This book introduces the growing problem of microplastics pollution in the soil and aquatic environment and its interaction with other chemical pollutants. Further, it provides a detailed review of existing analysis techniques for characterization, separation, and quantification of microplastics including their merits and demerits with possible suggestions. Additionally, the regulatory need and actions for improving the economic and quality of plastic recycling, curbing microplastic littering, and stakeholders, researchers, and recyclers challenges are reviewed comprehensively. Priorities are identified to bridge the knowledge gaps for appropriate management of existing challenges. Features: Provides a comprehensive description of the fate and environmental impact of microplastics, along with various characterization methods Overviews the interaction of microplastics with other toxic chemicals and further their transportation in environment Explains how microplastics enter in environment and its effect on biota and human health Analyses existing analytical techniques for characterization of microplastics Describes societal awareness related to use of plastic and discarding This book focusses on graduate students, researchers in environmental engineering, ecological engineering, chemical and biological engineering, plastics and material sciences/engineering, waste management. materials science.

In the quest for innovative drug delivery systems attempting to meet the unmet needs in pharmaceutical space, research has taken a much more complicated path that poses a significant challenge for translation. Despite the progress made with novel materials, polyesters still remain at the helm of drug delivery technologies. This book provides a single source of reference of polyester drug delivery systems that covers a broad spectrum of materials design, manufacturing techniques, and applications.

Additives are selected depending on the type of polymers to which they will be added or the application for which they will be used. The appropriate selection of additives helps develop value-added plastics with improved durability as well as other advantages. This research book provides a range of modern techniques and new research on the use of additives in a variety of applications. The methods and instrumentation described represent modern analytical techniques useful to researchers, product development specialists, and quality control experts in polymer synthesis and manufacturing. Engineers, polymer scientists, and technicians will find this volume useful in selecting approaches and techniques applicable to characterizing molecular, compositional, rheological, and thermodynamic properties of elastomers and plastics. The informative chapters are the work of researchers at the Department of Polymers and Composite Materials at the prestigious Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences.

The aim of this new compendium is to provide a solid understanding of the recent developments in advanced polymeric materials from macro- to nano-length scales. Composites are becoming more important because they can help to improve our quality of life, such as being put into service in flight vehicles, automobiles, boats, pipelines, buildings, roads, bridges, and dozens of other products, including medical products. The chapters cover a multitude of important advances, including explanations of the significance of the new fillers, like graphene and carbon nanotubes, in different matrix systems. Coverage of the application of these materials in biological and others fields also makes this book unique. Topics include advances on the processing, properties, recyclability, and reparability, and applications for polymer matrix composites, ceramic matrix composites, carbon matrix composites, wood-based composites, biocomposites, ecocomposites, nanocomposites, and more.

Paul John Flory: A Life of Science and Friends is the first full-length treatment of the life and work of Paul John Flory, recipient of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1974. It presents a chronological progression of his scientific, professional, and personal achievements as recounted and written by his former students and colleagues. This book covers the span of Flory's life, including a family history and reflections on the marks he left on the lives of various individuals within the scientific community. He played a major role in the consolidation of the macromolecular paradigm in chemistry, physics, and materials science. His influence permeates virtually every aspect of polymer science. The book includes an extensive collection of personal remembrances telling the circumstances under which colleagues worked with Flory, discussing their joint work, and assessing Flory's place in polymer science, chemistry, and world science. The contributors memorialize Flory for more than his scientific and technical contributions. Several chapters are written by living friends who reflect upon his impact on their work and careers. He also played a role in human rights within the scientific community, making efforts to liberate scientists who lived and worked behind the Iron Curtain, particularly in the Soviet Union. Paul John Flory: A Life of Science and Friends illustrates an example of an individual of scientific and personal excellence. His living friends and colleagues believe his story must be told. In telling it and making it available for future generations, his closest friends and colleagues ensure his continued inspiration to people in and outside laboratories worldwide.

Polymer Brushes: Substrates, Technologies, and Properties covers various aspects of polymer brush technology, including synthesis, properties, performance, and applications. It presents both experimental details and theoretical insights to enable a better understanding of the brush system.

After an overview of polymer brush systems, the book discusses methods for grafting organic brushes from the surface of clay platelets and for the covalent grafting of PNIPAm brushes. It then describes ferrocene polymer brushes, nonfouling brushes on poly(ethylene terephthalate) film surfaces, brushes formed on the inner surface of cylindrical pores, and the "zipper brush" approach. The authors examine the use of scanning electrochemical microscopy for analyzing brushes and compare surface-controlled atom transfer radical polymerization and surface-controlled single-electron transfer living radical polymerization. They also explore the application of polymer brushes in the chromatographic separations of viruses and proteins and the suppression of proteins and cell adhesions. The text concludes with a look at how polymer brushes are synthesized by surface-initiated iniferter-mediated polymerization.

This book provides a one-stop reference on the various substrates and technologies used to synthesize polymer brushes. The hands-on information in the text will help readers choose the proper synthesis methods and materials for their system.

In a carefully crafted, multidisciplinary, skillfully focused format, Polymers for Vascular and Urogenital Applications covers attributes of polymers used for vascular, urological, and gynecological materials. It provides a brief analysis of how the use of polymers in vascular and urogenital applications has evolved in the past five decades and outlines their common and specific functional requirements. The book provides a brief description of the evolving role of a particular family of materials and presents topics in highly integrated, well-balanced, authoritatively prepared segments on materials processing and in vitro and in vivo evaluation, complete with case studies. Features Includes contributions from authors representing a diverse technical group of clinicians with strong science or engineering backgrounds and research interests Supplies a comprehensive link between polymeric biomaterials and their application Provides a brief description of the evolving role of a particular family of materials Discusses recent developments in applications and the rationale for present and future clinical significance This book not only integrates clinical needs with current and future research responses but also provides a comprehensive overview to foster future innovation. It illustrates how two important and dissimilar areas in medicine can be interrelated by shared biomaterials and explores the clinical paradigm that establishes the driving force for innovation.

In the last 10 years there have been major advances in fundamental understanding and applications and a vast portfolio of new polymer structures with unique and tailored properties was developed. Work moved from a chemical repeat unit structure to one more based on structural control, new polymerization methodologies, properties, processing, and applications. The 4th Edition takes this into account and will be completely rewritten and reorganized, focusing on spin coating, spray coating, blade/slot die coating, layer-by-layer assembly, and fiber spinning methods; property characterizations of redox, interfacial, electrical, and optical phenomena; and commercial applications.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date discussion of breakthroughs on additive manufacturing for plastic material recycling to boost a circular economy. It offers new ideas of combining/hybridizing processing methods that work as a source of information for manufacturers in making new and strategic product development plans. Additive Manufacturing for Plastic Recycling: Efforts in Boosting a Circular Economy provides a critical, comprehensive, methodological, and strong state-of-the-art work on the processing of thermoplastic and thermosetting along with new directions and applications. It describes the common and hybrid approaches of recycling processes and includes theoretical and practical ideas of combining/hybridizing processing methods with the use of fused deposition modelling, which is one of the low-cost additive manufacturing techniques. The book also discusses mechanical twin-screw extrusion followed by case studies for developing hybrid composite structures for biomedical and structural applications. Recent innovations in melt processing for recycling and the fundaments, process parameters investigations, and applications for new product development are also presented. This book is a first-hand reference source of information for academic scholars and commercial manufacturers for making strategic development plans for new product development.

Polymer-based smart materials have become attractive in recent years due to the fact that polymers are flexible and provide many advantages compared to inorganic smart materials: they are low cost, they are easy to process, and they exhibit good performance at nano- and microscale levels. This volume focuses on a different class of polymers that are used as smart materials in the areas of biotechnology, medicine, and engineering. The volume aims to answer these questions: How do we distinguish 'smart materials'? and How do they work? The chapters lay the groundwork for assimilation and exploitation of this technological advancement. Four of the key aspects of the approach that the authors have developed throughout this book are highlighted, namely the multidisciplinary exchange of knowledge, exploration of the relationships between multiple scales and their different behaviors, understanding that material properties are dictated at the smallest scale, and, therefore, the recognition that macroscale behavior can be controlled by nanoscale design.

Discovered in the twentieth century, carbon nanotubes (CNT) were an integral part of science and industry by the beginning of the twenty first century, revolutionizing chemistry, physics, and materials science. More recent advances in carbon nanotube production methods have resulted in a tremendous push to incorporate CNTs into polymer matrices. Although many advances have been made, two major obstacles continue unresolved: the enhancement of interfacial adhesion between CNTs and polymer matrix, and the improvement of dispersion of CNTs in polymers. Both substantial original contributors to the field, the authors present Carbon Nanotubes for Polymer Reinforcement, the first monograph on various conventional and innovative techniques to disperse and functionalize carbon nanotubes for polymer reinforcement, elegantly explaining the basic sciences and technologies involved in those processes. Topics covered include: * Use of CNTs in fabricating novel polymer composites * Principles and mechanisms behind CNT dispersion and functionalization * Methods for the functionalization and dispersion of CNTs in polymer matrices * Effects of CNTs on functional and mechanical properties of polymer composites * Optimization of CNT/polymer nanocomposite fabrication Carbon Nanotubes for Polymer Reinforcement is a comprehensive treatment and critical review of the new class of polymer nanocomposites, and points to areas of future developments. Composites engineers, scientists, researchers, and students will find the basic knowledge and technical results contained herein informative and useful references for their work, whether for advanced research or for design and manufacture of such composites.

Here is your starting point and complete guide to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) formulation. It covers the basics of vinyl formulation, starting formulations for compounds, and the latest compounding ingredients. Since publication of the acclaimed first edition, a standard reference used by vinyl technologists around the world, there have been many new developments in vinyl formulation as well as new discoveries and insights into the underlying mechanisms. It's all covered here in the second edition, in one highly readable, expertly organized volume.

Membranes and membrane separation techniques have grown from a simple laboratory tool to an industrial process with considerable technical and commercial impact. The book deals with both the fundamental concepts of preparation, characterization and modification, practical applications along with recent advancements of electro-spun and phase inverted polymeric membranes. Divided into two parts, part one of this book covers the fundamental concepts and practical applications of novel electro-spun membranes while the latter covers basic concepts and further advancements of the conventional phase inverted membranes extensively. Key Features Covers fundamental concepts and practical applications of electro-spun and phase inverted polymeric membranes Includes general properties, characterization, preparation and modification of polymeric membranes Discusses advanced modification of polymeric membranes (functionalization, grafting) using phase inversion process, and effects of solubility parameter and additives on the phase inversion process Reviews electro-spun membranes for biomedical applications, industrial effluents treatment and removal of water contaminants Explores a separate economic analysis section for the discussed membranes

This handbook provides a framework for understanding how to characterize plastic manufacturing processes for use in troubleshooting problems. The 21 chapters are authored by well-known and experienced engineers who have specialized knowledge about the processes covered in this practical guide.

From the Preface:

"In every chapter, the process is described and the most common problems are discussed along with the root causes and potential technical solutions. Numerous case studies are provided that illustrate the troubleshooting process. Mark A. Spalding, The Dow Chemical Company

The all-encompassing guide to total quality process control for injection molding

In the same simple, easy-to-understand language that marked the first edition, "Total Quality Process Control for Injection Molding," Second Edition lays out a successful plan for producing superior plastic parts using high-quality controls. This updated edition is the first of its kind to zero in on every phase of the injection molding process, the most commonly used plastics manufacturing method, with an all-inclusive strategy for excellence. Beginning with sales and marketing, then moving forward to cover finance, purchasing, design, tooling, manufacturing, assembly, decorating, and shipping, the book thoroughly covers each stage to illustrate how elevated standards across individual departments relate to result in the creation of a top-notch product. This Second Edition:

Details ways to improve plastic part design and quality

Includes material and process control procedures to monitor quality through the entire manufacturing system

Offers detailed information on machinery and equipment and the implementation of quality assurance methods--content that is lacking in similar books

Provides problem-analysis techniques and troubleshooting procedures

Includes updates that cover Six Sigma, ISO 9000, and TS 16949, which are all critical for quality control; computer-guided process control techniques; and lean manufacturing methods

With proven ways to problem-solve, increase performance, and ensure customer satis-faction, this valuable guide offers the vital information today's managers need to plan and implement quality process control--and produce plastic parts that not only meet, but surpass expectations.

THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER COMPOSITES The monograph represents a life-long career in industry and academia and creates an exhaustive and comprehensive narrative that gives a complete understanding of important and state-of-the-art aspects of polymer composites including processing, properties, performance, applications & recyclability. Based on 40 years' experience in both industry and academia, the author's goal is to make a comprehensive and up-to-date account that gives a complete understanding of various aspects of polymer composites covering processing, properties, performance, applications & recyclability. Divided into 8 main chapters, the book treats thermoplastics vs. thermosets and the processing of thermoplastics; filled polymer composites; short fiber reinforced composites; long fiber reinforced composites; continuous fiber reinforced composites; nanocomposites; applications; and recycling polymer composites. Readers can have confidence that: Thermoplastic Polymer Composites (TPC) gives a comprehensive understanding of polymer composites' processing, properties, applications, and their recyclability; Provides a complete understanding of man-made as well as natural fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites and explores in depth how short fiber, long fiber, and continuous fiber can transform the entire domain of composites' processing and properties; Provides a deep understanding of nanocomposites with more than 50 examples covering both commodities as well as engineering thermoplastics. It presents conducting composites and several bio-medical applications of composites that are already passed through laboratories. Audience This unique reference book will be of great value to researchers and postgraduate students in materials science, polymer science, as well industry engineers in plastics manufacturing. Those working in product development laboratories of polymer and allied industries will also find it helpful.

Since the publication of the successful first edition of the book in 2010, the field has matured and a large number of advancements have been made to the science of polymer nanotube nanocomposites (PNT) in terms of synthesis, filler surface modification, as well as properties. Moreover, a number of commercial applications have been realized. The aim of this second volume of the book is, thus, to update the information presented in the first volume as well as to incorporate the recent research and industrial developments. This edited volume brings together contributions from a variety of senior scientists in the field of polymer nanotube composites technology to shed light on the recent advances in these commercially important areas of polymer technology. The book provides the following features: Reviews the various synthesis techniques, properties and applications of the polymer nanocomposite systems. Describes the functionalization strategies for single walled nanotubes in order to achieve their nanoscale dispersion in epoxy matrices. Provides insights into the multiscale modeling of the properties of PNT. Provides perspectives on the electron microscopy characterization of PNT. Presents an overview of the different methodologies to achieve micro-patterning of PNT. Describes the recent progress on hybridization modifications of CNTs with carbon nanomaterials and their further applications in polymer nanocomposites. Provides details on the foams generates with PNT. Provides information on synthesis and properties of polycarbonate nanocomposite. Describes the advanced microscopy techniques for understanding of the polymer/nanotube composite interfaces and properties.

Maintaining a balance between depth and breadth, the Sixth Edition of Principles of Polymer Systems continues to present an integrated approach to polymer science and engineering. A classic text in the field, the new edition offers a comprehensive exploration of polymers at a level geared toward upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students. Revisions to the sixth edition include: A more detailed discussion of crystallization kinetics, strain-induced crystallization, block copolymers, liquid crystal polymers, and gels New, powerful radical polymerization methods Additional polymerization process flow sheets and discussion of the polymerization of polystyrene and poly(vinyl chloride) New discussions on the elongational viscosity of polymers and coarse-grained bead-spring molecular and tube models Updated information on models and experimental results of rubber elasticity Expanded sections on fracture of glassy and semicrystalline polymers New sections on fracture of elastomers, diffusion in polymers, and membrane formation New coverage of polymers from renewable resources New section on X-ray methods and dielectric relaxation All chapters have been updated and out-of-date material removed. The text contains more theoretical background for some of the fundamental concepts pertaining to polymer structure and behavior, while also providing an up-to-date discussion of the latest developments in polymerization systems. Example problems in the text help students through step-by-step solutions and nearly 300 end-of-chapter problems, many new to this edition, reinforce the concepts presented.

Although sintering is an essential process in the manufacture of ceramics and certain metals, as well as several other industrial operations, until now, no single book has treated both the background theory and the practical application of this complex and often delicate procedure. In Sintering Theory and Practice, leading researcher and materials engineer Randall M. German presents a comprehensive treatment of this subject that will be of great use to manufacturers and scientists alike.

This practical guide to sintering considers the fact that while the bonding process improves strength and other engineering properties of the compacted material, inappropriate methods of control may lead to cracking, distortion, and other defects. It provides a working knowledge of sintering, and shows how to avoid problems while accounting for variables such as particle size, maximum temperature, time at that temperature, and other problems that may cause changes in processing.

The book describes the fundamental atomic events that govern the transformation from particles to solid, covers all forms of the sintering process, and provides a summary of many actual production cycles. Building from the ground up, it begins with definitions and progresses to measurement techniques, easing the transition, especially for students, into advanced topics such as single-phase solid-state sintering, microstructure changes, the complications of mixed particles, and pressure-assisted sintering. German draws on some six thousand references to provide a coherent and lucid treatment of the subject, making scientific principles and practical applications accessible to both students and professionals. In the process, he also points out and avoids the pitfalls found in various competing theories, concepts, and mathematical disputes within the field.

A unique opportunity to discover what sintering is all about—both in theory and in practice

What is sintering? We see the end product of this thermal process all around us—in manufactured objects from metals, ceramics, polymers, and many compounds. From a vast professional literature, Sintering Theory and Practice emerges as the only comprehensive, systematic, and self-contained volume on the subject.

Covering all aspects of sintering as a processing topic, including materials, processes, theories, and the overall state of the art, the book

• Offers numerous examples, illustrations, and tables that detail actual processing cycles, and that stress existing knowledge in the field
• Uses the specifics of various consolidation cycles to illustrate the basics
• Leads the reader from the fundamentals to advanced topics, without getting bogged down in various mathematical disputes over treatments and measurements
• Supports the discussion with critically selected references from thousands of sources
• Examines the sintering behavior of a wide variety of engineered materials—metals, alloys, oxide ceramics, composites, carbides, intermetallics, glasses, and polymers
• Guides the reader through the sintering processes for several important industrial materials and demonstrates how to control these processes effectively and improve present techniques
• Provides a helpful reference for specific information on materials, processing problems, and concepts

For practitioners and researchers in ceramics, powder metallurgy, and other areas, and for students and faculty in materials science and engineering, this book provides the know-how and understanding crucial to many industrial operations, offers many ideas for further research, and suggests future applications of this important technology.

This book offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore sintering in both practical and theoretical terms, whether at the lab or in real-world applications, and to acquire a broad, yet thorough, understanding of this important technology.

Plastic has become a ubiquitous part of modern life. A cheap, lightweight material, it is used in everything from food packaging to consumer electronics and microbeads in cosmetic products. However, we are becoming increasingly aware of the problems our reliance on plastic is causing in the environment. For example, recent campaigns have highlighted the build-up of microbeads in the marine environment and the damage this is doing to wildlife, and the problem of marine litter, often in very remote locations. There are also concerns over exposure to plasticisers and their possible consequences for health. The plastics industry is under increasing pressure, not only from the government and environmental groups, but also from consumers, to improve the environmental impact of their products. This book presents an introduction to the uses of plastics and an overview of how they interact with the environment. It is a valuable resource for students studying environmental science as well as researchers working in the plastics industry, and policy makers and regulators concerned with waste disposal and environmental planning and conservation.

Is the thought of the 51 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans keeping you up at night? Don't panic! The war on plastic has begun and you can help! In this book you'll find 101 little things you as an individual can do to avoid single-use plastics and help save the world. Governments, brands and corporations around the globe are on the case to solve the plastic epidemic, but whilst we wait for the effects of those initiatives to trickle through and alternatives to plastic to be found, let's hit the ground running. In this proactive illustrated book, you'll find 101 simple ways to cut plastic from: -FOOD AND DRINK e.g. freeze fresh veg rather than buying frozen, and buy beeswax wrap over clingfilm - AROUND THE HOUSE e.g. buy bars of soap instead of hand dispensers and swap scourers for natural cloths - YOUR LIFESTYLE e.g. how to have a plastic-free party and find good plastic-free make-up Together we can save our oceans - and we will!

Distinguishing among blends, alloys and other types of combinations, clarifying terminology and presenting data on new processes and materials, this work present up-to-date and effective compounding techniques for polymers. It offers extensive analyses on the challenging questions that surround miscibility, compatibility, dynamic processing, interaction/phase behaviour, and computer simulations for predicting behaviours of polymer mixture and interaction.

This introductory book covers the entire spectrum of the plastics technology/engineering, from raw material to finished plastic products. It is intended not just for university/college students in plastics technology and other engineering disciplines but also for beginners to the field in general. The interconnectivity between the different relevant knowledge areas of plastics technology, such as materials engineering, processing technology, and product development, is emphasized. A chapter "Plastics and the Environment" is also included, covering a topic (rightly) often of great concern to students and newcomers to the field. Also includes numerous videos, conveniently linked via QR codes, to better demonstrate key processes visually.

Any general management book can give you the basics of quality assurance, strategic planning, logistics, and more. But how do you apply that knowledge to a company that requires not only sound business practices but also sound science to succeed? And how do you deal with the impact of globalized competition, a fluctuating world economy, and growing pressure from environmental groups and government regulators? Revised and updated throughout, Strategic Management for the Plastics Industry: Dealing with Globalization and Sustainability, Second Edition continues to combine coverage of management best practices with coverage of issues specific to the plastics industry. The author outlines the fundamentals of polymer manufacturing, compounding, distribution, processing, and auxiliary products that make this industry unique, and shows how these factors affect management decisions. Using case studies and examples, he demonstrates the thinking behind successful managerial choices and illustrates what errors to avoid. The book also explains the interrelationships between technologies, markets, business sectors, and strategies in the plastics industry. Topics include company culture, staffing, how to manage internal growth, the "dos and don'ts" of acquisitions, and much more. The material is based on the author's more than 55 years of experience, extensive research, and interviews with managers throughout the industry. What's New in This Edition A new chapter on globalization and sustainability All chapters revised and updated Updated case studies, and one new case study The book is written for a broad audience, including aspiring professionals who wish to become managers, managers who want to round out their skills, consultants to the industry, and university students and faculty in plastics engineering and polymer chemistry departments. The combination of experience-based in