Advanced Macromolecular and Supramolecular Materials and Processes

Book excerpt: The area of macromolecular and supramolecular science and engineering has gained substantial interest and importance during the last decade and many applications can be envisioned in the future. The rapid developments in this interdisciplinary area justify a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in the research of materials and processes that is given in this monograph. This monograph is based primarily on synthetic architectures and systems covered by the contents of selected plenary and invited lectures delivered at the 1st International Symposium on Macro- and Supramolecular Architectures and Materials (MAM-01): Biological and Synthetic Systems, which was held from 11-14 April 2001 on the international campus of the Kwangju Institute of Science and Technology (K-JIST) in Kwangju, South Korea. In addition, it contains several complementing contributions in this novel field of science dealing with synthetic architectures and represents a unique compilation of reviewed research accounts of the in-depth knowledge of macromolecular and supramolecular materials and processes. It comprises 22 pioneering chapters written by 64 renowned experts from 13 different countries.