Clearly presents the state of the art and future trends in the research of the biodegradable polymers in the context of circular economy Covers entire value chain and life cycle of biopolymers, considering different types of polymers Clarifies the life safety of (bio)degradable polymeric materials Presents novel opportunities and ideas for developing or improving technologies Determines the course of degradation during prediction study

Polymeric Gels: Characterization, Properties and Biomedical Applications covers the fundamentals and applications of polymeric gels. Particular emphasis is given to their synthesis, properties and characteristics, with topics such as natural, synthetic, and smart polymeric gels, medical applications, and advancements in conductive and magnetic gels presented. The book covers the basics and applications of hydrogels, providing readers with a comprehensive guide on the types of polymeric gels used in the field of biomedical engineering.

This book presents the lectures which were given during the Comett II Course on Advanced Separation Technology for Industrial Waste Minimization: Environmental and Analytical Aspects. Due to the interest in new environmental solutions, the European Community organises educational and training activities of which the Comett Course is an example. The development of efficient membrane separation techniques has enlarged their field of application in all sectors of industry. Today these membrane technologies are the most advanced and innovative molecular separation units able to contribute to the rationalisation of industrial production, minimizing environmental impacts by realizing pollution controlled cycles. Throughout the book, emphasis is given to the potentiality of membrane operations in wastewater management. Real case studies are described as well as practical solutions. The following topics are covered: existing membrane processes and new perspectives; industrial development of membrane modules; applications to the pulp and paper industry, textile industry, metal-finishing, tanneries, agro-food and food industries; biotechnological applications; purification of landfill leachates; and advances in analytical techniques. The book is for engineers, researchers, technical managers and graduate students.

Introduction to Plastics Engineering provides a single reference covering the basics of polymer and plastics materials, and their properties, design, processing and applications in a practical way. The book discusses materials engineering through properties formulation, combining part design and processing to produce final products. This book will be a beneficial guide to materials engineers developing new formulations, processing engineers producing those formulations, and design and product engineers seeking to understand the materials and methods for developing new applications. The book incorporates material properties, engineering, processing, design, applications and sustainable and bio based solutions. Ideal for those just entering the industry, or transitioning between sectors, this is a quick, relevant and informative reference guide to plastics engineering and processing for engineers and plastics practitioners.

The second edition of this popular textbook thoroughly covers the practical basics and applications of conducting polymers. It also addresses materials that have gained prominence since the first edition of this book was published, namely carbon nanotubes and graphene. The features of this new edition include: New and updated chapters on novel concepts in conducting polymers Details on interdisciplinary applications of conducting polymers An in depth description of classes of conducting polymers

Repair of Polymer Composites: Methodology, Techniques, and Challenges discusses fundamental issues related to the repair of composites and their suitability in various industrial sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, marine and construction, etc. The repair of composites is complex and requires a thorough understanding of the various types of damage mechanisms in order to apply the appropriate NDT techniques. This book explores these issues in significant detail and presents systematic procedures and methods, thus serving as a useful reference for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, academic researchers, engineers and other professionals who are interested in this exciting field of research.

This book presents select papers presented at the annual meeting of the Asian Polymer Association. The chapters in this volume document and report on a wide range of significant recent results for various applications, as well as scientific developments in the areas of polymer science and engineering. The chapters include original research from all areas of polymer science and technology with a focus on the manufacture, processing, analysis and application of long chain polymer molecules. This book will be of interest to researchers in academia and industry alike.

Taking the most common polymers this undergraduate textbook describes the basic principles of polymer science. Using polymers with which students will be familiar, for example polystyrene and PVC, this book relates the structure of polymers to their properties, and explains how and their properties can be tailored for a particular use.

Concerned primarily with the determination of the size of polymer molecules in solution, their sequence structure and also molecular weight characteristics, this book includes contributions relating to molecular weight and molecular weight characteristics using conventional chromatographic techniques, spectroscopic techniques describing determination of sequence structure, and scattering techniques concerned with the determination of macromolecular size.

The book will be invaluable for postgraduate and research polymer chemists and all those who are concerned with the study and use of macromolecular materials. The techniques described reflect some of the most recent advances which have been made in the development of methods for molar mass characterisation and also the size of molecules in solution and solid phases. The problem of molar mass characterisation is common to synthetic and biological polymers, hence this book will also be of interest to biologists, polymer engineers and technologists. Techniques covered include: Temperature Rising Elution Fractionation Field Flow Fractionation Static and Dynamic Light Scattering Neutron Scattering Vapour Pressure Osmometry/Viscometry Ultrafugation and Sedimentation Gel Electrophoresis of Biological Macromolecules Mass Spectrometry of Polymers

Polymeric Foams Structure-Property-Performance is a response to the design challenges faced by engineers in a growing market with evolving standards, new regulations and with an ever increasing variety of application types for polymeric foam.

Bernard Obi, an author with a wide experience in testing, characterizing and applying polymer foams, approaches this emerging complexity with a practical design methodology focusing on the understanding of the relationship between structure-properties of polymeric foams and their performance attributes. The book introduces the fundamentals of polymer and foam science and engineering but also goes into more depth to cover foam processing, properties, and uses for a variety of applications. By connecting the diverse technologies of polymer science to those from foam science, and by linking both micro and macro-structure-property relationships to key performance attributes the book gives engineers the information required to solve the pressing design problems involving the use of polymeric foams and to optimize the foam performance.

With a focus on applications in the automotive and transportation industries, and uses of foams in structural composites for light weighting applications, the author provides numerous case studies and design examples of real life industrial problems from various industries and their solutions.
Provides the science and engineering fundamentals relevant for solving polymer foam application problems

Offers a exceptionally practical methodology to tackle the increasing complexity of real-world design challenges faced by engineers working with foams. Discusses numerous case studies and design examples - with a focus on automotive and transportatio

Application as well as detection of different chemicals plays an important role in the progress of modern science and technology. The beauty of various characteristics of materials and the inherent logic behind their working mechanisms can be wisely utilized for sensing different chemicals. The mechanisms as well as performances of different materials viz. carbon nanotube, graphene, metal oxides, biomaterials, luminescent metal-organic frameworks, hydrogels, textiles, quantum dots, ligands, crown ethers etc. for identification of different chemicals has been discussed here. This book would be a valuable reference to select suitable materials for possible use in chemical sensors.

This book provides a basic introduction to the application of conductive polymers in corrosion protection, especially for marine environment corrosion protection research. Conventional anticorrosive coatings, which are based on heavy metals such as chromium, zinc, and copper, are toxic to the environment. There has been a need to find suitable replacement coatings that are environmentally friendly as well as effective in inhibiting the corrosion of steel. Conductive polymers have garnered much attention in recent years due to their environmentally benign nature and high effectiveness in protecting against corrosion. This book introduces the history of these conductive polymers. The applications of conducting polymers, polymer composites, and nanocomposites for corrosion protection of different industrial metal substrates are explored based on reported experimental data, and their mechanism of inhibition is explained. This book also includes overviews of some recent works on marine antifouling, marine heavy-protective coatings, and waterborne paints by conducting polymer and inorganic composites. Conducting polymers and their family of stimuli-actuated polymers exhibit excellent application prospects in the fields of anticorrosion, antibacterial, antibiofouling, and waterborne-based coatings. This book will be of great interest to students, scholars, and professionals alike in the field of corrosion engineering and material science.

Hierarchical Composite Materials provides an in-depth analysis of a class of advanced composites that have properties that are anisotropic due to structural organization at different length scales. Chapters address how ordering occurs from the atomic-scale up to the microstructure and how control of these factors leads to the final materials' properties. Manufacturing procedures, properties, and applications of different functionally graded materials are discussed in detail. This book is ideal for materials scientists, mechanical engineers, chemists and physicists.

Revised, updated and expanded to continue to provide the most accurate, compact and practical source on fluoropolymers. Explores breakthroughs in understanding property-structure relationships, new polymerization techniques and the chemistry underlying polymers. Fluoropolymers are high up on the specialty polymers group and due to their unique properties, are naturally part of the solution to industrial sustainability challenges. Describes the technology of fluoropolymers, including thermoplastic and elastomeric products. Expands upon critical environmental aspects of fluoropolymers and recycling of these special polymers

This book covers the most recent advances in the deformation and fracture behaviour of polymer material. It provides deeper insight into related morphology-property correlations of thermoplastics, elastomers and polymer resins. Each chapter of this book gives a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art methods of materials testing and diagnostics, tailored for plastic pipes, films and adhesive systems as well as elastomeric components and others. The investigation of deformation and fracture behaviour using the experimental methods of fracture mechanics has been the subject of intense research during the last decade. In a systematic manner, modern aspects of fracture mechanics in the industrial application of polymers for bridging basic research and industrial development are illustrated by multifarious examples of innovative materials usage. This book will be of value to scientists, engineers and in polymer materials science.

Natural Gums: Extraction, Properties, and Applications provides thorough, methodical coverage of a range of natural gums. These naturally forming polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates offer advantageous properties and a range of possible applications. The book begins by introducing fundamental knowledge regarding natural gums, including structures and properties, functionalization, gelatin behavior, and characterization techniques. Subsequent sections of the book provide in-depth chapters, each guiding the reader through the extraction, properties and applications of a specific gum type, covering plant-based, animal-based, microbial-based, and marine-based natural gums. Finally, the future potential of natural gums, and their implications in a circular economy approach, are considered. This is an informative resource for researchers and advanced students in bio-based materials, polymer science, chemistry, bioengineering, materials science, and food science, as well as industrial scientists and R&D professionals with an interest in natural gums and bio-based materials for advanced applications.

Self-Healing Materials: Principles and Technology is a practical book aimed at giving engineers and researchers in both industry and academia the information they need to deploy self-healing technology in a wide range of potential applications-from adhesives to the automotive industry, and from electronics to biomedical implants. Developments are increasingly seeing real-world application, and this book enables practitioners to use this technology in their own work. The book first discusses the principal mechanisms of self-healing and how these are applied to the development of materials which have the ability to repair themselves-either with minimal human intervention or without human intervention at all. The book provides a theoretical background and a review of the major research undertaken to date, to give a thorough grounding in this concept and related technology. The book specifically covers fault detection mechanisms in materials, and experimental methods to enable engineers to assess the efficiency of the self-healing process. It then discusses typical aids and additives in self-healing materials, including plasticizers, catalysts, shape-memory components, and more. Finally, the book contains real world examples of self-healing materials and how these have been applied to around 40 groups of products and industries, including materials used in the automotive industry, construction, composite materials for aerospace, biomaterials and materials used in medical devices, and adhesives and sealants.

It covers the synthesis, characterizations, and properties of natural polymeric systems, including their morphology, structure, and dynamics. It introduces the most recent innovations and applications of natural polymers and their composites in the food, construction, electronics, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and engineering industries.

Current environmental and energy concerns have led to lignin gaining increased attention in the last decade as a renewable biomass. Due to its structural and functional properties, such as antimicrobial behaviour, biodegradability, biocompatibility and ease of surface modifications, lignin-based materials have gained popularity in the biomedical field with applications ranging from tissue engineering scaffolds and wound dressing materials to drug delivery carriers. Using this book, the reader will learn about the chemistry of lignin, and the characterization, fabrication and properties of lignin-based composites with different matrices (thermosets, thermoplastics, elastomers etc.). In addition, the book illustrates how these materials are used in medical applications, covering drug delivery, wound dressing, tissue engineering, imaging, etc. Providing a neat overview of the current research for the biomaterials science community, this book is a one-stop resource for researchers and practitioners working on lignin-based biomaterials. For those active in the broader fields of materials science and biomedical engineering, this will be a useful reference and study aid.

Advanced Ceramic Coatings for Biomedical Applications covers tissue engineering, scaffolds, implant and dental application, wound healing and adhesives. The book is one of four volumes that together provide a comprehensive resource in the field of Advanced Ceramic Coatings, also including titles covering: fundamentals, manufacturing, and classification; energy applications; and emerging applications. This books will be extremely useful for academic and industrial researchers and practicing engineers who need to find reliable and up-to-date information about recent progresses and new developments in the field of advanced ceramic coatings. It will also be of value to early career scientists providing background knowledge to the field. Smart ceramic coatings containing multifunctional components are now finding application in transportation and automotive industries, in electronics, and energy sectors, in aerospace and defense, and in industrial goods and healthcare. Their wide application and stability in harsh environments are only possible due to the stability of the inorganic components used. Ceramic coatings are typically silicon nitride, chromia, hafnia, alumina, alumina-magnesia, silica, silicon carbide, titania, and zirconia-based compositions. The increased demand for these materials and their application in energy, transportation, and the automotive industry, are considered, to be the main drivers.

The design and development of dyes and chromophores have recently attracted much attention in various research fields such as materials, radiation curing, (laser) imaging, optics, medicine, microelectronics, nanotechnology, etc. In this book, the recent research for the use of dyes and chromophores in polymer science is presented. The interaction of the visible light with the dyes or the selected chromophores is particularly important in different fields (e.g. for photovoltaic, display applications (LED ...), laser imaging or laser direct writing, green chemistry with sunlight induced photopolymerization etc ...). This book gives an overview of the dyes and chromophores for all the important fields.

Natural Fiber-Reinforced Biodegradable and Bioresorbable Polymer Composites focuses on key areas of fundamental research and applications of biocomposites. Several key elements that affect the usage of these composites in real-life applications are discussed. There will be a comprehensive review on the different kinds of biocomposites at the beginning of the book, then the different types of natural fibers, bio-polymers, and green nanoparticle biocomposites are discussed as well as their potential for future development and use in engineering biomedical and domestic products. Recently mankind has realized that unless the environment is protected, he himself will be threatened by the over consumption of natural resources as well as a substantial reduction in the amount of fresh air produced in the world. Conservation of forests and the optimal utilization of agricultural and other renewable resources like solar, wind, and tidal energy, have become important topics worldwide. With such concern, the use of renewable resources-such as plant and animal-based, fiber-reinforced polymeric composites-are now becoming an important design criterion for designing and manufacturing components for a broad range of different industrial products. Research on biodegradable polymeric composites can contribute, to some extent, to a much greener and safer environment. For example, in the biomedical and bioengineering fields, the use of natural fiber mixed with biodegradable and bioresorbable polymers can produce joint and bone fixtures to alleviate pain in patients.

Provides description of functional foams, their manufacturing methods, properties, and applications Covers various blowing agents, greener methods for foaming, and emerging applicability Illustrates comparative information regarding polymeric foams and recent developments with polymer nanocomposite foams Includes applications in mechanical, civil, biomedical, food packaging, electronics, health care industry, and acoustics fields Reviews elastomeric foams and their nanocomposite derivatives

Presents the state of the art in conductive composite materials and their application in flexible strain sensors Uniquely combines the processing, structure, properties, and applications of conductive polymer composites Integrates theory and practice Benefits plastics converters who wish to take full advantage of the potential of conductive plastic materials

Brydson's Plastics Materials, Eighth Edition, provides a comprehensive overview of the commercially available plastics materials that bridge the gap between theory and practice. The book enables scientists to understand the commercial implications of their work and provides engineers with essential theory. Since the previous edition, many developments have taken place in plastics materials, such as the growth in the commercial use of sustainable bioplastics, so this book brings the user fully up-to-date with the latest materials, references, units, and figures that have all been thoroughly updated. The book remains the authoritiative resource for engineers, suppliers, researchers, materials scientists, and academics in the field of polymers, including current best practice, processing, and material selection information and health and safety guidance, along with discussions of sustainability and the commercial importance of various plastics and additives, including nanofillers and graphene as property modifiers. With a 50 year history as the principal reference in the field of plastics material, and fully updated by an expert team of polymer scientists and engineers, this book is essential reading for researchers and practitioners in this field.