| dc.description.abstract | Among the many areas of chemistry, polymer science is a comparatively new field. The
empirical use of polymeric materials made from natural substances has been documented
for centuries; however, only the pioneering work of the late Hermann Staudinger (1926),
a Nobel laureate, in the 1920s provided the basis for a systematic understanding of this
class of materials. In the decades since then, polymer science has developed to become
both technically demanding and industrially extremely important. In particular, polymer
science is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature:
55 Most technologically relevant macromolecules1 are based on a carbon backbone and
thus belong in the realm of organic chemistry.
55 Approximately half of all polymers produced today are synthesized using organo-metallic
catalysts.
55 A description of the behavior of both solid polymers and their solutions is now based
on well-established physical and physicochemical theories.
55 Because macromolecules are often used in the area of classical materials, processing
and molding of polymers is an essential step in the production of finished products.
Thus, engineering science is also important. In medical technologies, polymers are used
in highly specialized applications, such as artificial heart valves, eye lenses, or as
materials for medical devices. | en_US |
