Polymer Science from 1935-1953

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

   PDF

2. Polymer Science 1935-1953: Consolidating the Paradigm

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 1-4

3. Flory and Friends

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 5-21

4. Herman Mark and Friends

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 23-50

5. Speed Marvel and Friends

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 51-57

6. Other Emerging Leaders

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 59-73

7. Hermann Staudinger and the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1953

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 75-77

8. Concluding Reflections and Further Thoughts

   • Gary Patterson

   Pages 79-81

9. Back Matter

   Pages 83-88

   PDF

This sequel to A Prehistory of Polymer Science begins with the Faraday Discussion of 1935 on Polymerization. Patterson then examines the remarkable rise and establishment of polymer science after 1935 from the perspective of the emergence of strong intellectual leaders. While enough biographical detail is presented to gain an appreciation for the role played by each leader, the emphasis of this volume is on the key concepts associated with each individual and how the community embraced these leaders.

• Herman Mark
• Interscience Series on High Polymers
• Paul Flory
• Polymer Crystals
• Polymer Science Beginnings
• Polymer Science History
• Polymer Viscoelasticity
• Principles of Polymer Chemistry
• Speed Marvel
• Staudinger
• Wallace Carothers

• Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA

  Gary Patterson

Gary Patterson is Professor of Chemical Physics and Polymer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the Chief Bibliophile of the Bolton Society at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was educated at Harvey Mudd College (B.S. Chemistry, 1968) and Stanford University (Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, 1972). His thesis advisor was Paul Flory, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in Polymer Science in 1974. He was a Member of Technical Staff in the Chemical Physics Department at AT&T Bell Laboratories from 1972-1984, when he joined the Chemistry Department at Carnegie Mellon University. He was the Charles Price Fellow at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in 2004-2005. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Physical Society. He received the National Academy of Sciences Award for Initiatives in Research in 1981 for his research in Polymer Science.  Gary is the Chair-elect of the History Division of the American Chemical Society.

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