to read of recent progress in the construction of a megabar (1 million atm) press. Such a facility would open up the science of planetary interiors to more direct laboratory attack. Radiation chemistry, which is essentially the chemistry of ions, concerns the chemical effects of solar radiation and cosmic rays. (Young contributes a separate chapter on chemistry in planetary atmospheres.) High temperature chemistry arises from the very high solar temperatures reaching into the chemistry of plasma. Vacuum chemistry relates to the chemical consequences of the extremely low population of molecules in interplanetary space, largely the chemistry of very clean surfaces devoid of air and other gases. Libby envisages the possibility of using space ships as chemical laboratories for the production of materials such as diamond by the evaporation of carbon. Atmospheric contamination of the surfaces has been held responsible for past failures and the hope is that the use of high vacuum of the levels available in outer space will lead to success. As the Editors remark, 'space--vast, unexplored space---constitutes a problem and a m y s t e r y . . . By the mystery of space we mean the mystery of life'. The search for extraterrestrial life and the quest for clues to the origin of life as we know it on this earth have been strong motivating factors in space exploration. Three very stimulating chapters are devoted to Prebiological synthesis of organic compounds, Carbonaceous meteorites--possible sites of extraterrestrial life?, and terrestrial and extraterrestrial stable organic molecules. Of most direct interest to readers of this journal are those chapters dealing with the various roles of polymeric materials in the space programme. The urgent need to extend the operating range of plastic materials to meet the extremely stringent environmental requirements spawed and spurred an intensive effort on the synthesis of high temperature polymers. In a comprehensive and authoritative chapter, Pezdirtz and Johnston review the techniques for evaluating thermal stability, new concepts and criteria for achieving thermal stability and some basic molecular structures which promote stability in polymers. Again, ablative polymers and composite materials are the foundation of re-entry. An excellent, in-depth treatment of the chemical aspects of ablation is provided by Ladacki. (In a book singularly free of errors, one misconception has crept in on p 298: the polymer Noryl is not produced from o-cresol but is a binary polymer of PPO and polystyrene.) The
POLYMER, 1974, Vol 15, January
63