This volume documents the proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Polyimides and Other High Temperature Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications , held in Newark, New Jersey, December 3-6, 2001. Polyimides possess many desirable attributes, so this class of materials has found applications in many technologies ranging from microelectronics to high temperature adhesives to membranes.This volume contains a total of 32 papers, all rigorously peer reviewed and revised before inclusion, addressing many aspects and new developments in polyimides and other high temperature polymers. The book is divided into two parts: Synthesis, Properties and Bulk Characterization and Surface Modification, Interfacial or Adhesion Aspects and Applications. The topics covered include: synthesis and characterization of a variety of polyimides; photoalignable polyimides; high-modulus poly(p-phenylenepyromellitimide) films; structure-property relationships in polyimides; aromatic benzoxazole polymers; polybenzobisthiazoles; polyimide L-B films; transport of water in high Tg polymers; surface modification of polyimides; adhesion of metal films to polyimide and other polymers; investigation of interfacial interactions between metals and polymers; polyimide film surface properties; applications of polyimides in microelectronics, as membranes for gas separation, as composite films; fabrication of thin-film transistors on polyimide films; polyimide modified with fullerenes; semicrystalline polyimides for advanced composites; and wear performance of polyetherimide composite.