The objective of this book is to convey to academic and industrial researchers and students advances in synthetic and characterization methods in 9 selected areas of polymer chemistry reported in 2007-2008 US Patents. It reviews the impact of newer bulk anionic, cationic, and free radical polymerization methods within selected industrial applications. Bulk and surface crosslinking agents using selected bi- and tri-functional reagents, photochemical methods, or free radical agents are also reviewed. Finally, there is a separate section on cationic and cationic ring opening polymerization reactions describing di- and tri-heterocyclic monomers and their use in medical devices.

Thomas F. DeRosa is Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the Borough of Manhattan Community College of the City University of New York. Previously, he was the division intellectual property officer at Texaco where he worked on fuel and lubricant additives and fuels containing traces of polymers. Prior to that, he was a senior chemist at AlliedSignal Corporation and a project chemist at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Howmedica Division. Dr. DeRosa has taught advanced organic, industrial, and polymer chemistry at Ramapo College of New Jersey. He has also authored Advances in Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Methods Reported in US Patents and Significant Pharmaceuticals Reported in US Patents, and his name appears on over forty-five US patents.