Economy of California During World War II Essay

Economy of California During World War II - Essay Example This paper illustrates that one of the major events for the nation of America during the period of 20th century was the entry to regions of the Pacific Coast as a major area for economic development. During the period of 1900 and 1980 the total percentage of population of the Western States of America increased almost five times from 3.2% of total population to 15.5% of total population. The growth rate of personal income earned by the population of the Far Western regions even tripled from 5.3% to 17.4%. By the period of 1980 the areas located in the urban centers of Pacific Coast gained recognition as being important for technological advancements. Historians believe that the major developments and economic growth achieved by these regions especially by California was due to their experience of the World War II. According to Gerald Nash, a famous historian, the economic development of the Western regions was increasing and the economic development of states located in the Pacific r egions started increasing during the period of war. He further stated that the regions of the Pacific areas that were experiencing stagnant and slow increase in economic development started enjoying increased pace of economic development. There are very few criticizers who claim that West did not experience economic growth and expansion during the era of the ending period of 1940s. Mostly historians support the idea that West developed by a great deal during that era. During this period a large number of people started moving towards west in order to gain employment in the field of aircraft and ship manufacturing. The military institutes located in this region were home to several soldiers and shipmen who were engaged in the war. During a period of only five years from 1940 to 1945 the total population of the area increased by 25%. The main reason due to which the area was gaining tremendous amount of growth was that they were spending very heavily on military purposes. Rhode believ es that the major reason due to which the airplane industry of the region of California flourished was that they were assigned various contracts from the defense sector before the war actually started (Chan and Spencer, 1997, p.308). Nash stated that due to the war major changes were experienced by the West, in the areas of population, relations and economy and this period altered the West from an underdeveloped region to a developed one (Chan and Spencer, 1997, p.308). During the same 5 years period the Far Western regions of America obtained billions of dollars in the shape of funding for war purposes. During 1943 when the expenditure ion military purposes reached its peak, policy makers started fearing that after the war huge number of job; losses will take place in the region of West. According to policy makers of California, a total of 1 million jobs were to be lost out of a total workforce of 4 million within a year after the end of war. Due to this policy makers started to ma ke plans in order to help those who were expected to lose their jobs after the war. Many changes did not take place and expectations made by the policy makers did not come out to be true as heavy amount of job losses did not occur nor did many migrant workers not leave the Western regions. Economic development started taking place as a huge number manufacturing organizations started to operate on national level and operations started to expand. Those who were employed in military related jobs started filling civilian jobs. During the period, fields such as schooling, housing the service sector were not given much importance, but after the war these developments started taking place and this led to increase in number of jobs in the areas of construction and other services. This paper will discuss that West and especially California experienced economic growth during and after the World War II. Body War and Economy Undoubtedly the engagement of US in World War II led to the nation exp eriencing a boom in economy,

Family study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Family study - Assignment Example its, with the Indians and Mexican Americans (Hispanics) being categorized as closely-knight families emanates from their traditional socio-political and economic conditions. The Africans had to live together as large family units, to be able to fend for themselves, since the status of slaves did not offer opportunities for venturing into prime economic generation ventures (Newman, 2007). The Mexican and the Indian Americans had to form tightly-knight together families, due to the need to establish identity either as acquired/immigrant group or as the invaded group, respectively. This traditional social construct of minority families define the structure of these families to present day. Focusing on race and ethnicity in defining the structure of minority families is woefully misleading, since there is no set of shared physical characteristics that tie people together (Newman, 2007). The attempt to understand families should be based on the similarities that exist across ethno-racial and religious groups, since focusing on differences results in emphasizing the boundaries distinguishing the members from non-members (Newman, 2007). Additionally, focusing on the differences results in the analysis of belonging to a certain group is something to be proud or ashamed of, instead of focusing on the cultural uniqueness of the different groups (Newman, 2007). This results in a negative social construction. Assimilation should therefore be the aspired mode of defining the future American society. Nevertheless, ever reaching a point of where racial and ethnic categorizations are irrelevant does not seem a possibility. Growing in an interracial or interfaith family has the advantage of helping to break the racial stereotypes held by different races against one another. However, the major disadvantage associated with growing up in an interracial or interfaith family is the difficulty of building a self-identity (Newman, 2007). This is owing to the fact that self-identities

The British Industrial Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The British Industrial Revolution - Essay Example It is a period of modernisation is various aspects of life including social changes and other economic changes that signify a great stride in the life of the society. Industrial development of any society is closely related to the innovations which help to change the nature of life of the society. It is marked by large-scale development of energy. In this case there is increased use of energy and metallurgy production. Industrialization also comes with philosophical changes in the societies. In this regard the society adopts different attitudes toward the surroundings and most of all a changing perception of the nature and the components of nature. There have been arguments on the methods that are used to measure the level of industrialization of any nation. There are some who use the amount of energy that is being used by a nation to measure the level of advancement while at het same time there are those who use other aspects of civilization like advancement in education and social life in order to gauge the level of industrial. However industrial has been described as a period of general development which cannot be measured using one aspect only. This means that there are various political and social changes in light of the economic development that are taking place. There are some factors that have been identified by key researchers to gauge the level of industrialization. Some of these factors include a favourable political-legal environment for the advancement of commerce and industries, abundance use of natural resources and plentiful supply of low cost labour which is able to suit the demands of the world. Industrial revolution in England England was one of the states which experience industrial revolution as early as 1700s. Between 1760 and 1860, there was a marked period of technological progress which was also reflected in education and increasing capital stock in the market. This helped to transform England from a pre-industrialized nation to a full industrialized nation. There were different chains that were taking place in the society from the agriculture, manufacturing and transportation sectors which helped to shape the socioeconomic life of the people. There was also a profound change in the culture of the people which spread the whole of Europe though the 18th and 19th century. In the 1700s, there was a great replacement of manual labour in Great Britain with one dominated by machines. This stated with the seemly mechanisation of the textile industry which was aimed at making sure that there was efficiency in production. There was the development of the iron-making technology which increase the use and the refinery of coal. There was increased trade between different communities and European counties due to the introduction of canals, improved roads and railways. There was increased capacity of production of textile industry with the invention of the steam power which used coal as the main energy and powered machinery which was used in the textile industry. The development of the metallic machine tools helped to facilitate increased production in the manufacturing industries. From the first revolution to the second industrial revolution, there were eminent changes that were taking place in the society and which helped to set a difference between the England society and the rest of the world.

AT&T Control Mechanisms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

AT&T Control Mechanisms - Essay Example All customers of AT&T sign an AUP to signify their conformity to the policies outlined by the company. A failure by a customer to adhere to the policies stated in the AUP may result in the termination of their use of AT&T’s services. This control mechanism is effective in controlling the unlawful use of the services offered by AT&T. It is AT&T’s way of policing their ranks. The AUP is necessary to protect both AT&T and its wide customer base. This control mechanism imposed by AT&T is effective in that it functions as a deterrent for internet users who plan to use AT&T’s service in an unlawful and unacceptable manner. Another control mechanism existing in AT&T is their Code of Business Conduct. All employees of AT&T are required to adhere to this Code as it embodies the values espoused by the company. As Randall Stephenson, Chairman and CEO of AT&T clearly puts it, â€Å"The Code of Business Conduct puts our values into action. It’s more than a set of rule s; it’s the principles we work by and a guide to help us make the right decisions every day† (AT&T Intellectual Property 1). This Code is a control mechanism imposed by AT&T to all its employees to safeguard its reputation of honesty and integrity to its customers. The effectiveness of this mechanism can be measured in the numerous awards and recognitions reaped by AT&T which could be attributed to the outstanding performance of its workforce who are committed to its Code of Conduct. The AT&T Intellectual Property arm is another important control mechanism adopted by AT&T. This division is responsible for protecting AT&T’s portfolio of more than 9,000 patents (AT&T Intellectual Property , par.2). Aside from protecting the company’s portfolio, it is also responsible in managing the licensing and selling of AT&T patents, technology, trademarks and domain names (AT&T Intellectual Property par.3). This control mechanism is imperative in safeguarding AT&Tâ€⠄¢s researches and innovations. Now more than ever, the Intellectual Property is deemed very relevant because of the rapid growth in new technologies. The fourth control mechanism observed at AT&T is the creation in 2009 of the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) Forum â€Å"to provide a venue to formally integrate, leverage, and grow enterprise-wide initiatives to become best-in-class from a diversity perspective† (AT&T Intellectual Property , par.6). According to AT&T, this forum meets quarterly every year and aims to monitor the development of the diversity strategies within the organization. Hand in hand with this Forum is the establishment of the Business Unit Diversity Council to create an awareness of the diversity and inclusion of the workforce at AT&T. The proof of the effectiveness of these control mechanisms is the recognition given by DiversityInc. to AT&T in 2011 as one of the top 50 companies for diversity (AT&T Intellectual Property , par.1). Furthermore, it has alwa ys been included in DiversityBusiness.com’s America’s Top 50 Corporations for Multicultural Business Opportunities. The four control mechanisms described above all contribute to making AT&T the largest communications holding company in the world by revenue. The AUP and the Intellectual Property arm of AT&T are control mechanisms which are targeted towards the external community which AT&T

Nutrition in Home Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nutrition in Home Care - Essay Example This essay will discuss principles of nutrition, give potential problems for lack of nutrition and talk about therapeutic diet. It will highlight safety in handling food, discuss fluid balance and talk about community resources on nutrition. 2. Key principle of nutrition. According to Gibson (2005, p. 25), adhering to principles of nutrition gives the client strength and helps to maintain body weight. It replaces lost minerals and vitamins, boosts the immune and enhances response after treatment. The client should eat a variety of foods from the following groups; carbohydrates, protein, minerals, fats, vitamins and sugars. The foods should be taken in correct amount to maintain weight and should avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids. The client can have regular exercise. Three main meals in a day with plenty of snacks in between can be adopted. Ingram and Lavery (2009, p. 218) note that, the body is composed of water, minerals, protein, fats, carbohydrates and refuse. Food t hat is taken builds the body. Food is important in giving the body energy, warmth and retaining heat and energy. Implementing nutritional principles enable a person to have energy, good health, and reduce sickness. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for good health. Increase water intake. Take seasonal foods since they enhance nutrition. Take a wide variety of diverse foods and ensure food is taken in moderation. Whole food nutrition is better than separate nutrition element. Taking supplements is not an equivalent to replacing food. Take food that is good for eating and not poisonous or contaminated. It is important to discipline self to eat food in the right amount. Good nutrition can prevent and at times reverse illnesses. If nutritional principles are followed the cost of care is reduced since ailments subside. 3. Potential nutrition problems. Birchenall and Streight (2012, p. 19) mention that, home healthcare clients can experience nutritional problems despite paying attention to getting adequate food. One of the common problems is under nutrition which leads to weight loss. Weight loss can be easily identified and treated with balanced diet, correct food and beverage quantities. However, medication effects and depression that a client experience can lead to weight loss. The problem is solved by introducing feeding tubes to avoid under nutrition of protein energy. Another problem is deficiency of pyridoxine, folate, vitamin D and minerals like zinc. The deficiency of nutrients hinders healing of wounds and contributes to low immune. Additionally, failure to take adequate fluids causes dehydration. Furthermore, post prandial hypotension can occur and inevitably cause the home care client to have aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia can cause a fall. 4. Therapeutic diets. Therapeutic diets refer to foods that are modified to meet the specific health and physical needs of a client. The modification is recommended by a nutritionist or a medical profess ional. The objective is to adjust the content of calories, texture or nutrients to the most appropriate depending on the client’s condition (William and Schlenker, 2003, p. 17). Therapeutic diets require patience and convincing to the client. This is because they may have body weakness, sickness, lack of appetite or self pity. It is easier to make them understand the use of diet by explanation. Therapeutic diet include food

Unprofessional Athletes Essay Example for Free

Unprofessional Athletes Essay Back in the year 1860, the Pony Express was known to be the fastest and most efficient method of sending mail. It had taken approximately ten days for a horse to travel across the country and deliver the parcels to their recipients, an astonishingly short amount of time for the people of that particular era. A little over 150 years after the inception of the Pony Express, technological advances have been made and it is safe to say that a simple message to a friend no longer takes ten days to send, nor does it travel by horse. Now, in the year 2012, a message can be sent simply with a few clicks on a keyboard or a couple clicks of a cell phone. Along with the gratification that comes along with knowing that your message was sent and received instantly, there comes a few dangers. These hazards become a greater risk for those individuals who are in the spotlight, especially professional athletes. If an athlete makes a controversial remark about any issue, he makes himself subject to mass public scrutiny; from there, the athlete may lose the respect of his fans, supporters, and even teammates based on his stance on the particular topic. An athlete may be so preoccupied by social media and how the world perceives them that he may lose focus on his main goal, which is performing well in his sport. Many professional sports leagues have rules set in place against athletes expressing their opinions of certain sports-related topics on social media, so if a player steps out of line and disobeys one of these rules he is subject to a heavy fine enforced by the league’s officials. Social media shouldn’t be used by professional athletes because of the intense microscope they are under on an everyday basis. Professional athletes have a huge following while participating in their craft, but once they enter the world of social media, especially Twitter, some athletes see this crowd start to dwindle down. Many believe that although fans may root for a player during a game, it does not necessarily translate into support off the field in their social life., In Mark Emmons’ Mercury News article entitled â€Å"Amid Giants World Series, Twitter gives fans a glimpse into athletes lives,† Harry Edwards, a UC Berkeley professor emeritus of sociology, states that: The [San Francisco] 49ers want guys to interact with fans, but they want them to be smart because when you put something out there, its out there forever. It could end up in your obituary. But its important that fans can feel like they can talk to an athlete and say, Maybe it was a tough day at the office for you guys Sunday, but youll get em next week. Figure.1 Stoudemires actions on Twitter epitomize that anything that is done over social media can be publicized and scrutinized in an instant. Figure.1 Stoudemires actions on Twitter epitomize that anything that is done over social media can be publicized and scrutinized in an instant. Although he has always been on rival opposing teams, Amar’e Stoudemire had been one of my favorite NBA players to watch due to his toughness and high-flying ability. When I first joined Twitter in 2011 he was one of the first people that I knew I had to follow. Unlike some athletes before him, he was—by most people’s standards—a respected professional basketball player who did most of his trash talking between the basketball court’s lines rather than blowing up on Twitter after a game. However, during late June of this year, Stoudemire’s reputation and fan following took a major hit after he angrily messaged a fan in response to the fan’s tweet questioning Stoudemire’s performance on the court. In the direct message as shown in Figure 1.1, Stoudemire uses slanderous and even anti-gay slurs which are blocked out with black boxes. Although he apoligized after the picture went viral, the damage had already been done and his reputation had taken a permanent hit. Stoudemire had begun to lose long-time supporters, including myself, because of the reaction he had to a simple criticism he received over Twitter. Everything an athlete does, especially over social media websites, is heavily scrutinized and can land him in an uncomfortable and unwanted position in the public. All professional athletes must be aware of the fact that with all of the intense training that they put forth in hopes of perfecting their particular craft, social media outlets, especially Twitter and Facebook, can provide unnecessary distractions that may interfere with their performance. It has become such an addiction to some players that they cannot bear to go a whole game without tweeting or writing a status update about their team’s performance. A few years ago during halftime of a game against the Boston Celtics, Charlie Villanueva of the Milwaukee Bucks tweeted this, leading to then-head coach Scott Skiles banning Twitter use during games: â€Å"In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. Were playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up. (si.com â€Å"Twitter Trouble†) The pressures put on athletes by fans is not only felt here in the United States, but also on a global level. Before the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Australian swimmer Emily Seebohm was by far the favorite to win in the 100-meter backstroke, but was just edged out by American teenager Missy Franklin. When asked about her performance, Seebohm claimed to have been distracted by all of the posts from friends and fans back in her home country, causing a lack of sleep and mental preparation that goes into earning a gold medal at the Olympics. (The Telegraph) Professional athletes around the world should not be using any social media or social networking devices because of the negative impact it can have on their on-field performance and thus blocking them from reaching their maximum potential and skill level. It is a necessity for athletes to be cautious with their word choice because of the fines they may receive as a result of their comments. In an April 2012 Time magazine, then Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen blurted out that he loved and respected oppressive Cuban leader Fidel Castro for his unwillingness to be caught and brought down by those looking to end his reign as tyrant. (Time Magazine) These comments were not well received by the Miami community—made up of mostly Cuban immigrants who fled the country to escape from its unruly dictator. Guillen received a five game suspension, but the stain on his reputation was never completely removed. Since the preseason comments made regarding Castro, Guillen continued to make negative comments about his team’s performance, leading to multiple fines from the team’s owner and a loss of respect from a city as a whole. On October 23,2012, just over a year from initially being hired as the Marlins’ manager, Guillen was fired because of a combination of lack of wins on the field and an excess of controversial remarks made off the field of play. Athletes and coaches both need to watch whatever they say to the media or on a social networking site because of the ramifications that the comments may have with the team or sponsors they are currently working for. Many sports fans, myself included, agree that they enjoy witnessing and reading about how the everyday lifestyle of a professional athlete plays out through social media outlets. Despite the enjoyment that I experience from getting an inside glimpse of a professional athlete’s life, I do realize the issue that they may not be setting a prime model for the younger generation that look up to them. No, not all athletes are monsters made out to destroy a child’s innocence through their Twitter, but there are enough poor examples in the world to raise the question of whether or not these athletes should have their own social media outlets due to the issue of molding a younger generation into respectable adults that didn’t have their â€Å"hero’s† identity ripped away by one careless tweet or status update sent out. In the social media world we live in the question is not whether or not we enjoy seeing an athlete’s life play out over Twitter or any other social media outlet, but whether or not the material they post is ethical enough to keep their â€Å"professional† status. We are constantly told that our generation is going through a technological revolution. In fact, new, simpler ways of communicating with each other are being invented every day. However, there is one group that has to be more cautious of what they send out over these social outlets than the rest of us do, celebrities, and in particular athletes. Athletes are constantly being thrown under the spotlight for controversial Figure 2 Although Rashard Mendenhall is exercising his right to free speech, his remarks garnered much animosity toward him and his team. Figure 2 Although Rashard Mendenhall is exercising his right to free speech, his remarks garnered much animosity toward him and his team. remarks made on social media websites, from Rashard Mendenhall of the Pittsburgh Steelers criticizing people for celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden (Figure 2) to TJ Lang of the Green Bay Packers bashing replacement referees for a blown last second call that cost his team the game. These statements made by athletes can cause them to lose fans across the country and possibly the globe. Social media also provides unwanted distractions to athletes everywhere that may take their mind off of performing to their utmost capability. Also, it can become such a problem that a team may eventually cut or fire a player based off of previous controversial comments made by the athlete. Professional athletes shouldn’t have access to social media outlets, despite the amusement fans see from their day-to-day access. Works Cited Babel, Ryan. â€Å"Twitter Trouble. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0911/twitter.trouble/content.5.ht ml. Berman, Len. Trending Stories. Mashable. N.p., 4 Jan. 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://mashable.com/2010/01/04/social-media-athletes/. Ottesen, Didrik. London 2012 Olympics: Australian Swimmer Emily Seebohm Blames Twitter and Facebook for Failure. Editorial. The Telegraph [London] 31 July 2012: n. pag. The Telegraph. 31 July 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9440774/London-2012-Olympics- Australian-swimmer-Emily-Seebohm-blames-Twitter-and-Facebook-for-failure.html. Ortiz, Maria B. Twitter Gaffes Begat Punishment for Athletes. ESPN. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, 27 July 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/7495/voula-papachristou-inspires- twitter-fail-list.

Self-healing Materials and Shape Memory Polymers

Self-healing Materials and Shape Memory Polymers Topic Area: self-healing materials, shape memory polymers and flame retardant polymers Emerging Polymer materials       Md Hossion Shovon Introduction: The ability of a nation to harness nature as well as its ability to cope up with the challenges posed by it is determined by its complete knowledge of materials and its ability to develop and produce them for various applications. Advanced Materials are at the heart of many technological developments that touch our lives. Electronic materials for communication and information technology, optical fibers, laser fibers sensors for the intelligent environment, energy materials for renewable energy and environment, light alloys for better transportation, materials for strategic applications and more. Advanced materials have a wider role to play in the upcoming future years because of its multiple uses and can be of a greater help for whole humanity. Emerging technologies are those technical innovations which represent progressive developments within a field for competitive advantage. List of currently emerging technologies, which contains some of the most prominent ongoing developments, a dvances, and Materials Science and Nanotechnology Innovations are Graphene, Fullerene, Conductive Polymers, Metamaterials, Nanomaterials: carbon nanotubes, Superalloy, Lithium-ion batteries, etc. Over the last decade, smart polymeric materials have been used in biochemical sciences in many ways. Since the term, smart polymeric materials encompasses a wide spectrum of different compounds with unique potential for biological applications, Self-healing Polymers: Self-healing polymers are a new class of smart materials that have the capability to repair themselves when they are damaged without the need for detection or repair by manual intervention of any kind. Increasing demand for petroleum feedstocks used to produce polymer and the need for polymeric materials with improved performance in challenging applications continue to drive the need for materials with extended lifetimes. One way to extend the lifetime of a material is to mitigate the mechanism leading to failure. In brittle polymers, failure occurs through crack formation and propagation (1,2) and the ability to repair these cracks when they are still very small will prevent further propagation thus extending the lifetime of the material. Emerging self-healing technologies designed to give polymeric materials the capability to arrest crack propagation at an early stage thereby preventing catastrophic failures will go a long way in helping to increase the scope of applications of the se materials. With the need for autonomic repair of materials without external intervention thus evident, more recent research has focused on developing fully self-healing systems. One approach to the design of such systems employs the compartmentalization of a reactive healing agent, which is then incorporated into a composite material. Thus, when a crack propagates through the material, it causes the release of the healing agent from the compartment in which it is stored into the crack plane where it solidifies and repairs the material. The first basic application of this approach consisted of an epoxy matrix with suspended glass capillaries filled with either cyanoacrylate or a two-part epoxy resin. When a crack propagated through the cured epoxy matrix, the glass capillaries were fractured and the cyanoacrylate monomer or the two-part epoxy generally referred to as healing agents, were released into the crack plane where they reacted and polymerized. A significant recovery of the mechanical properties of the samples after they were allowed to heal suggests that the cracked material was effectively repaired by the polymerized healing agent. Since the healing requires only crack propagation as the trigger for the healing mechanism, it represents a truly autonomic or self-healing material. While a successful demonstration of self-healing, the labor-intensive process of manually filling capillaries and distributing them evenly throughout the matrix make this approach unsuitable for scale-up. Shape-memory Polymers: Shape-memory polymers are an emerging class of active polymers that have the dual-shape capability. They can change their shape in a predefined way from shape A to shape B when exposed to an appropriate stimulus. While shape B is given by the initial processing step, shape A is determined by applying a process called programming. The shape-memory research was initially founded on the thermally induced dual-shape effect. This concept has been extended to other stimuli by either indirect thermal actuation or direct actuation by addressing stimuli-sensitive groups on the molecular level. Finally, polymers are introduced that can be multifunctional. Besides their dual-shape capability, these active materials are biofunctional or biodegradable. Potential applications for such materials as active medical devices are highlighted. Shape-memory polymers are dual-shape materials belonging to the group of actively moving polymers. They can actively change from a shape A to a shape B. Shape A is a temporary shape that is obtained by mechanical deformation and subsequent fixation of that deformation. This process also determines the change of shape shift, resulting in shape B, which is the permanent shape. In shape-memory polymers reported so far, heat or light has been used as the stimulus. Using irradiation with infrared light, application of electric fields, alternating magnetic fields, or immersion in water, indirect actuation of the shape memory effect has also been realized. The shape-memory effect only relies on the molecular architecture and does not require a specific chemical structure in the repeating units. Therefore, intrinsic material properties, e.g. mechanical properties, can be adjusted to the need of specific applications by variation of molecular parameters, such as the type of monomer or the comonomer ratio. An example of a cross-linked polymer network synthesized by polyaddition of monofunctional monomers with low molecular weight or oligomeric cross-linkers has been realized in polyurethanes by the addition of trimethyl owl to the reaction mixture. The reaction of tetra-functional silanes, working as net points, with oligomeric silanes, which work as spacers and to which two distinct benzoate-based mesogenic groups have been attached, results in a formation of a main-chain smectic-C elastomer38. In contrast to other liquid-crystalline elastomers, which display a shape-changing behavior and have been compared to shape-memory polymers recently, these elastomers have shape-memory properties. The cross-linking process during synthesis defines the permanent shape. The shape-memory effect is triggered by the thermal transition of the liquid-crystalline domains. In the programming process, the polymer network is heated to the isotropic state of the liquid crystalline domains, stretched or twisted, and then cooled below the clearing transition temperature of the smectic-C mesogens. Upon reheating over this clearing transition, the permanent shape can be recovered. In contrast to shape-changing liquid crystalline elastomer systems, thes e polymers display shape-memory behavior because the liquid crystalline moieties work as a switch. In shape-changing liquid-crystalline elastomers, the molecular movement of the single liquid crystals is converted into a macroscopic movement Another class of thermoplastic shape memory polymers with Trans = Tg are polyesters. In copolyesters based on poly(Ɇº-caprolactone) and poly (butylene terephthalate), the poly (butylene terephthalate) segments act as physical cross-linkers25. The shape-memory capability can also be added to a polymer using a polymer-analogous reaction. A polymer-analogous reaction is the application of a standard organic reaction (like the reduction of a ketone to an alcohol) to a polymer having several of these reactive groups. An example is the polymer-analogous reduction of a polyketone with NaBH4/THF, which results in a poly(ketone-co-alcohol). The polyketones are synthesized by late transition metal catalyzed polymerization of propene, hex-1-ene, or a mixture of propane and hex-1-ene with CO. The Tg of this polymer is directly related to the degree of reduction, which can be adjusted by the amount of NaBH4/THF. The most promising shape-memory material is a partly reduced poly (ethylene -co-propane-co-carbon oxide), which displayed a phase-separated morphology with hard microcrystalline ethylene/CO-rich segments within a softer amorphous polyketone ethylene-propene/CO-rich matrix. The crystalline domains of this material work as physical cross-linkers. This results in an elastic behavior above Tg because the glass transition temperature (Trans = Tg) is related to the switching phase. Partial reduction of the material allows control of Tg, which can be adjusted from below room temperature to 75 °C. Flame-retardant Polymers: Fire-safe polymers are polymers that are resistant to degradation at high temperatures. There is need for fire-resistant polymers in the construction of small, enclosed spaces such as skyscrapers, boats, and airplane cabins. In these tight spaces, ability to escape in the event of a fire is compromised, increasing fire risk. In fact, some studies report that about 20% of victims of airplane crashes are killed not by the crash itself but by ensuing fires. Fire-safe polymers also find application as adhesives in aerospace materials, insulation for electronics and in military materials such as canvas tenting. Some fire-safe polymers naturally exhibit an intrinsic resistance to decomposition, while others are synthesized by incorporating fire-resistant additives and fillers. Current research in developing fire-safe polymers is focused on modifying various properties of the polymers such as ease of ignition, rate of heat release, and the evolution of smoke and toxic gases. Standard methods for testing polymer flammability vary among countries; in the United States common fire tests include the UL 94 small-flame test, the ASTM E 84 Steiner Tunnel, and the ASTM E 622 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) smoke chamber. Research on developing fire-safe polymers with more desirable properties is concentrated at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and at the Federal Aviation Administration where a long-term research program on developing fire-safe polymers was begun in 1995. The Center for UMass/Industry Research on Polymers (CUMIRP) was established in 1980 in Amherst, MA as a concentrated cluster of scientists from both academia and industry for the purpose of polymer science and engineering research. Controlling the flammability of different materials has been a subject of interest since 450 B.C. when Egyptians attempted to reduce the flammability of wood by soaking it in potassium aluminum sulfate (alum). Research on fire-retardant polymers was bolstered by the need for new types of synthetic polymers in World War II. The combination of a halogenated paraffin and antimony oxide was found to be successful as a fire retardant for canvas tenting. Synthesis of polymers, such as polyesters, with fire retardant monomers were also developed around this time.. Additives are divided into two basic types depending on the interaction of the additive and polymer. Reactive flame retardants are compounds that are chemically built into the polymer. They usually contain heteroatoms. Additive flame retardants, on the other hand, are compounds that are not covalently bound to the polymer; the flame retardant and the polymer are just physically mixed together. Only a few elements are being widely used in this field: aluminum, phosphorus, nitrogen, antimony, chlorine, bromine, and in specific applications magnesium, zinc and carbon. One prominent advantage of the flame retardants (FRs) derived from these elements is that they are relatively easy to manufacture. The most important flame retardants systems used act either in the gas phase where they remove the high energy radicals H and OH from the flame or in the solid phase, where they shield the polymer by forming a charred layer and thus protect the polymer from being attacked by oxygen and heat. Fl ame retardants based on bromine or chlorine, as well as a number of phosphorus compounds act chemically in the gas phase and are very efficient. Others only act in the condensed phase such as metal hydroxides (aluminum trihydrate, or ATH, magnesium hydroxide, or MDH, and boehmite), metal oxides and salts (zinc borate and zinc oxide, zinc hydroxystannate), as well as expandable graphite and some nanocomposites (see below). Phosphorus and nitrogen compounds are also effective in the condensed phase, and as they also may act in the gas phase, they are quite efficient flame retardants. Overviews of the main flame retardants families, their mode of action and applications are given in. Besides providing satisfactory mechanical properties and renewability, natural fibers are easier to obtain and much cheaper than man-made materials. Moreover, they are more environmentally friendly. Recent research focuses on application of different types of fire retardants during the manufacturing proces s as well as applications of fire retardants (especially intumescent coatings) at the finishing stage. A good example for a very efficient phosphorus-based flame retardant system acting in the gas and condensed phases is aluminum diethyl phosphonate in conjunction with synergists such as melamine polyphosphate (MPP) and others. These phosphonates are mainly used to flame retard polyamides (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) for flame retarded applications in electrical engineering/electronics (EE). These are well illustrated by the investigations on glass fiber reinforced polyamide 66 flames retarded with red phosphorus (PA 66-GF/Pr), which demonstrate these charming characteristics Figure 1 shows the thermal and thermo-oxidative decomposition of PA 66-GF/Pr in comparison to PA 66-GF, as well as the performance in cone calorimeter experiments. For both materials, decomposition is characterized by at least three different processes, which strongly overlap for PA 66-GF and are clearly separated for PA 66-GF/Pr. Some decomposition processes are shifted to lower temperatures so that the decomposition region is broadened. There is only a small increase in thermal stability for the final decomposition step. Thermal decomposition changes from a one-step decomposition to a two-step decomposition characteristic. In fire tests, PA 66-GF/Pr is an effective charging material, achieving a clear reduction in THE and HRR in the cone calorimeter, as well as the highest self-extinction classifi cation V-0 in the UL 94, whereas in the case of PA 66-GF all of the polymeric material is consumed so that only the glass fibers remain. Thermo-oxidative decomposition of PA 66 was concluded to occur in cone calorimeter experiments before ignition when a black skin is built up, and during afterglow after flame-out, when a further decrease in mass occurs accompanied by CO production. During the forced-flaming between ignition and flame-out, a stable flame rules out a major influence of oxygen on the decomposition during pyrolysis. The mass loss after flaming combustion and the burning time are used to estimate an average effective pyrolysis temperature. This temperature was estimated by the necessary equivalent isothermal thermos gravimetry with the same mass loss in the burning time. This is a very rough estimation, of course, since the sample in the cone calorimeter, which is characterized by a temperature profile developing over time, is described by a constant temperature independent of place and time. However, since the specimens investigated were rather thin (2.8 mm) and contained inert filler, and because the fire residue was rather homogenous, the values summarized in Table 3 reasonably estimate the effect. The pyrolysis temperature for PA 66-GF is controlled by the decomposition temperature of the polymer and remains more or less constant for all irradiations used. The calculated temperature is higher than-but still close to-the temperature characteristic for the maximum mass loss rate in thermos grav imetry, and the temperature increases slightly with increasing irradiation. The PA 66 is consumed nearly completely by the pyrolysis zone running through the sample. The approximated pyrolysis temperature of PA 66-GF/Pr is characterized by the decomposition temperature of the first decomposition step and thus crucially lower than the temperatures concluded for PA 66-GF. Summary: The development and characterization of self-healing synthetic polymeric materials have been inspired by biological systems in which damage triggers an autonomic healing response. This is an emerging and fascinating area of research that could significantly extend the working life and safety of the polymeric components for a broad range of applications The past decade has witnessed remarkable advances in stimuli-responsive shape memory polymers (SMPs) with potential applications in biomedical devices, aerospace, textiles, civil engineering, bionics engineering, energy, electronic engineering, and household products. Shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) have further enhanced and broadened the applications of shape memory polymers. In addition to reinforcement, SMPCs can enable or enhance thermal stimuli-active effects, novel shape memory effect, and new functions. Many thermal stimuli-responsive effects have been achieved such as electroactive effect, magnetic-active effect, water- active effect, and photoactive effect. The typical examples of novel shape memory effects are multiple shape memory effect, spatially controlled shape memory effect, and two-way shape memory effects. In addition, new functions of SMPCs have been observed and systemically studied such as stimuli-memory effect and self-healing. Flame retardancy of polymeric materials is conducted to provide fire protection to flammable consumer goods, as well as to mitigate fire growth in a wide range of fires. Incorporating flame-resistant additives into polymers became a common and relatively cheap way to reduce the flammability of polymers, while synthesizing intrinsically fire-resistant polymers has remained a more expensive alternative, although the properties of these polymers are usually more efficient at deterring combustion References: Fame, Fire and Materials http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com A review of stimuli-responsive shape memory polymer composites http://www.sciencedirect.com Emerging Areas of Materials Science and Nanotechnology http://materialsscience.conferenceseries.com Schartel, Bernhard Phosphorus-based Flame Retardancy Mechanisms-Old Hat or a Starting Point for Future Development Braun, U.; Balabanovich, A.I.; Schartel, B.; Knoll, U.; Artner, J.; Ciesielski, M.; Dà ¶ring, M.; Perez, R.; Sandler, J.K.W.; et al. Influence of the Oxidation State of Phosphorus on the Decomposition and Fire Behaviour of Flame-Retarded Epoxy Resin Composites. Polymer 2006, 47, 8495-8508 Perez, R.; Sandler, J.K.W.; et al. Influence of the Oxidation State of Phosphorus on the Decomposition and Fire Behaviour of Flame-Retarded Epoxy Resin Composites. Polymer 2006, 47, 8495-8508 Zhang, H. Fire-Safe Polymers and Polymer Composites, Federal Aviation Administration technical report; U.S. Department of Transportation: Washington, D.C., 2004. Kumar, D.; Gupta, A. D.; Khullar, M. Heat-resistant thermosetting polymers based on a novel tetrakisaminophenoxycyclotriphosphazene. J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 1993, 31 (11), 2739-2745.