Chemical Education Today

JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 78 No. 11 November 2001 • Journal of Chemical Education 1469

Introduction to Physical Polymer Science,3rd Edition

by L. H. Sperling

Wiley-Interscience: New York, 2001. xl + 671 pp. Figs. andtables. 24 × 16 cm, hardcover. ISBN 0-471-32921-5. $89.95.

reviewed by Shawn B. Allin

While most introductory polymer texts present a balancedview of both the synthetic and physical aspects of the subject,space constraints limit the depth to which the physical chem-istry and physical properties of polymers can be discussed.Sperling has filled this void since 1985, when the first edi-tion of his Introduction to Physical Polymer Chemistry text wasreleased, and continues to fill the void with this updated edi-tion.

There have been significant developments in polymerscience since the second edition was written in the early1990s. The recent edition reflects these advances with theaddition of two new chapters entitled “Polymer Surfaces andInterfaces” and “Multicomponent Polymeric Systems”. Thechapter on surfaces is especially timely and important owingto the dramatic increase in the accessibility of electron mi-croscopy techniques over the past decade. Browsing throughany recent issue of Macromolecules will attest to the increasedimportance of surface analysis in polymer research.

The structure of the text remains similar to that ofprevious editions in that it begins with a four-chapter intro-duction to polymer science and discussion of molecularweights and molecular weight distributions. The physicalchemistry and properties of polymers are then discussed inchapters dealing with concentrated solutions and the amor-phous, crystalline, and liquid-crystalline states. Chapters onthe glass transition region, rubber elasticity, viscoelasticity,and rheology and mechanical behavior round out the bulkof the text. There is a concluding chapter on modern topics inpolymer science. The result is a comprehensive text that pro-vides an excellent starting point for students and professionalsto begin their study of the physical aspects of polymer science.

Although it is possible to use this text without previousexposure to the polymer field, I expect its largest market willbe at the chemistry and chemical engineering graduate level.Readers fortunate enough to be located in institutions spe-cializing in polymer science will be able to use this text aftercompletion of a course in thermodynamics. This text will alsobe a valuable resource in materials science and appliedphysics curriculums where an understanding of fundamentalintermolecular interactions is crucial.

Some of my favorite aspects of this text are the extensivereferencing of primary literature and the inclusion of generalreading suggestions at the end of each chapter. I was alsodelighted to see the inclusion of references to Web sites atthe end of the first chapter. Although the number of URLswas limited to four (Chemical Abstracts, Case-Western Reserve,Penn State, and Southern Miss), this is understandable owingto the dynamic (i.e., unstable) nature of many sites. The long-term stability of the chosen URLs will provide users withexcellent starting points to Web-based polymer resources foryears to come.

My one concern with this book is the lack of answersto the end-of-chapter study problems. I firmly believe theinclusion, and working, of problems is important for thedevelopment of a thorough understanding of the material.However, the lack of inclusion of solutions in the text, orthe availability of a solutions manual, limits the questions’pedagogical utility. Perhaps those adopting the text andassigning questions from the book would be willing to forwardtheir solutions to Sperling for inclusion on his Lehigh Uni-versity Web site.

In conclusion, the release of the third edition of Intro-duction to Physical Polymer Science is timely. This book shouldbe available to students in every school where chemistry orchemical engineering is taught and will undoubtedly bewidely adopted at the graduate level. It is accessible to nov-ices and experts alike, and would be an important additionto the library of anyone dealing with polymeric materials.

Shawn B. Allin is in the Department of Chemistry andPhysics, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77710;allinsb@hal.lamar.edu.

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