SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF POLYMER DYNAMICS - VISCOELASTICITY, DIELECTRIC-DISPERSION, AND SELF-DIFFUSION

Early events in the development of understanding the dynamics of configurational changes in macromolecules and their relation to physical properties (viscoelasticity, dielectric dispersion, and diffusion) are reviewed. The period covered is generally from 1930 (when polymers were first accepted as genuine molecules) to about 1970, though there are a few references to earlier and later contributions. Emphasis is given to early work that is less familiar to contemporary investigators and is seldom if ever cited in the current literature.