This introductory textbook on polymer science is aimed at lecturers/professors and undergraduate and graduate students of polymer science and technology, as well as engineering (materials, chemical, civil, food, etc.), chemistry, and physics. It is also aimed at engineers and technologists.

Each chapter is written starting from simple concepts, getting progressively more complex towards its end, to help the reader decide how deep to go into each topic. Each chapter also presents the solution of many proposed problems, guiding the reader to solve numerically the everyday problems polymer technologists face, by applying theoretical concepts. Additionally, at every chapter’s end there is a list of problems for the reader to check his/her understanding of the topics.

The book contains a list of more than 10 experiments to perform in the laboratory, linked to some of the concepts discussed in the book. It also serves as a long-term reference with many figures, diagrams, tables, chemical equations containing frequently needed information. It contains as well an appendix with a long list of chemical structures of the main commercially available polymers.

New in the 2nd edition are additional chapters covering, respectively, polymer optical behavior and rubber elasticity, as well as a collection of milestone references. A detailed solutions manual is also now provided, as well as many smaller updates, additions, and corrections throughout the book.