ABSTRACT

Since most chemists, biochemists, and chemical engineers are now involved in some phase of

polymer science or technology, some have called this the polymer age. Actually, we have

always lived in a polymer age. The ancient Greeks classified all matter as animal, vegetable,

and mineral. Minerals were emphasized by the alchemists, but medieval artisans emphasized

animal and vegetable matter. All are largely polymeric and are important to life as we know it.