ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the properties of dilute polymers in solution, then bulk polymers in the glassy and melts states. It describes common experimental techniques used in polymer science for materials characterization. Although many natural materials can be considered polymers, for example, cellulose, silk, and gelatin, the first artificial polymer materials were not manufactured until the late 19th century. One of the earliest manufactured polymers was celluloid. When polymers assemble into a long chain, they can vary along their length in different ways. The interactions of polymer molecules with water or any other solvent are particularly important for the solution behavior or surface properties of the material. All polymers are characterized by their very high molecular mass. The simplest model for a polymer in solution is known as the ideal or Gaussian chain. Filamentous molecules such as polymers can be very long and therefore may become entangled in solution to form a gel.
