100 years after the discovery of macromolecular chemistry by Hermann Staudinger, polymeric materials have taken on an unprecedented triumphal march through all areas of our daily lives. Today, macromolecular science is an established interdisciplinary science at the boundaries of chemistry, physics, biology, medicine and engineering, to name but a few. A whole range of properties make polymers a unique and therefore irreplaceable material class today: Material properties can be engineered in a wide range, e.g. by copolymerization Polymers are usually non-equilibrium systems and often capable of stabilizing complex systems outside their thermodynamic equilibrium in a metastable state 100 years after Staudinger's sensational discovery, the way in which we deal with polymers in industry and academia has developed rapidly. To be successful in this field today, it is no longer enough simply to master the synthesis of macromolecules. The future lies in knowing exactly what the desired polymer is capable of doing in the target application - and why. This requires a scientific qualification that goes far beyond classical chemical education (especially in areas such as biophysics or electronics) and the ability to work in teams with ever new tools, especially with respect to digitization. Against this background, a stronger integration of academia and industry is becoming increasingly important. The downside of undifferentiated and in part irresponsible use of plastics must also be mentioned in this context. In particular, the so-called microplastics represents a challenge to macromolecular research, which cannot be overestimated. Bio-based and biodegradable polymers will become increasingly important here. However, these will not be able to solve the entire problem completely, so that further recycling and recovery options have to be designed and consistently implemented.

The second century: Polymers from an industrial perspective

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.