Polymer International 43 (1997) 97

Book Reviews

encyclopedia of industrial chemistryUllmannÏsVolume A26 : Surgical materials to thioureaEdited by B. Elvers, S. Hawkins and W. Russey.VCH Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Weinheim, 1995.pp. xv] 815, price DM650.00, £270.00.ISBN 3-527-20126-2Volume A27 : Thorium and thorium compounds to vitaminsEdited by B. Elvers and S. Hawkins.VCH Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Weinheim, 1996.pp. xv] 613, price DM650.00, £270.00.ISBN 3-527-20127-0

This welcome series continues to appear. Several importantarticles in Volume A26 are concerned with applications ofpolymers. By chance of the alphabet, these include “SurgicalmaterialsÏ (21 pp.Èan excellent summary, well referenced, byD. F. Williams of Liverpool) ; “Tapes, adhesiveÏ (6 pp.Èfrom3M, who know a lot about the subject but do not say it here) ;“Tar and pitchÏ (38 pp.Èfrom DECHEMA and Weyl GmbH),and “Tar sandsÏ (33 pp.Èfrom F. J. Mink and R. N. Houlihanof Alberta, Canada, who make crude oil extraction seem easy,in comparison) ; “Terephthalic acid and dimethyl-terephthalatesÏ (11 pp.Èby R. J. Sheenan of Amoco : a usefulsummary of the production and properties of the precursorsof polyester resins) ; “Textile auxiliariesÏ (123 pp. in sevensectionsÈby authors from BASF, Henkel, Hoechst andHickson Danchem, with much detail in what is probably themost recent and comprehensive source on a broad and ill-deÐned subject, with over 600 references) ; “Textile dyeingÏ (136pp. in 14 sectionsÈmainly by authors retired from BASF,with additional contributions from Bayer, HoechstÈCassellaand Dresden, describing general methods, with much detail onprocessing of speciÐc polymer types of Ðbres (including silkand wool) with over 550 references) ; “Textile printingÏ (63pp.Èby authors from Bayer AG, again, with much detail on

processing speciÐc polymer Ðbres) ; “Thermoplastic elastomersÏ(32 pp.Èby authors from Bayer, Du Pont, ElfÈAtochem andShell, describing polyoleÐns, vulcanizates, polyurethane, poly-amide and block copolymer styrenic-based elastomers, andtheir applications, in adhesives and sealants and as otheradditives) ; “ThermosetsÏ (14 pp.Èfrom Bakelite GmbH: arather inadequate article, with little information on epoxyresins, and which shows its age in mentioning only DIN Stan-dards, which must be replaced by EN and IS documents) ;“Thin ÐlmsÏ (66 pp.Èby 14 authors from six countries, describ-ing their preparation, properties and applications in manyÐelds, with over 300 references : a more-than-usefulapplication-speciÐc review of an important Ðeld).

Volume A27 includes relatively few articles of speciÐc inter-est to a polymer readership, although an article on “TiresÏ (USspelling : 12 pp.Èfrom the Deutsche KautschukindustrieVerband trade association) describes the formation of theproduct (with an explanation of the sidewall markings), designconsiderations, and a brief account of emission and recyclingprocesses. Apart from this, there are several articles onpolymer raw materials, notably on “UreaÏ (32 pp.Èfrom DSMand BASF, including an account of urea derivatives used inthermal condensates for speciality polymers) ; “Vinyl estersÏ (15pp.Èfrom G. Roscher of Hoechst AG, with 120 references,which is mainly concerned with vinyl acetate production, withlesser information on vinyl propionate and on the productionof higher vinyl esters) ; and “Vinyl ethersÏ (7 pp.Èfrom BASFAG, with 38 references, which is a useful account of the prep-aration of a group of monomers used to make polyvinylethers, which have some speciality applications).

When a full index to this work is available, the value will begreatly increased : in addition, a (searchable) CD-ROMversion is promised, which will be even more valuable.

A.C. Finch

11997 SCI. Polymer International 0959-8103/97/$17.50 Printed in Great Britain(