Emphasis is on a broad description of the general methods and processes for the synthesis, modification and characterization of macromolecules. These more fundamental chapters will be supplemented by selected and detailed experiments. In addition to the preparative aspects the book also gives the reader an impression on the relation of chemical constitution and morphology of Polymers to their properties, as well as on their application areas. Thus, an additional textbook will not be needed in order to understand the experiments.

The 5th edition contains numerous changes: In recent years, so-called functional polymers which have special electrical, electronic, optical and biological properties, have gained more and more in interest. This textbook was therefore supplemented by recipes which describe the synthesis of these materials in a new chapter "Functional polymers". Together with new experiments in chapter 3,4 and 5 the book now contains more than 120 recipes that describe a wide range of macromolecules.