Polymers are one of the most fascinating materials of the present era finding their applications in almost every aspects of life. Polymers are either directly available in nature or are chemically synthesized and used depending upon the targeted applications.Advances in polymer science and the introduction of new polymers have resulted in the significant development of polymers with unique properties. Different kinds of polymers have been and will be one of the key in several applications in many of the advanced pharmaceutical research being carried out over the globe. This 4-partset of books contains precisely referenced chapters, emphasizing different kinds of polymers with basic fundamentals and practicality for application in diverse pharmaceutical technologies. The volumes aim at explaining basics of polymers based materials from different resources and their chemistry along with practical applications which present a future direction in the pharmaceutical industry. Each volume offer deep insight into the subject being treated. Volume 1: Structure and Chemistry Volume 2: Processing and Applications Volume 3: Biodegradable Polymers Volume 4: Bioactive and Compatible Synthetic/Hybrid Polymers

In Crystallization of Polymers, 2nd Edition, Leo Mandelkern provides a self-contained, comprehensive, and up-to-date treatment of polymer crystallization. Volume 2 of this edition provides an authoritative account of the kinetics and mechanisms of polymer crystallization, building from the equilibrium concepts presented in volume 1. As crystalline polymers rarely, if ever, achieve their equilibrium state, this books serves as a bridge between equilibrium concepts and the state that is finally achieved. With a comprehensive treatment of the surrounding theories and experimental results from simple to complex polymer systems, this book will be an invaluable reference work for all chemists, physicists and materials scientists working in the area of polymer crystallization.

The purpose of this volume, like that of its predecessors in the series, is to present a selection of topics which are representative of the continually expanding area of polymer degradation. It will be obvious that some of these topics emanate from academic studies, others from more applied backgrounds, but it is anticipated that all will be seen to be of vital relevance to one or other of the currently advancing fields of polymer technology. The first two chapters deal with specific classes of polymers, and particularly with their mechanisms and products of thermal degrada- tion. Thus in Chapter 1 Dr McNeill discusses the reactions of the ammonium, alkali and alkaline earth metal salts of poly(methacrylic acid) and their copolymers with methyl methacrylate. These water- soluble 'ionomers' have valuable technological applications. In Chap- ter 2 Professor Montaudo and Dr Puglisi perform a valuable service by drawing together and critically reviewing, for the first time to my knowledge, the mechanisms of thermal degradation of the various classes of condensation polymers which are of industrial significance. This includes, for example, the polyurethanes, polyureas, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyimides, polyethers, polysulphides, polysulphones, polyschiff bases, polysiloxanes and polyphosphazenes.

"Plastics End Use Applications" is a SpringerBrief designed to keep professionals in the plastics industry abreast of key technical developments, business strategies and marketing initiatives in plastics and competitive materials that impact sales and usage. It is concisely focused on the five major competitive material areas-plastic, metal, paper and wood, rubber, and glass and ceramic-and how they interact in the twenty major plastic end-use market segments. For the global plastics professional, this book offers a way to enhance plastics technical and marketing insights. "Plastics End Use Applications" is of most value to manufacturing engineers, research and development professionals and general researchers interested in plastics and materials science.

Polymer nanocomposites have revolutionised material performance, most notably in the plastics, automotive and aerospace industries. However, in order to be commercially viable, many of these materials must withstand high temperatures. In this book, leaders in the field outline the mechanisms behind the generation of suitable polymer systems, pulling together recent research to provide a unified and up-to-date assessment of recent technological advancements. The text is divided into two clear sections, introducing the reader to the two most important requirements for this material type: thermal stability and flame retardancy. Special attention is paid to practical examples, walking the reader through the numerous commercial applications of thermally stable and flame retardant nanocomposites. With a strong focus on placing theory within commercial context, this unique volume will appeal to practitioners as well as researchers.

When many polymers are heated they transform directly into carbons, without passing through an intermediate liquid paste. Such carbons are termed polymetric carbons. Phenolic resins yield an isotropic impervious black glassy carbon which is hard enough to scratch window glass and has interesting electronic properties. polyacrylonitrile fibres yield carbon fibre with enormous stiffness and strength. Combinations of the two produce the strongest carbon material (carbon-fibre-reinforced carbon). Carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics are revolutionary low density-high-stiffness materials. This 1976 book brings together data from the authors' work to describe the manufacture of polymetric carbons. It provides a description of physical, mechanical and chemical properties which are related as closely as possible to the revealed structure. Emphasis is placed on the more interesting aspects, such as development of high-strength, high-stiffness material, the semi-conducting behaviour of intermediate materials and the absorption of gases in the more open structure of absorbent chracoals.

This book was first published in 2007. Polymers exhibit a range of physical characteristics, from rubber-like elasticity to the glassy state. These particular properties are controlled at the molecular level by the mobility of the structural constituents. Remarkable changes in mobility can be witnessed with temperature, over narrow, well defined regions, termed relaxation processes. This is an important, unique phenomenon controlling polymer transition behaviour and is described here at an introductory level. The important types of relaxation processes from amorphous to crystalline polymers and polymeric miscible blends are covered, in conjunction with the broad spectrum of experimental methods used to study them in 2007. In-depth discussion of molecular level interpretation, including atomistic level computer simulations and applications to molecular mechanism elucidation, are discussed. The result is a self-contained approach to polymeric interpretation suitable for researchers in materials science, physics and chemistry interested in the relaxation processes of polymeric systems.

This book provides understanding of raw materials, manufacturing and biomedical applications of different polymeric and natural composites such as drug delivery, growth factor delivery, orthopedics, dentistry and wound dressing.

Understanding the dynamics of reactive polymer processes allows scientists to create new, high value, high performance polymers. Chemorheology of Polymers provides an indispensable resource for researchers and practitioners working in this area, describing theoretical and industrial approaches to characterising the flow and gelation of reactive polymers. Beginning with an in-depth treatment of the chemistry and physics of thermoplastics, thermoset and reactive polymers, the core of the book focuses on fundamental characterization of reactive polymers, rheological (flow characterization) techniques and the kinetic and chemorheological models of these systems. Uniquely, the coverage extends to a complete review of the practical industrial processes used for these polymers and an insight into the current chemorheological models and tools used to describe and control each process. This book will appeal to polymer scientists working on reactive polymers within materials science, chemistry and chemical engineering departments as well as polymer process engineers in industry.

This book deals with the micromechanical characterization of polymer materials. It emphasizes microhardness as a technique capable of detecting a variety of morphological and textural changes in polymers. The authors provide a comprehensive introduction to the microhardness of polymers, including descriptions of the various testing methods in materials science and engineering. They also discuss the micromechanical study of glassy polymers and the relevant aspects of microhardness of semicrystalline polymers. Numerous application examples of the microhardness technique for the characterization of polymeric materials help readers develop a solid understanding of the material. These real world examples include the influence of polymer processing, the use in weathering tests, the characterization of modified polymer surfaces, and others. This book will be of use to graduate level materials science students, as well as research workers in materials science, mechanical engineering and physics departments interested in the microindentation hardness of polymer materials.

Polymers exhibit a range of physical characteristics, from rubber-like elasticity to the glassy state. These particular properties are controlled at the molecular level by the mobility of the structural constituents. Remarkable changes in mobility can be witnessed with temperature, over narrow, well defined regions, termed relaxation processes. This is an important, unique phenomenon controlling polymer transition behaviour and is described here at an introductory level. The important types of relaxation processes from amorphous to crystalline polymers and polymeric miscible blends are covered, in conjunction with the broad spectrum of experimental methods used to study them. In-depth discussion of molecular level interpretation, including recent advances in atomistic level computer simulations and applications to molecular mechanism elucidation, are discussed. The result is a self-contained, up-to-date approach to polymeric interpretation suitable for researchers in materials science, physics and chemistry interested in the relaxation processes of polymeric systems.

This book is an authoritative and comprehensive account of the principles and practice of NMR spectroscopy of solids as applied to polymeric materials to determine their structure and dynamics at a molecular level. NMR spectroscopy has been applied to the characterization of polymers in solid state for over 40 years. The past few decades have seen the development of many new NMR capabilities, including high-resolution techniques for solids, multi-dimensional methods, deuterium NMR and others. All of these developments have contributed to a dramatic increase in the power and applicability of NMR for the characterization, at a molecular level, of the dynamics and structural organization of polymeric solids. The applications chapters emphasize the polymer types and properties. The authors have included an introduction to all the main principles of the technique involved in its application to solid polymers. Rigorous and detailed analytical treatment of all main areas is also available.

Understanding the reactivity of monomers is crucial in creating copolymers and determining the outcome of copolymerization. Covering the fundamental aspects of polymerization, Synthesis and Applications of Copolymers explores the reactivity of monomers and reaction conditions that ensure that the newly formed polymeric materials exhibit desired properties. Referencing a wide-range of disciplines, the book provides researchers, students, and scientists with the preparation of a diverse variety of copolymers and their recent developments, with a particular focus on copolymerization, crystallization, and techniques like nanoimprinting and micropatterning.

This long awaited and thoroughly updated version of the classic text (Plenum Press, 1970) explains the subject of electrochemistry in clear, straightforward language for undergraduates and mature scientists who want to understand solutions. Like its predecessor, the new text presents the electrochemistry of solutions at the molecular level. The Second Edition takes full advantage of the advances in microscopy, computing power, and industrial applications in the quarter century since the publication of the First Edition. Such new techniques include scanning-tunneling microscopy, which enables us to see atoms on electrodes; and new computers capable of molecular dynamics calculations that are used in arriving at experimental values. Chapter 10 starts with a detailed description of what happens when light strikes semi-conductor electrodes and splits water, thus providing in hydrogen a clean fuel. There have of course been revolutionary advances here since the First Edition was written. The book also discusses electrochemical methods that may provide the most economical path to many new syntheses - for example, the synthesis of the textile, nylon. The broad area of the breakdown of material in moist air, and its electrochemistry is taken up in the substantial Chapter 12. Another exciting topic covered is the evolution of energy conversion and storage which lie at the cutting edge of clean automobile development. Chapter 14 presents from a fresh perspective a discussion of electrochemical mechanisms in Biology, and Chapter 15 shows how new electrochemical approaches may potentially alleviate many environmental problems.

This book deals with the micromechanical characterization of polymer materials. It emphasizes microhardness as a technique capable of detecting a variety of morphological and textural changes in polymers. The authors provide a comprehensive introduction to the microhardness of polymers, including descriptions of the various testing methods in materials science and engineering. They also discuss the micromechanical study of glassy polymers and the relevant aspects of microhardness of semicrystalline polymers. Numerous application examples of the microhardness technique for the characterization of polymeric materials help readers develop a solid understanding of the material. These real world examples include the influence of polymer processing, the use in weathering tests, the characterization of modified polymer surfaces, and others. This book will be of use to graduate level materials science students, as well as research workers in materials science, mechanical engineering and physics departments interested in the microindentation hardness of polymer materials.

Rubber elasticity is an important sub-field of polymer science. This book is in many ways a sequel to the authors' previous, more introductory book, Rubberlike Elasticity: A Molecular Primer (Wiley-Interscience, 1988), and will in some respects replace the now classic book by L.R.G. Treloar, The Physics of Rubber Elasticity (Oxford, 1975). The present book has much in common with its predecessor, in particular its strong emphasis on molecular concepts and theories. Similarly, only equilibrium properties are covered in any detail. Though this book treats much of the same subject matter, it is a more comprehensive, more up-to-date, and somewhat more sophisticated treatment.

Plastics are everywhere. Bags, bank cards, bottles, and even boats can all be made of this celebrated but much-maligned material. Yet most of us know next to nothing about plastics. We do know that they are practical and cheap--but they also represent a huge environmental problem, for they literally take ages to decompose. In this engaging book, E.S. Stevens tells us everything we have always wondered about plastics and of the efforts, in America, Europe, and Asia, to develop a new breed of environmentally friendly plastics. He points to a possible future where plastics will no longer be made of petroleum, but of plants.

The first two chapters assess the increased use of plastics as a relatively new alternative to other materials. The third chapter introduces us to their impact on the environment and strategies for their disposal or recycling. The next two chapters cover basic concepts and terms used in polymer sciences and provide some basic chemistry. With these fundamentals in tow, the author compares how petroleum-based and biological polymers are made, and the various ways in which they decompose. He acquaints readers with the emerging technologies, their commercial viability, and their future. Finally, instructions are given for preparing basic bioplastics using readily available materials.

Nonspecialists will find "Green Plastics" a concise introduction to this exciting interdisciplinary topic--an introduction otherwise not available. For students it provides easy entry to an area of science with wide appeal and current importance; for teachers, excellent background reading for courses in various sciences. The prospect of depleted fossil fuel supplies, and the potential benefits of bioplastics to the environment and to rural areas that could supply the raw materials, make this book a compelling presentation of a subject whose time has come.

This book presents important research advances in the study of polymer research. Topics discussed herein include small molecule stabilisation; amphiphilic block copolymers; effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in living organisms; PAHs pollution; cyclodextrin polymers; polymer-polymer incompatability; carbohydrate polymers in controlled release technologies; and macrocyclic polymers for metal ions separation.

It is difficult to imagine how our highly evolved technological society would function, or how life would even exist on our planet, if polymers did not exist. The intensive study of polymeric systems, which has been under way for several decades, has recently yielded new insights into the properties of assemblies of these complex molecules and the physical principles that govern their behavior. These developments have included new concepts to describe aspects of the many body behavior in these systems, microscopic analyses that bring our understanding of these systems much closer to our understanding of simple liquids and solids, and the discovery of novel chemistry that these molecules can catalyze.
This special topic volume of Advances in Chemical Physics surveys a number of these recent accomplishments. Supplemented with more than 250 illustrations, it provides a significant, up-to-date selection of papers by inter-nationally recognized researchers.
Topics include:
* Theory of Polyelectrolyte Solutions
* Star Polymers: Experiment, Theory, and Simulation
* Tethered Polymer Layers
* Living Polymers
* Transport and Kinetics in Electroactive Polymers
Self-contained, authoritative, and timely, Polymeric Systems makes the cutting edge of polymer research available to scientists in every branch of chemical physics.
Contributors to POLYMERIC SYSTEMS
JEAN-LOUIS BARRAT, DA(c)partement de Physique des MatA(c)riaux, UniversitA(c) Claude Bernard-Lyon l, France
A. BAUMGARTNER, Institut fA1/4r FestkArperforschung, Germany
M. A. CARIGNANO, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
LEWIS J. FETTERS, CorporateResearch Science Laboratories, Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, New Jersey
SANDRA C. GREER, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland at College Park
GARY S. GREST, Corporate Research Science Laboratories, Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, New Jersey
JOHN S. HUANG, Corporate Research Science Laboratories, Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, New Jersey
JEAN-FRANAOIS JOANNY, Institut Charles Sadron, France
MICHAEL E. G. LYONS, Electroactive Polymer Research Group, Physical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Dublin, Ireland
M. MUTHUKUMAR, Department of Polymer Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
DIETER RICHTER, Institut fA1/4r FestkArperforschung, Germany
I. SZLEIFER, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

Divided into two parts, this work begins with preliminary comments regarding the definition of surface phases'' and briefly describes the basics of two-dimensional crystallography, including background information about the formation and characterization of surface phases on silicon. The second half is devoted to the particular adsorbate/Si'' systems. Contains data on 300 plus surface structures formed on clean Si(111), Si(100) and Si(110) surfaces in the presence of foreign atoms at submonolayer coverages as well as without adsorbates at all. 64 adsorbates are reviewed along with preparation techniques of surface phases, models of their atomic structure and a description of surface properties and surface-related phenomena.

The goal of the book is to assist the designer in the development of parts that are functional, reliable, manufacturable, and aesthetically pleasing. Since injection molding is the most widely used manufacturing process for the production of plastic parts, a full understanding of the integrated design process presented is essential to achieving economic and functional design goals. Features over 425 drawings and photographs.

The injection molding industry has a new, up-to-date, comprehensive handbook. Serving engineers, professionals, and others involved in this important industry sector, the handbook thoroughly covers every detail of the machine and the process. This all-encompassing resource also includes the topics directly affecting the injection molding process, such as materials, process control, simulation, design, and troubleshooting. The handbook presents a well-rounded overview of the underlying theory and physics that control the common injection molding process variation, without losing the practical hands-on presentation used throughout. This important book was written by a specifically chosen group of authors with a wide range of experience and perspective on the injection molding process - authors who are leading practitioners and researchers both in industry and academia.

This comprehensive reference book incorporates the latest developments in the synthesis, production, characterization, and application of various types of polymeric nanocomposites. It outlines the various preparation techniques using different types of nanoparticles and polymer matrices with emphasis on clay nanoparticles. All fundamental issues such as thermodynamics, kinetics, and rheology are discussed and the structure and the characterization of polymeric nanocomposites, including their molecular characteristics, thermal properties, morphology, and mechanical properties, are covered in great detail.

It has been well-recognized that polymer blends offer a key option in solving emerging application requirements. The ability to combine existing polymers into new compositions with commercializable properties offers the advantage of reduced research and development expense compared to the development of new monomers and polymers to yield a similar property profile. An additional advantage is the much lower capital expense involved with scale-up and commercialization. Another specific advantage of polymer blends versus new monomer/polymer compositions is that blends often offer property profile combinations not easily obtained with new polymeric structures. In the rapidly emerging technology landscape, polymer blend technology can quickly respond to developing needs. This book offers a comprehensive overview of this important field, in particular a unique and extensive literature research on all aspects of this technology. It can be utilized as a reference text as well as a textbook for a graduate level course on polymer blends.

Mold design is one of the most challenging tasks in injection molding and it is crucial for successful profitable operations. The book compiles the experience of many seasoned designers and presents tried and tested molds that run successfully in production. For this fourth edition, changes and supplements were once again undertaken with the aim of representing the state of the art. The book is written by practitioners for practitioners, describing problem solving in the design and the manufacture of injection molds.