Book excerpt: The book is intended to reveal the correlation between the chemical structure and the physical characteristics of plastics necessary for appropriate material selection, design, and processing. The entire spectrum of plastics is addressed, including thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, and blends. One of the special features is the extensive discussion and explanation of the interdependence between polymer structure and properties and processing. Polymeric Materials contains several application-oriented examples and is presented at an intermediate level for both practicing plastic engineers and advanced engineering students. Contents: · General Characteristics of Polymeric Materials · Molecular Structure and Synthesis of Polymers · Structure of Polymeric Materials · Thermomechanical Properties · Mechanical Behaviour · Aging and Stabilization · Overview of Selected Polymeric Materials · Guide Values of the Physical Properties