Appendix A
Current and Promising Polymer Research Topics
The following summary list of current and promising polymer research topics is necessarily quite brief. The field is large and will continue to have a great impact on all levels of society for the foreseeable future.
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Growing use of polymers as biomaterials
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Seasickness patches
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Prostheses—hip cups, lenses, blood vessels, orthopedic implants, denture bases, fillings, sutures, heart valves, organs, vascular grafts, hernia mesh, catheters, syringes, diapers, blood bags, artificial limbs, ligaments, packaging
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Controlled release
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Diagnostics
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Emerging electronic properties of polymers
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Dielectrics
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Synthetic metals and battery materials
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Sensors
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Lithographic resists
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Photonic materials
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Light-emitting diodes and displays
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Electrophotography
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Holography
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Fuel cells
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Solar cells
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Emergence of synthetic means for control of polymer structures
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Coordination catalysts
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Biocatalysis, enzyme synthesis, biological organisms for synthesizing monomers and polymers
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Ring-opening metathesis polymerization
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Hybrid organic-inorganic materials synthesis, sol gel formation
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Dendritic polymers
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Composites with tailored transport, electrical, or optical properties
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Growing use of blends and composites to obtain “tailored” properties
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High-strength, high-modulus fibers
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Enhanced matrix choices
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“Tailored” mechanical properties
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High-stability toughening additives
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High-temperature options
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Understanding of failure mechanisms
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Enhanced characterization capability through computer and electronic advances
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Molecular: colligative, light scattering, centrifuged separation, NMR, UV, FTIR, RAMAN
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Solutions, melts: rheology, diffusion, neutron scattering
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Solid state: synchrotron x-ray and electron spectroscopy, TEM, soft x-ray microscopy, mechanical testing
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Surface analysis: XPS, depth profiling, SIMS, SFA, AMF, LFM
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Folding: NMR
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New microscopies: confocal and scanning tunneling
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Evolution of polymer theory with emphasis on computer modeling and simulation
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States of matter: solutions, crystalline, amorphous, LCs, blends, block polymers, copolymers, interfaces, surfaces
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