These eompiletions bring together data from many scattered sources and add information for new systems never before esleulated. Data included me the energies and coefficients of all the molecular orbitals, total *-energies, electron densities, bond orders, and atom-atom, bond-bond and bond-atom polariaahilities. These quantities may be used as the basic values for numerous correlations with experimental data. and far mediction of reactivities of many other systems.
J. V. D.
Covlometric Analysis
Karl Abreseh and Ingeborg Claassen. Translated by L. L. Leveson, Bristol College of Science and Technology, England. Chapman and Hall, Ltd., London, 1965. xi 275 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22 em. 85.
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This is a translation of a monograph that appeared in German in 1961; it is regrettable that an original text containing no references after 1959 could not have been revised before republication in 1965. Nevertheless, this English version serves a useful purpose since the other monograph8 on coulometric analysis now available in English are either far more costly or much less complete, and none of them is very much more up-to-date. The first part of the hook, some 130 pages in length, deals with Principles, Apparatus, and Instrumentation in a concise but comprehensive way. The approach to principles is ementially practical rather than theoretical, with the emphasis placed on stating the conclusion rather than deriving it in 8. rigorous fashion. The treatment of experimental apparatus and techniques is a wellorganized and clearly presented survey of the material needed to undertake experiment,al work intelligently. Numerous references are included, so that any part,icular tapir can easily be pursued further in the original literature. A second section, of approximately 100 pages, on Analytical Applications, is devoted to summaries of coulometric work reported in the literature t h r o ~ g h1959. A list of 513 references and an adequate index complete the book. Few errors were noted in the text (the reviewer makes no claim to have checked the references!). The photographic reproduet,ion of the Varityped text and accompanying diagrams has been well done and the resulting economies are refleet,ed in s. law price, which puts the book well within t,he reach of any lihrary-or individual. This monograph can be recommended to those who want a comprehensive, highly readable introduction to coulometric analysis. I t s careful, thorough treatment of experimental details will be valusble to anyone working in the field, even though it obviously will have to be augmented by reference to the more recent literat,ure. I t does not compete wit,h, hut, rather supplements, the more theoretical approaches to the subject, such a q Lingme's "Elecbraanalytical Chemistry" and the Kolt,hoff and Elving
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"Treatise on Analytical Chemistry." Both approaches should be available in the analytical section of any good chemistry library.
W.
SEAsE
Middletown*
Polymers: Properties
Structure a n d Bulk
Patrick Afea~es, University of Aherdeen, Scotland. D. Van Nostrand Co., Princeton, New Jersey, 1965. xi f 381 pp. fig^. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $12.50. Although during the past decade, tremendous advances have been made in the control which may be exercised over even the finestdetaik of the structure of many synthetic polymers, except for a limited numher of specialized monographs, little has been written about the mechanical properties of synthetic polymers. Such properties genernlly receive only brief mention in the general textbooks on polymer chemistry. The present treatment provides a readable account of current knowledge about the physical properties of polymers in bulk in relation to their molecular structures. Although mathematical treatment of the various topics discussed has not been neglected, emphasis has been placed on presentation of a clear physical picture of the concept to the reader. The following topics, each with appropriate subheadings, have been discussed: the chemical basis of polymers, the microstructure of chain molecules, molecular weight and branching, the crystallinity of polymers, the fusion and crystalli~stionof polymers, elastomers and the thermodynamics of rubberlike elasticity, the statistical thermodynamic theory of high elasticity, practical aspects of elastic theory, the nature of viscoelasticity, the glass state and glass transition, retarded high elmticity, diffusion of gases and vapors in polymers, and irreversible deformations. The discussion of the chemical basis of polymers is clearly and precisely written; however, because of the limitation on space devoted to this topic, the reader should hear in mind that he should not rely upon this discussion for an adequate introdr~etionto the organic chemistry of polymerization reactions. The author is quite justified, however, in limiting the level of this topic to a. mere introduction for the specialist since a number of adequate tents are available to the beginner. Other topics are treated in cansiderahly greater detail and since it was the author's objective topresent an adequate discussion of mechanical properties, more emphasis has been placed on elasticity, the effects of amorphous and crystalline polymers an mechanical properties, stress and strain relationships, and thk effects of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution on On the other -~~ meehanied uorouerties. hand one interested in a thorough discussion of molecular weight and branching ~
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in polymers must seek a. more specialized treatment of the subject. Again, it must be stated that adequate sources of such material are available, and the author, in striving toward his objective, has taken this fact into account. The work is well illustrated, the style is pleasing, and adequatebibliographies and indexes are included. An added feat,ure of the hook is a glossary of symbols following each chapter. This glossary following each top& discussion, however, turns out to be an absolute requirement, since this reviewer observed that the symbol "A" has a t least six different meanings depending upon where it is found in the hook. The book should be found useful to students in universit,ies and technical schools who are specializing in polymer science, to research chemists and physicists in industrial laboratories whose objectives are to translate polymer properties into economically useful products, and to design engineers who desire to become better informed an bulk properties of polymers, and how these properties are related to the performance of these msterials. GEORGEB. BUTLER
Unziiersity of Florida Gainesville
Biochemical Energetics and Kinetics
A . R. Patton, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1965. vi 116 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. Paperbound. $3.75.
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Clearly this little book is the result of many years of wise and devoted experience in the teaching of its material. The suhject matter is accurately indicated by the title and covers areas which are inadequately covered in all but the most rigorow biochemistry program and which are mast likely to present difficulty to an average student, particularly one insufficiently grounded in physical chemistry to extract and adapt far himself from standard texts. Kinetic theary i., clearly and concisely derived from first principles and is used to good effect in succeeding chapters. Among several admirable devices, the repeated use of the concept af work a3 the product of a potential and a capacity factor permits a. very clear conception of chemical potential and of entropy, and allows the author to poor rightful scorn on vague asfiociations of the latter with probabilities, bags of marbles, ebc. Unfortunately, glaring faults are numerous. Thus, in an otherwise excellently conceived practical calculation of A F " for hydration of fumaric acid from equilibriom concentrations, we find 2.303 X 1.987 X lag 4.03 = 825! While tracking down the absolute temperature as the missing multiplier is perhap3 good practice, it is liable to confuse just that sbndent for whom the book is most intended. Again, presumably because the alphabet is rather short, many
