TABLE OF CONTENTS One of the indicators of the progress of human civilization is the type of materials that are accessible to society. Just as the Metal (Bronze and Iron) Age marked the beginning of a new chapter of human civilization at the end of the Stone Age, the advent of organic polymers in the last century has heralded a new era. Conventional materials such as iron, steel, wood, glass or ceramics are today being either supplemented or replaced by polymeric materials. From commonplace and routine (elastomers, fibers, thermoplastics) to special and high technology applications (electronic, electrical, optical, biological) polymers are being increasingly utilized. This dramatic impact of polymers has become possible because of two important factors. Firstly, the intrinsic versatility of carbon to form bonds to itself and to other hetero atoms such as oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur has enabled the extension of the principles of organic chemistry to polymer synthesis. This methodology has allowed the assembly of a large variety of polymers that possess varying properties which can fulfill wide and diverse needs. Secondly, the accessibility of inexpensive petroleum feed stocks from the beginning of the last century has allowed a large-scale availability of the building blocks of polymer synthesis and this in turn has helped the mass production of polymeric materials. From exotic laboratory materials polymers have become bulk commodities [ [1] [2] [3]].
In spite of such wide-ranging applications and ubiquitous presence carbon-based polymeric materials probably do not have the capability to fulfill all the...
