Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics

In the last years, the macromolecular chemistry and physics made remarkable progress. From particular subject for engineers interested in specific fields, it developed into one of the fundamental discipline in the science. For this reason, the essential study of the physical and chemical properties of the polymeric materials is required, while their applications have very fast progress, crossing the boundaries between disciplines. All of the above is the inspiration for the set of research articles presented in this book that report the last updates and developments of macromolecular science and polymer engineering. The book has been divided into three parts: synthesis, properties and applications of the polymeric materials. Every part presents interdisciplinary studies on the state-of-arts of each topic under consideration through a combination of overviews and original results. The book begins with introducing the methods in which the macromolecular materials are synthesized. Polymer synthesis is a complex procedure and can take place in a variety of ways. Methods as natural photosynthesis, template, high-throughput and ring-opening polymerization are discussed.The second part of the book looks at new materials with unique properties as optical non-linearity, adhesion and strength. Area of particular interest is the tensile strength, which is important for a material that is going to be stretched as the fibers. The last part of the book contains researches of the new polymeric materials and their application. In particular, some of the most promising biodegradable polymers such as polylactide and polyhydroxyalkonoates are discussed. Synthetic pathways, favorable properties and utilization of these attractive polymer families are outlined. Other interesting application of the macromolecular materials is the drug delivery. As example of drug delivery vehicle is shown the core cross-linked star polymers and their potential application in cancer treatment. Smart biomaterial for tissue engineering, protein-polymer nano-machines and different polymer optical fibers for applications in textile fabrics are also reported.