Eighty years of macromolecular science: from birth to nano-, bio- and self-assembling polymers—with slight emphasis on European contributions

Abstract

A definition of macromolecular science (as opposed to polymer science and engineering) is given, from which the year 1930 is derived as the year of its birth. The scope of treatment of this paper will be limited to solid technical polymers. Some important discoveries of polymer technology in the nineteenth century are reviewed together with the reason why the concept of macromolecules and the theory of rubber elasticity did not emerge earlier. The role of chain backbones in structure formation and mechanical loading of technical polymers has been heavily discussed ever since and has attracted this author for most of his scientific work. He offers a personal perspective of the most important achievements in three domains of macromolecular science: the synthesis of well-designed chain molecules, structural characterization and the understanding of the micro-mechanics of (nano-structured) polymer materials. Progress is generally documented by citing individual references from the discussed periods-well knowing that the development of science is due to the contributions of many more people. In conclusion, a critical outlook will be attempted on future trends in the design and application of well-adapted-and frequently complex-polymer systems towards growing human needs.

Polymer Fracture

“…Nevertheless, it took 80 more years, the animated discussions between Staudinger, Mark, and Meyer, the suggestions of Wöhlisch (64) and Susich and Falko, and the inspiration of Kuhn (65,66), before the theory of rubber elasticity was born (67). In his laudatio, in honor of W. Kuhn, Gent (68) For a Gaussian network, Kuhn obtained the fundamental stress-strain relationship:…”

A new, simple, green, and one-pot four-component synthesis of bare and poly(α,γ,l-glutamic acid)-capped silver nanoparticles

“…Noble metal nanoparticles find many applications in different technological areas due to their unique optical, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, and chemical properties that are drastically different from those of the corresponding bulk materials [1–3]. There have been numerous recent reports on the fabrication of silver nanoparticles.…”