Polymers are an important part in everyday life; products made from polymers range from sophisticated articles, such as biomaterials, to aerospace materials. One of the reasons for the great popularity exhibited by polymers is their ease of processing. Polymer properties can be tailored to meet specific needs by varying the "atomic composition" of the repeat structure, by varying molecular weight and by the incorporation (via covalent and non-covalent interactions) of an enormous range of compounds to impart specific activities.

In food science, the use of polymeric materials is widely explored, from both an engineering and a nutraceutical point of view. Regarding the engineering application, researchers have discovered the most suitable materials for intelligent packaging which preserves the food quality and prolongs the shelf-life of the products. Furthermore, in agriculture, specific functionalized polymers are used to increase the efficiency of treatments and reduce the environmental pollution. In the nutraceutical field, because consumers are increasingly conscious of the relationship between diet and health, the consumption of high quality foods has been growing continuously. Different compounds (e.g. high quality proteins, lipids and polysaccharides) are well known to contribute to the enhancement of human health by different mechanisms, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary disease, and hypertension.This first volume, of this two volume book, concerns the application of polymers in food packaging.

Phthalonitrile Resins and Composites: Properties and Applications summarizes the latest research on these polymers, providing information that enables materials scientists and engineers to deploy these polymers in the real world. The book gives details on synthesis and preparation techniques for key phthalonitrile monomers. All curing techniques are discussed, along with blends and copolymers of phthalonitrile with other polymeric materials, such as epoxy, benzoxazine and bismaleimide. Fiber and particle based phthalonitrile micro and nanocomposites are also discussed, along with their potential applications in lightweight automobiles, ships, oil rigs, aircraft, wind blades, high temperature bearings, valves, battery and electronic casings, fire resistant textiles, and more.

Chemical Resistance of Commodity Thermoplastics provides a comprehensive, cross-referenced compilation of chemical resistance data that explains the effect of thousands of reagents, the environment and other exposure media on the properties and characteristics of thermosets- plastics which are used in a range of applications. Specifically, the resistance data in this book covers the following materials, allyl, epoxy, unsaturated polyester resin, unsaturated polyurethane resin, vinyl ester resin, furan resin, polyaminobismaleimide, acrylics, polycyanurates and filled/reinforced thermosets. A huge range of exposure media are included, from aircraft fuel, to alcohol, corn syrup, hydrochloric acid and salt to silver acetate. This book is a must-have reference for engineers and scientists designing and working with thermosets in environments where they come into contact with corrosive or reactive substances, from automotive and aerospace, to coatings, adhesives, electrical insulation, fittings and other applications.

Sustainable Composites for Aerospace Applications presents innovative advances in the fabrication, characterization and applications of LDH polymer nanocomposites. It covers fundamental structural and chemical knowledge and explores various properties and characterization techniques, including microscopic, spectroscopic and mechanical behaviors. Users will find a strong focus on the potential applications of LDH polymer nanocomposites, such as in energy, electronics, electromagnetic shielding, biomedical, agricultural, food packaging and water purification functions. This book provides comprehensive coverage of cutting-edge research in the field of LDH polymer nanocomposites and future applications, and is an essential read for all academics, researchers, engineers and students working in this area.

Chemistry has a vital role to play in materials processing and in the development of new materials that can meet the changing needs of today's technology. This volume addresses both the basic underlying principles and the technological relevance of major topics in advanced materials chemistry, including:

• Electron transfer salt-based conductors, superconductors, and magnets
• Advanced polymeric materials-functional electroactive polymers
• Polymers in electronics
• Chemical vapor deposition
• An introduction to the nonlinear optical properties of organic materials
• Nanoparticles and nanostructural materials
• Nanoporous materials
• Molecular precursor routes to inorganic solids
• Layered transition metal oxides and chalcogenides
• Biomaterials

Bringing together a battery of important information in a single source, this stand-alone reference is an invaluable companion for aspiring and practicing organic, inorganic, solid-state, and surface chemists, as well as polymer and materials scientists.

Fundamental Biomaterials: Polymers provides current information on findings and developments of biopolymers and their conversion from base materials to medical devices. Chapters analyze the types of polymers and discuss a range of biomedical applications. It is the first title in a three volume set, with each reviewing the most important and commonly used classes of biomaterials and providing comprehensive information on classification, materials properties, behavior, biocompatibility and applications. The book concludes with essential information on wear, lifetime prediction and cytotoxicity of biomaterials. This title will be of use to researchers and professionals in development stages, but will also help medical researchers understand and effectively communicate the requirements of a biomaterial for a specific application. Further, with the recent introduction of a number of interdisciplinary bio-related undergraduate and graduate programs, this book will be an appropriate reference volume for large number of students at undergraduate and post graduate levels.

The Effect of Sterilization Methods on Plastics and Elastomers, Fourth Edition brings together a wide range of essential data on the sterilization of plastics and elastomers, thus enabling engineers to make optimal material choices and design decisions. The data tables in this book enable engineers and scientists to select the right materials and sterilization method for a given product or application. The book is a unique and essential reference for anybody working with plastic materials that are likely to be exposed to sterilization methods, be it in medical device or packaging development, food packaging or other applications.

The last 25 years have seen the introduction of numerous new fluoropolymers and fluoroelastomers and these developments have widened considerably the scope and applications of fluorine-containing polymers. Modern Fluoropolymers provides an overview of a comprehensive range of commercial fluoropolymers with an emphasis on structure/property behaviour and their diverse fields of application Topics covered include: crystalline and amorphous fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, coatings, sealants, linings, electrical properties, surface properties, effects of radiation, chemical resistance and failure modes of fluoropolymers. With chapters written by experts from industry and academia from North America, Europe, Japan, Australia and Russia, the book is truly international in scope and will be welcomed by researchers, processors and users of all types of fluoropolymers.

Emulsion polymerization is a technologically and commercially important reaction used to produce synthetic polymers and latexes for a wide range of applications. It is the basis of a massive global industry that is expanding due to the versatility of the reaction and the greater realization of the ability to control properties of the polymer latexes produced. Emulsion Polymerization and Emulsion Polymers provides an up-to-date treatment of both academic and industrial aspects of the subject in a single self-contained volume. Established knowledge is integrated with latest developments and introductory chapters to give a state-of-the-art summary which is also suitable as a broad based introduction to the field. The individual chapters have been written by specialists from academia and industry and are presented in a way which ensures that the book will be of equal value to experienced researchers and students.

Ecological Assessment of Polymers Strategies for Product Stewardship and Regulatory Programs John D. Hamilton and Roger Sutcliffe The expense of providing ecological assessments of new commercial products is formidable. The cost of the failure to comply with the current regulations--measured in fines, liability damages, and loss of public trust--is potentially much, much higher. Establishing effective environmental product stewardship strategies for assessment upfront not only promotes initial and continued compliance, it can reduce costs via the more efficient development of new products. Based on the collaboration of the Rohm and Haas Company and S.C. Johnson Wax with other manufacturers, contract laboratories, universities, and government agencies, Ecological Assessment of Polymers is the first complete reference to provide environment-oriented information about polymers from a product development and regulatory compliance perspective. A number of books deal with the potential hazards of pesticides and solvents. This is the first to focus on the commercial synthetic polymers that exist in laundry detergents, paints, super-absorbent diapers, packaging materials, and many other consumer and industrial products. Using the principles of environmental toxicology and chemistry, Ecological Assessment of Polymers approaches environmental evaluation as a decision-making process. The book demonstrates how assessment can be used as a planning tool for developing products, reducing potential liability, and creating new products, processes, and disposal systems. Featured discussions:

• Overviews of methods, instrumentation, and databases used by environmental scientists to assessprocesses/products involving polymers
• Environmental regulatory assessment schemes for preventing dangerous environmental exposure during manufacture, use, transport, storage, and disposal
• Interpretations of ecotoxicity and fate tests with polymers
• New directions of research in degradable polymers
• Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of polymers
• Polymer regulations from the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Pacific Region

Technology and Applications of Polymers Derived from Biomass explores the range of different possible routes from biomass to polymeric materials, including the value and limitations of using biomass in material applications and a comparison of petrochemical-derived polymers and bio-based polymers. The book discusses biomass sources, types, chemistry and handling concerns. It covers the manufacture of industrial chemicals from biomass and the derivation of monomers and polymers from biomass. It also details the processing and applications of biomass-derived polymers to enable materials scientists and engineers realize the potential of biomass as a sustainable source of polymers, including plastics and elastomers. The book is a one-stop-shop reference-giving students a basic understanding of the technology and how the material can be applied to industrial processes they will face in the workforce, and giving materials engineers and product designers the information they need to make more informed material selection decisions.

Thermosets: Structure, Properties, and Applications, Second Edition builds on and updates the existing review of mechanical and thermal properties, as well as rheology and curing processes of thermosets, and the role of nanostructures in thermoset toughening. All chapters have been updated or re-written, and new chapters have been added to reflect ongoing changes and developments in the field of thermosetting materials and the applications of these materials. Applications of thermosets are the focus of the second part of the book, including the use of thermosets in the building and construction industry, aerospace technology and as insulation materials. Thermoset adhesives and coatings, including epoxy resins, acrylates and polyurethanes are also discussed, followed by a review of thermosets for electrical applications. New chapters include coverage of thermoset nanocomposites, recycling issues, and applications such as consumer goods, transportation, energy and defence. With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, the second edition of Thermosets: Structure, Properties, and Applications is an essential guide for engineers, chemists, physicists and polymer scientists involved in the development, production and application of thermosets, as well as providing a useful review for academic researchers in the field.

This book focuses on exciting new research in polymer science. The first section of the book deals with new advancements in polymer technology, which includes polymers that are responsible for progress in the field of energy, electronics, and medical sciences. It focuses on the most promising polymer nanocomposites and nanomaterials. Composites are becoming more important because they can help to improve quality of life. The second section of the book highlights this aspect of macromolecules, while the third section emphasizes biopolymers, their development, and applications.

Large numbers of chemical engineers work with polymerization reactions and the problems and the challenges particular to the production of polymers. These problems have no counterparts in small-molecule reactions, and thus usually are neglected in standard reactor courses. This book provides a clearly written, comprehensive textbook on polymerization reactor engineering, appropriate for senior-level undergraduate and 1st- and 2nd-year graduate students. It focuses on polymer structure and structure-property relationships conditions that can play a role in dictating stucture.

Service Life Prediction of Polymers and Plastics Exposed to Outdoor Weathering discusses plastics and polymers and their unique applications, from sealants used in construction, to polymer composites used in planes. While these materials are important enablers for advanced technologies, exposure to weather changes the very properties of plastics that make them so useful. This book reviews current research needs and provides a consensus roadmap of the scientific barriers to validated predictive models for the response of polymers and plastics to outdoor exposure. Despite extensive efforts over the past 20-30 years, testing of polymeric materials in accelerated or natural weathering conditions and the interpretation of the weathering results still require substantial improvements. This book represents the state-of-the-art in the prediction techniques available and in development. Engineers and materials scientists working in this field will be able to use the content of this book to assess the strengths and challenges of a range of different methods and approaches.

Discover a novel, self-contained approach to an important technical area, providing both theoretical background and practical details. Coverage includes mechanics and physical metallurgy, as well as study of both established and novel procedures such as indentation plastometry. Numerical simulation (FEM modelling) is explored thoroughly, and issues of scale are discussed in depth. Discusses procedures designed to explore plasticity under various conditions, and relates sample responses to deformation mechanisms, including microstructural effects. Features references throughout to industrial processing and component usage conditions, to a wide range of metallic alloys, and to effects of residual stresses, anisotropy and inhomogeneity within samples. A perfect tool for materials scientists, engineers and researchers involved in mechanical testing (of metals), and those involved in the development of novel materials and components.

Clay-Polymer Nanocomposites is a complete summary of the existing knowledge on this topic, from the basic concepts of synthesis and design to their applications in timely topics such as high-performance composites, environment, and energy issues. This book covers many aspects of synthesis such as in- situ polymerization within the interlamellar spacing of the clays or by reaction of pristine or pre-modified clays with reactive polymers and prepolymers. Indeed, nanocomposites can be prepared at industrial scale by melt mixing. Regardless the synthesis method, much is said in this book about the importance of theclay pre-modification step, which is demonstrated to be effective, on many occasions, in obtaining exfoliated nanocomposites. Clay-Polymer Nanocomposites reports the background to numerous characterization methods including solid state NMR, neutron scattering, diffraction and vibrational techniques as well as surface analytical methods, namely XPS, inverse gas chromatography and nitrogen adsorption to probe surface composition, wetting and textural/structural properties. Although not described in dedicated chapters, numerous X-ray diffraction patterns of clay-polymer nanocomposites and reference materials are displayed to account for the effects of intercalation and exfoliations of layered aluminosilicates. Finally, multiscale molecular simulation protocols are presenting for predicting morphologies and properties of nanostructured polymer systems with industrial relevance. As far as applications are concerned, Clay-Polymer Nanocomposites examines structural composites such as clay-epoxy and clay-biopolymers, the use of clay-polymer nanocomposites as reactive nanocomposite fillers, catalytic clay-(conductive) polymers and similar nanocomposites for the uptake of hazardous compounds or for controlled drug release, antibacterial applications, energy storage, and more.

Characterization of Polymeric Biomaterials presents a comprehensive introduction on the topic before discussing the morphology and surface characterization of biomedical polymers. The structural, mechanical, and biological characterization is described in detail, followed by invaluable case studies of polymer biomaterial implants. With comprehensive coverage of both theoretical and experimental information, this title will provide scientists with an essential guide on the topic of these materials which are regularly used for clinical applications, such as implants and drug delivery devices. However, a range of novel polymers and the development and modification of existing medical polymers means that there is an ongoing need to satisfy particular design requirements. This book explains the critical and fundamentals methods to characterize polymer materials for biomedical applications.

Lignocellulosic Fibre and Biomass-Based Composite Materials reviews the development, characterization and applications of composite materials developed from the effective use of lignocellulosic fibre and biomass. The book gathers together a wide spectrum of cutting-edge research on biomass fillers and reinforcements used for the fabrication and synthesis of composites. The book takes a systematic approach, investigating processing, design, characterization and applications of biocomposites, in order to establish their important relationship as a general guideline for end-user applications. Beginning with an introduction to biomass and its composites, a team of leading experts in the field cover rice husk, kenaf, oil palm, alfa and doum fibres, bamboo, cork, and many other materials, considering a range of applications, along with key issues such as performance and sustainability. The groundbreaking research presented opens the door to obtaining advanced material characteristics and significant enhancements in physical, mechanical, and thermal properties. This will be become an extremely useful reference and technical guide for academic and industrial researchers in composite materials, as well as for advanced students and industrialists working in material commercialization.

Shape-Memory Polymer Device Design discusses the latest shape-memory polymers and the ways they have started to transition out of the academic laboratory and into devices and commercial products. Safranski introduces the properties of shape-memory polymers and presents design principles for designing and manufacturing, providing a guide for the R&D engineer/scientist and design engineer to add the shape memory effect of polymers into their design toolbox. This is the first book to focus on applying basic science knowledge to design practical devices, introducing the concept of shape-memory polymers, the history of their use, and the range of current applications. It details the specific design principles for working with shape-memory polymers that don't often apply to mechanically inactive materials and products. Material selection is thoroughly discussed because chemical structure and thermo-mechanical properties are intrinsically linked to shape-memory performance. Further chapters discuss programming the temporary shape and recovery through a variety of activation methods with real world examples. Finally, current devices across a variety of markets are highlighted to show the breadth of possible applications.

The book deals with the synthesis and characterization of hydrogels specifically used as drug delivery systems. Each chapter includes the most recent updates about the different starting materials employed and the improvement of their physicochemical and biological properties to synthetize high performing carriers for specific uses.

Plastics Product Design Provides the reader with access to lessons learned in the author's 40 years of plastics product design experience Part 1 of the book provides the reader with an introduction to plastics as a design material and a discussion of materials commonly in use today. There is a discussion of a variety of processes available to the designer to make a part along with the design considerations each process will entail. This section also includes a discussion of useful prototyping processes, including advantages and disadvantages of each. Next, the book discusses general design considerations applicable to most plastics product designs. In Part 2 of the book the author discusses elements of design of a number of generic plastic product types based on his more than 40 years of experience of product design and development for several companies with a variety of products. This section includes discussions of structural components, gears, bearings, hinges, snap fits, packaging, pressure vessels, and optical components. This section also discusses the general considerations that apply to these applications as well as specific insights about each particular application. There is also a chapter on the most important joining techniques. Part 2 ends with a discussion of the general design process. The book concludes with 3 appendices on thermal properties of selected generic materials; properties of selected structural components; and common abbreviations for plastic materials. Audience This book is aimed at product designers and plastics application engineers who have had limited or no experience with plastics materials as well as a more experienced designer who is designing a part for a use, process or an application that they are not familiar with.

The use of plastics in agriculture - to increase crop output, improve food quality and improve sustainability - has grown substantially in both quantity and the range of applications. Many of the early researchers that conducted field research in the use of plastics in agriculture have either retired or are deceased. These early pioneers in plasticulture research, the basis of plant production using plastics, were very creative and persistent in discovering uses of plastics in agricultural applications. A Guide to the Manufacture, Performance, and Potential of Plastics in Agriculture contains both references not only to their accomplishments but also their publications. The book discusses plasticulture-the basis of plant production using plastics - including topics such as plastic mulch, row covers, drip irrigation, and high/low tunnels. It covers the process of producing polyethylene and polypropylene plastics that are used in plant and animal production agriculture, and the many uses of plastics in all aspects of agriculture, including plastic greenhouses, rigid mold plastics, disposal of plastics, and plastics in animal production. This book introduces a range of academics and industrial practitioners to the impact of plastics in agriculture, both historically and in a range of current applications. It also provides new perspectives on future developments to enable further research and application. It is an invaluable reference on the use of polyethylene, polypropylene films, and such products in all aspects of agricultural production.

Dynamics of Polymeric Liquids, Second Edition Volume 2: Kinetic Theory R. Byron Bird, Charles F. Curtiss, Robert C. Armstrong and Ole Hassager Volume Two deals with the molecular aspects of polymer rheology and fluid dynamics. It is the only book currently available dealing with kinetic theory and its relation to nonlinear rheological properties. Considerable emphasis is given to the connection between kinetic theory results and experimental data. The second edition contains new material on the basis for molecular modeling, the application of phase--space theory to dilute solutions, kinetic theory of melts and melt mixtures, and network theories. 1987 (0 471--80244--1) 450 pp.

Providing a detailed reference that explains methodology and practice, Practical Aspects of Finite Element Modeling of Polymer Processing facilitates the transition from the theoretical treatment of the subject through to practical procedure via:

• a descriptive approach that does not require knowledge of advanced mathematical topics

• a detailed methodology for finite element modeling of various polymer processing flows

• working equations of various polymeric flow models in co-ordinate systems, which can be directly translated into computer code

• modelling methods illustrated by worked examples.

This book develops finite element solution schemes for the governing equations of polymer processing flows and provides coverage of:

• Equations of non-Newtonian fluids mechanics

• Weighted residual finite element methods

• Polymeric flow process modeling

• Working equations of finite element schemes

• Finite element software

• Computer simulations