“Physical Chemistry of Polymers: Personal Perspective for the Past 40 years”

Hyuk Yu
Department of Chemistry
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

       This is to look back at a seeming maturation of a scientific field, physical chemistry of polymers and macromolecules. By necessity, it is a highly personal, hence  provincial, testimony. Nevertheless, it is hoped that something of a value could be offered. It will start with how the study of isolated single molecules in dilute solution turned to mature, and end with how the language of scaling for the structure and dynamics in bulk state has slithered into the field. The trajectory of our own research interest will be traced against the backdrop of the evolutionary stages of the field for the past 40 years.