Hyperbranched Polymers

A much-needed overview of the state of the art of hyperbranched polymers

The last two decades have seen a surge of interest in hyperbranched polymers due to their ease of synthesis on a large scale and their promising applications in diverse fields, from medicine to nanotechnology. Written by leading scientists in academia and industry, this book provides for the first time a comprehensive overview of the topic, bringing together in one complete volume a wealth of information previously available only in articles scattered across the literature. Drawing on their work at the cutting edge of this dynamic area of research, the authors cover everything readers need to know about hyperbranched polymers when designing highly functional materials. Clear, thorough discussions include: How irregular branching affects polymer properties and their potential applications Important theoretical basics, plus a useful summary of characterization techniques How hyperbranched polymers compare with dendrimers as well as linear polymers Future trends in the synthesis and application of hyperbranched polymers Geared to novices and experts alike, Hyperbranched Polymers is a must-have resource for anyone working in polymer architectures, polymer engineering, and functional materials. It is also useful for scientists in related fields who need a primer on the synthesis, theory, and applications of hyperbranched polymers.

Author Biography

Deyue Yan, PhD, is a professor at the School of Chemistryand Chemical Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, P.R.China, and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dr. Yan hasserved on the editorial board of Macromolecular Theory andSimulations and is currently on the editorial board of the Chinese Journal of Polymer Science. Chao Gao, PhD, is Professor in the Department of PolymerScience and Engineering at Zhejiang University, P.R. China. Dr. Gaoalso serves on the editorial advisory boards of the OpenMacromolecules Journal and the Open Process ChemistryJournal. Holger Frey, PhD, is Full Professor of Organic andMacromolecular Chemistry at the Institute of Organic Chemistry atJohnannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. Dr. Frey has servedon the editorial advisory boards of several polymer journals.