The Non-Crystalline State

This chapter discusses the non-crystalline state. In it, we make a distinction between amorphous and disordered materials, and we introduce the concept of short-range order. Models of amorphous materials based on either hard spheres or networks are explored, and polymers are specifically discussed in terms of structure, applications, and recyclability. Brief biographies of John Desmond “Des” Bernal and Georgy Theodosiyovych Voronoï are also included.