Giant molecules from nylon to nanotubes - Gratzer, W. B., (Walter Bruno) (Oxford University Press, 2009)
Includes bibliographical references and index
List of Illustrations; Preface; 1. BEFORE THE DAWN; 2. THE BASICS: A LITTLE CHEMISTRY; 3. PROTEINS: FROM SKIN AND BONE TO ENZYMES; 4. STORAGE: OF FOOD AND INFORMATION; 5. THE PROTEAN ELEMENT: CARBON IN NEW GUISES; 6. THE PLASTIC WORLD; 7. THE QUIDDITY OF POLYMERS: SHAPES, SIZES, AND THEIR EFFECTS; 8. THE NEW AGE: GIANT MOLECULES FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY; 9. PRESENT AND FUTURE: WHERE WILL IT END?; 10. THE MANY FACES OF DNA; Further Reading; Bibliography; Index
Our lives are dominated by giant molecules, which have remarkable properties, some of which are only just being discovered and exploited by science, though many have long been exploited far more effectively by Nature. Giant molecules dominate our lives - from the proteins and DNA within us to the man-made fibres of our clothes and the many plastics that we use every day. And they are set to have an enormous impact on the future, as scientists and engineers learn from nature(biomimetics), and utilize the full potential of tiny carbon nanotubes. The possibilities may seem like science fiction -