Although in nature the vast majority of polymers are condensation polymers, much publicity has been focused on functionalized vinyl polymers. Functional Condensation Polymers fulfills the need to explore these polymers which form an increasingly important and diverse foundation in the search for new materials in the twentyfirst century. Some of the advantages condensation polymers hold over vinyl polymers include offering different kinds of binding sites, their ability to be made biodegradable, and their different reactivities with various reagents under diverse reaction conditions. They also offer better tailoring of end-products, different tendencies (such as fiber formation), and different physical and chemical properties. Some of the main areas emphasized include dendrimers, control release of drugs, nanostructure materials, controlled biomedical recognition, and controllable electrolyte and electrical properties.

From the reviews:
"The articles are written by some of the leading experts in these fields. The section covering light and energy consists of five interesting articles covering various classes of polymers and polymer properties. The properties of these materials were very interesting as well. I enjoyed reading this book. The articles are of importance to synthetic chemists developing new classes of functional polymers and to materials scientists and engineers interested in their properties and applications. This book is a very useful reference and would be a valuable resource for both industrial and academic researchers."
*(Polymer News, 28:6)*

Inhalt
Nano Materials.- Lanthanide(III) Oxide Nanocomposites with Hexafluoroisopropylidine-based Polyimides.- Fumaryl Chloride and Maleic Anhydride Derived Crosslinked Functional Polymers and Nano Structures.- Humeral Immune Responses to Polymeric Nanomaterials.- Preparation and Characterization of Novel Polymer/Silicate Nanocomposites.- Metallocene Hematoporphyrins as Analytical Reagents-nickel (II) Metal Adsorption Studies of Group IVB Metallocene Polymers Derived from Hematoporphyrin IX.- Polyester Ionomers as Functional Compatibilizers for Blends with Condensation Polymers and Nanocomposites.- Light and Energy.- Sulfonated and Carboxylated Copoly(Arylenesulfone)S for Fuel Cell Applications.- Preparation and Properties of Sulfonated or Phosphonated Polybenzimidazoles and Polybenzoxazoles.- Design of Conjugated Polymers for Single Layer Light Emitting Diodes.- Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Blue Light-emitting Polymers Containing Dinaphthylanthracene.- Novel Two-photon Absorbing Polymers.- Bioactivity and Biomaterials.- Natural Functional Condensation Polymer Feedstocks.- Functional Hydrophilic-hydrophobic Hydrogels Derived from Condensation of Polycaprolactone Diol and Poly(Ethylene Glycol) with Itaconic Anhydride.- Organometallic Condensation Polymers as Anticancer Drugs.- Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Chelation Products between Chitosan and Tetrachloroplatinate Towards the Synthesis of Water Soluble Cancer Drugs.- Condensation Polymers as Controlled Release Materials for Enhanced Plant and Food Production: Influence of Gibberellic Acid and Gibberellic Acid-containing Polymers on Food Crop Seed.- Enhanced Physical Properties.- 2,6-Anthracenedicarboxylate-containing Polyesters and Copolyesters.- Synthesis and Characterization of Ionic and Non-ionic Terminated Amorphous Poly(Ethylene Isophthalate).- Syntheses, Characterization and Application of Functional Condensation Polymers from Anhydride Modified Polystyrene and Their Sulfonic Acid Resins.- Condensation Copolymerization Via Ru-catalyzed Reaction of o-quinones or ?-diketones with ?,?-dihydrido-oligodimethylsiloxanes.- Gel-drawn Poly(p-phenylenepyromellitimide).