composition could not restrict himself “merely to analysing the substance” [10,
p. 9]. The composition of the polymers was “basically very simple, because just a
few types of atom are involved in their structure; mainly carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
and nitrogen, the four basic elements of organic chemistry.” ([10], p. 6 and cf. [1],
p. 311) What was in the final analysis involved was “the chemistry of a single
element – carbon. The outstanding feature of its atom is, incidentally, that it has an
exceptional ability to bond with others of its own kind as well as with the few
above-mentioned other types of atom [. . .]. This distinctive feature of carbon leads
to an enormous number of compounds.” ([10], p. 6; cf. [1], p. 85) The crucial
statement Staudinger adds is: “Knowing about the composition of an organic
compound does not, however, in itself involve any understanding of its formation
and properties” [10, p. 6].
In order to dig deeper here, Staudinger put his concept of macromolecules
(“giant molecules”) to scientific discussion and publicised it on an ongoing basis.
Staudinger made a start on this in the essay “About polymerisation” that appeared
in the “Reports from the German Chemical Society” on 12 June 1920 [12], in which
he postulated a “structure of long chain molecules” for polymers – mention being
made, among others, of polystyrenes, polyvinyl chlorides and rubber [1, p. 77]. In
this context, Staudinger coined the term “high polymers”, which was to be replaced
by the term “macromolekel” [13] and, finally, “macromolecule” [14] in subsequent
years. In Staudinger’s first essay about the chemistry of high polymers, which
Priesner ([15], p. 351) calls the “macromolecular manifesto”, the central definition
is: “Polymerisation processes [. . .] are all the processes in which two or more
molecules combine to form a product with the same composition but a higher
molecular weight” ([12]; quoted in [15], pp. 35–36). A chemical molecule could
“reach practically any size” [1, p. 7] and therefore grow into a giant molecule in this
way: “Identical or similar small groups of atoms join together in constant repetition
to form a pattern, as a result of which macromolecules of enormous size are, finally,
produced.” [16, p. 16]
2.3 Mysterious Polymerisation
Simply defining terminology does not, however, by any means settle adequately
what exactly happens in polymerisation and what enables this process to take place.
This is therefore explained in further detail step by step below, based on statements
made by Staudinger. An appropriate place to start is the phenomenon level, because
it can be described and because it presents the mysteries that electrify both naive
observers and passionate chemists. Looking back on the early days of macromolecular chemistry, Staudinger writes in 1961 [1, p. 169]: “It had already been known
for a long time that some unsaturated compounds turn into products with the same
composition but completely different physical properties when left standing for a
long time, when exposed to light or when heated.” Styrene, for example, “[. . .]
gradually becomes a highly viscous substance [. . .], finally forming glassy
Courageous Questioning of Established Thinking: The Life and Work of Hermann. . .
91
p. 9]. The composition of the polymers was “basically very simple, because just a
few types of atom are involved in their structure; mainly carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
and nitrogen, the four basic elements of organic chemistry.” ([10], p. 6 and cf. [1],
p. 311) What was in the final analysis involved was “the chemistry of a single
element – carbon. The outstanding feature of its atom is, incidentally, that it has an
exceptional ability to bond with others of its own kind as well as with the few
above-mentioned other types of atom [. . .]. This distinctive feature of carbon leads
to an enormous number of compounds.” ([10], p. 6; cf. [1], p. 85) The crucial
statement Staudinger adds is: “Knowing about the composition of an organic
compound does not, however, in itself involve any understanding of its formation
and properties” [10, p. 6].
In order to dig deeper here, Staudinger put his concept of macromolecules
(“giant molecules”) to scientific discussion and publicised it on an ongoing basis.
Staudinger made a start on this in the essay “About polymerisation” that appeared
in the “Reports from the German Chemical Society” on 12 June 1920 [12], in which
he postulated a “structure of long chain molecules” for polymers – mention being
made, among others, of polystyrenes, polyvinyl chlorides and rubber [1, p. 77]. In
this context, Staudinger coined the term “high polymers”, which was to be replaced
by the term “macromolekel” [13] and, finally, “macromolecule” [14] in subsequent
years. In Staudinger’s first essay about the chemistry of high polymers, which
Priesner ([15], p. 351) calls the “macromolecular manifesto”, the central definition
is: “Polymerisation processes [. . .] are all the processes in which two or more
molecules combine to form a product with the same composition but a higher
molecular weight” ([12]; quoted in [15], pp. 35–36). A chemical molecule could
“reach practically any size” [1, p. 7] and therefore grow into a giant molecule in this
way: “Identical or similar small groups of atoms join together in constant repetition
to form a pattern, as a result of which macromolecules of enormous size are, finally,
produced.” [16, p. 16]
2.3 Mysterious Polymerisation
Simply defining terminology does not, however, by any means settle adequately
what exactly happens in polymerisation and what enables this process to take place.
This is therefore explained in further detail step by step below, based on statements
made by Staudinger. An appropriate place to start is the phenomenon level, because
it can be described and because it presents the mysteries that electrify both naive
observers and passionate chemists. Looking back on the early days of macromolecular chemistry, Staudinger writes in 1961 [1, p. 169]: “It had already been known
for a long time that some unsaturated compounds turn into products with the same
composition but completely different physical properties when left standing for a
long time, when exposed to light or when heated.” Styrene, for example, “[. . .]
gradually becomes a highly viscous substance [. . .], finally forming glassy
Courageous Questioning of Established Thinking: The Life and Work of Hermann. . .
91