Book Reviews
Functional monomers
Edited by R. H. Yocum and E. B. N/quist
Marcel Dekker, New York, 1973, Vol 1, 715 pp.
$39.50; 1974, Vol 2, 817 pp. $46.50
In these two volumes, written and edited by six members of the Dow
Chemical Company staff, one obviously benefits from the technical
and information resources of a large organization, resulting in a
competent and comprehensive review. The title refers to monomers
which undergo addition polymerization and, which although gene-
rally used only in small amount in relation to other polymerizable
compounds, introduce into the final polymers groups capable o f
further modification or reaction so as to provide specific properties
such as ability to crosslink, modified surface behaviour, or enhanced
solubility, adhesion or dye receptivity. Thus the subject is onewhich
will have appeal to a wide range of readers, many of whom are con-
cerned with preparation and polymerization or with macromolecular
design and behaviour to meet specific end-uses.
The chapters in both volumes show commendable uniformity in
treatment and include sections on synthesis, chemical reactions,
physical properties and polymerizability, technical applications and
some, but probably far from complete, commercial information
regarding suppliers and costs. Much of the information on structure,
synthesis and properties is summarized and presented in tabular
form, thus providing for quick review and reference. At the end of
each chapter there are many hundreds of references to the relevant
literature which serve to bring the subjects up to early 1970, although
as the editors indicate, in an area such as this where scientific and
technical advance is rapid, the books cannot be regarded as the last
word. However, they will obviate the need for much time-consum-
ing literature searching and for this reason alone could be welcomed.
In the first volume are four chapters dealing with acrylamide and
other a,/3-unsaturated amides; reactive halogen-containing mono-
mers (but excluding for very obvious reasons vinyl and allyl halides
and chloroprene); hydroxy monomers such as hydroxyalkyl acrylic
esters, allyl alcohol, N-methylolacrylamides; and ethylene-, allyl-
and styrene-sulphonic acids and 2-sulphoethyl methacrylate. The
second volume comprises three chapters on reactive heterocyclic
monomers co ntaining three, five and six-membered rings (thus cover-
ing compounds such as glycidyl methacrylate, allyl glycidyl ether,
vinyl o xazolidones and pyrazo les, vinyMne carbonate, and unsatu-
rated dioxolanes - vinyl pyridine and maleic anhydride are more
adequately dealt with in later chapters); acidic monomers based on
maleic, fumaric, itaconic and erotonic acids; and basic monomers
such as the vinyl pyridines and aminoalkyl acrylates and methacry-
lates.
Apart from some omissions in the compounds covered, e.g.,
reactive vinyl esters like the chloroacetate, N-substituted maleimides
and vinyl propiolactone, the several types of functional monomer
are well represented and the more important ones considered very
fully. Particular aspects of preparation and manufacture, reactions,
polymerization behaviour, and properties receive detailed attention,
although discussion is generally based on the publications concerned
and there may be a lack of critical review of some of the references
or expert appraisal of some of the technical information, particularly
that based on patent disclosures.
Lay-out of the text, formulae and binding are good but the
printed format relies on photoreduced typescript of only moderate
contrast which compares unfavourably with conventional type.
Again, the numbering systems used for compounds, reactions and
references can lead to some confusion. There are some errors in the
typescript but these are generally of a minor nature. Author and
subject indexes are included although the latter seem to be quite
inadequate in view of the comprehensive nature of the work, and
fuller itemization would have been an advantage.
The volumes are, perhaps understandably, somewhat expensive
(together they amount to $86, equivalent to some £36) but to those
interested in the preparation, reactions and uses of the monomers
or in technical applications of derived polymers and copolymers,
they are a worthwhile investment, providing a well informed source
of information and means of rapid reference. Many academic and
industrial workers will find it useful to have access to these books.
R. d. W. Reynolds
472 POLYMER, 1975, Vol 16, June
Polymer spectroscopy
Edited by D. O. Hummel
Verlag Chemic, Weinheim, 1974, 401 pp. DM 125
The book is intended for practising chemists and spectroscopists
concerned with polymers in industry and in universities. Apart from
diffraction techniques, spectroscopic methods offer the main means
of elucidating the structures of polymers: these methods have been
brought together here. The chapter entitled Vibrational spectroscopy
is sub-divided into the contributions: Vibrational analysis of highly
ordered polymers by H. Tadokoro and M. Kobayashi; Applied infra-
red spectroscopy by D. O. Hummel; Raman spectroscopy by P. J.
Hendra; at 180 pages this is the longest chapter. The remaining
chapters are High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectros-
copy by E. Klesper and G. Sielaff (95 pages); Electron spin reso-
nance by H. Fisher, D. O. Hummel, H. D. Schtlddemage and K.
Rtibenacker (31 pages). The size of the articles is in direct propor-
tion to the importance and level of treatment given to the various
branches of spectroscopy. The book is well printed and bound and
it is profusely illustrated: there is a subject but not a name index.
The scientific literature is cluttered with spectroscopic compendia
claiming to give special insight into some topic but mainly they
represent well-documented basic material. This book, however,
rarely deviates from its intended purpose of describing the applica-
tions of spectroscopic methods to polymer systems. Thus the
reviewer can recommend the book to anyone interested in the struc-
tural aspects of polymers L.H. Sutcliffe
Structured polymer properties
R. J. Samuels
John Wiley, New York, 1974, 251 pp. £10.60
This book aims to present a unified approach to the quantitative
correlation of crystalline polymer structure with both fabrication
and end use property behaviour, in such a way that it will be of
interest to polymer physicists, chemists and engineers as well as
advanced course students.
Following a short introductory chapter on the nature of crystal-
linity in polymers with special reference to polypropylene, a second
chapter is devoted to details of techniques used in the characteriza-
tion of polycrystalline polymer structure including those of wide
angle X-ray diffraction, sonic modulus, birefringence, infra-red
dichroism and small angle light scattering in the context of actual
application. The third chapter concerns structural interpretation of
the fabrication processes for polypropylene film and fibre formation.
The last chapter which precedes some concluding remarks deals with
the quantitative correlation of polymer structure with end-use pro-
perties, using polypropylene and poly(ethylene terephthalate) as
examples.
The overall impression of this book is that it is authoritative
reflecting a great deal of the author's personal experience as an indus-
trial and academic scientist. Indeed so much does the impression
come through, occasionally as in say, chapter 3 where coded refe-
rence to polymer samples used, one almost has the feeling of reading
an original paper. On the other hand, experimental details of tech-
nique provide an air of conviction from which the most casual
reader can only presume an expert acquaintance of the author with
his subject. Despite one or two minor irritations such as a suggestion
for further reading to a book still in preparation or a different type
face for the index compared with the main text, the book appears
to be remarkably free from errors and its easy style makes it most
readable.
The book is particulalry recommended to workers in the general
as well as specific field and to more advanced students. Other
readers may have some difficulty in appreciating the significance of
the account in the broader area ot~ polymeric materials as a whole,
although after reading the book they would then be well armed to
seek this significance.
R. P. Sheldon
Typeset by Mid-County Press, London SW19
Printed by Kingprint Ltd, Richmond, Surrey