Ulf W. Gedde – författare

This successor to the popular textbook, “Polymer Physics” (Springer, 1999), is the result of a quarter-century of  teaching experience as well as critical comments from specialists in the various sub-fields, resulting in better explanations and more complete coverage of key topics. With a new chapter on polymer synthesis, the perspective has been broadened significantly to encompass polymer science rather than “just” polymer physics. Polysaccharides and proteins are included in essentially all chapters, while polyelectrolytes are new to the second edition. Cheap computing power has greatly expanded the role of simulation and modeling in the past two decades, which is reflected in many of the chapters. Additional problems and carefully prepared graphics aid in understanding.

Two principles are key to the textbook’s appeal: 1) Students learn that, independent of the origin of the polymer, synthetic or native, the same general laws apply, and 2) students should benefit from the book without an extensive knowledge of mathematics. Taking the reader from the basics to an advanced level of understanding, the text meets the needs of a wide range of students in chemistry, physics, materials science, biotechnology, and civil engineering, and is suitable for both masters- and doctoral-level students. 

Praise for the previous edition:

...an excellent book, well written, authoritative, clear and concise, and copiously illustrated with appropriate line drawings, graphs and tables. - Polymer International

...an extremely useful book. It is a pleasure to recommend it to physical chemists and materials scientists, as well as physicists interested in the properties of polymeric materials. - Polymer News

The solutions tothe exercises are given in the final chapter, making it a well thought-out teaching text. - Polymer Science

This book is a concise, readable, yet authoritative primer of basic classic thermodynamics. Many students have difficulty with thermodynamics, and find at some stage of their careers in academia or industry that they have forgotten what they learned, or never really understood these fundamental physical laws. As the title of the book suggests, the author has distilled the subject down to its essentials, using many simple and clear illustrations, instructive examples, and key equations and simple derivations to elucidate concepts. Based on many years of teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels, “Essential Classical Thermodynamics” is intended to provide a positive learning experience, and to empower the reader to explore the many possibilities for applying thermodynamics in other fields of science, engineering, and even economics where energy plays a central role. Thermodynamics is fun when you understand it!

This companion volume to “Fundamental Polymer Science” (Gedde and Hedenqvist, 2019) offers detailed insights from leading practitioners into experimental methods, simulation and modelling, mechanical and transport properties, processing, and sustainability issues. Separate chapters are devoted to thermal analysis, microscopy, spectroscopy, scattering methods, and chromatography. Special problems and pitfalls related to the study of polymers are addressed. Careful editing for consistency and cross-referencing among the chapters, high-quality graphics, worked-out examples, and numerous references to the specialist literature make “Applied Polymer Science” an essential reference for advanced students and practicing chemists, physicists, and engineers who want to solve problems with the use of polymeric materials.