This book presents the analysis of up-to-date techniques used for the determination of acid-base properties in view of their applicability to examination of solid organic and inorganic surfaces. The studies have been carried out by the authors since 1993, showing experimental data on surface properties of more than 150 polymers, such as carbocatenary and heterochain polymers, copolymers and their blends, as well as different epoxy and rubber compositions used in adhesive joints. The adhesive ability of metal-polymer systems based on epoxy compositions, polyolefins, and rubbers was studied as a function of absolute difference in acid-base properties of adhesive and adherends, and the possibility to predict adhesive interaction on this basis was experimentally verified. The book shows the important role that acid-base interactions play in establishing interfacial adhesive-adherent contact and outlines practical recommendations regarding parameters of quantitative estimation of acid-base surface properties that implies the relationship with adhesive ability in polymer-metal systems. Creating polymeric materials with greater strength characteristics when in contact with metals is the most important problem when adhesive joints are designed. The authors obtained experimental data for thermodynamic and acid-base properties of about 200 organic and inorganic surfaces that find a wide practical application. These results may be used as a reference source to predict the adhesive ability of different coating systems. The possibility to predict adhesive interaction of adhesive with adherend, taking into account the absolute difference in their acidity and basicity, was verified experimentally.

With contributions from experts from both the industry and academia, this book presents the latest developments in polymer products and chemical processes. It incorporates appropriate case studies, explanatory notes, and schematics for more clarity and better understanding. This new book: * Features a collection of articles that highlight some important areas of current interest in polymer products and chemical processes * Gives an up-to-date and thorough exposition of the present state of the art of polymer chemistry * Familiarizes readers with new aspects of the techniques used in the examination of polymers, including chemical, physicochemical, and purely physical methods of examination * Describes the types of techniques now available to the polymer chemist and technician, and discusses their capabilities, limitations, and applications * Provides a balance between materials science and mechanics aspects, basic and applied research, and high-technology and high-volume (low-cost) composite development

This volume highlights the latest developments and trends in advanced polyblends and their structures. It presents the developments of advanced polyblends and respective tools to characterize and predict the material properties and behavior. The book provides important original and theoretical experimental results that use non-routine methodologies often unfamiliar to many readers. Furthermore chapters on novel applications of more familiar experimental techniques and analyses of composite problems are included, which indicate the need for the new experimental approaches that are presented. Technical and technological development demands the creation of new materials that are stronger, more reliable, and more durable-materials with new properties. Up-to-date projects in creation of new materials go along the way of nanotechnology. With contributions from experts from both the industry and academia, this book presents the latest developments in the identified areas. This book incorporates appropriate case studies, explanatory notes, and schematics for more clarity and better understanding. The book is designed as a textbook for postgraduate students, as a teaching support for the faculty, as a reference book for early research career beginners, and as a reference book for the scientific community at large for understanding the significance of modern materials and chemical engineering. This book will be useful for chemists, chemical engineers, technologists, and students interested in advanced nano-polymers with complex behavior and their applications This new book: * Gives an up-to-date and thorough exposition of the present state of the art of polyblends and composites * Familiarizes the reader with new aspects of the techniques used in the examination of polymers, including chemical, physicochemical, and purely physical methods of examination * Describes the types of techniques now available to the polymer chemist and technician and discusses their capabilities, limitations, and applications * Provides a balance between materials science and mechanics aspects, basic and applied research, and high-technology and high-volume (low-cost) composite development

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.

This book focuses on the recent trends in micro- and nano-structured polymer systems, particularly natural polymers, biopolymers, biomaterials, and their composites, blends, and IPNs. This valuable volume covers the occurrence, synthesis, isolation, production, properties and applications, modification, as well as the relevant analysis techniques to reveal the structures and properties of polymer systems. Biobased polymer blends and composites occupy a unique position in the dynamic world of new biomaterials. The growing need for lubricious coatings and surfaces in medical devices-an outcome of the move from invasive to noninvasive medicines and procedures-is playing a major role in the advancement of biomaterials technology. Natural polymers have attained their cutting-edge technology through various platforms, and this book presents a multitude of information about them. Topics include biopolymer-synthetic systems, nanomaterial-polymer structures, multi-characterization techniques, polymer blends and composites, polymer gels and polyelectrolytes, and many other interesting aspects of interests to researchers. This book will be valuable to scientists, physicians, pharmacists, engineers, and other specialists in a variety of disciplines, both academic and industrial.

This new volume explores the latest research on the use of alginate as a biopolymer in various biomedical applications and therapeutics. The uses of alginates and modified alginates discussed in this book include tissue regeneration, encapsulation and delivery of drugs, nucleic acid materials, proteins and peptides, genes, herbal therapeutic agents, nutraceuticals, and more. This book also describes the synthesis and characterizations of various alginate and modified alginate systems, such as hydrogels, gels, composites, nanoparticles, scaffolds, etc., used for the biomedical applications and therapeutics. Alginate, a biopolymer of natural origin, is of immense interest for its variety of applications in pharmaceuticals (as medical diagnostic aids) and in materials science. It is the one of the most abundant natural biopolymers and is considered an excellent excipient because of its non-toxic, stable, and biodegradable properties. Several research innovations have been made on applications of alginate in drug delivery and biomedicines. There needs to be a thorough understanding of the synthesis, purification, and characterization of alginates and its derivatives for their utility in healthcare fields, and this volume offers an abundance of information toward that end.

Technical and technological development demands the creation of new materials that are stronger, more reliable, and more durable-materials with new properties. This new book covers a broad range of polymeric materials and technology and provides researchers in polymer science and technology with new research on the functional materials production chain. Chapters in this new volume highlight recent developments in advanced polymeric materials from macro- to nano-length scales. Composites are becoming more important because they can help to improve quality of life. This volume presents the latest developments and trends in advanced polymer materials and structures. It discusses the developments of advanced polymers and respective tools to characterize and predict the material properties and behavior. This book has an important role in advancing polymer materials in macro and nanoscale. Its aim is to provide original, theoretical, and important experimental results that use non-routine methodologies. It also includes chapters on novel applications of more familiar experimental techniques and analyses of composite problems that indicate the need for new experimental approaches.

This new book covers the synthetic as well application aspects of functional polymers. It highlights modern trends in the field and showcases the recent characterization techniques that are being employed in the field of polymer science. The chapters are written by top-notch scientists who are internationally recognized in the field. The chapters will highlight the modern trend in the field.

Biopolymers represent a carbon emission solution: they are green and eco-friendly with a variety of uses in biomedical engineering, the automotive industry, the packaging and paper industries, and for the development of new building materials. This book describes the various raw materials of biopolymers and their chemical and physical properties, the polymerization process, and the chemical structure and properties of biopolymers. Furthermore, this book identifies the drawbacks of biopolymers and how to overcome them through modification methods to enhance the compatibility, flexibility, physicochemical properties, thermal stability, impact response, and rigidity.

Shape memory materials are immensely useful because of their capability to recover their original shapes upon exposure to an external stimulus such as heat, moisture, light or a magnetic field. This book reviews key recent research in shape memory polymers, their properties and applications. Topics include the relationship between morphological structures and shape memory properties; high performance Tg and Tm type shape memory polymers; structures of shape memory polymers with supramolecular switches; and the thermally-active and moisture-active shape memory effect of supermolecular shape memory polymers.
Advances in shape memory polymers is an essential reference for polymer and textile material students, scientists, designers, engineers and manufacturers. It is also an invaluable guide for professionals in the biomedical, electronics and engineering industries.
Reviews key recent research in shape-memory polymers, their properties and applicationsOpening chapters address the relationship between morphological structures and shape memory properties and high performance Tg and Tm type shape memory polymersChapters cover thermally-active and moisture-active shape memory effect of supermolecular shape memory polymers, among other topics

The purpose of this publication is two-fold. In the first place it is intended to review progress in the development of practical stabilising systems for a wide range of polymers and applications. A complemen tary and ultimately more important objective is to accommodate these practical developments within the framework of antioxidant theory, since there can be little question that further major advances in the practice of stabilisation technology will only be possible on a firm mechanistic foundation. With the continual increase in the number of commercial anti oxidants and stabilisers, often functioning by mechanisms not even considered ten years ago, there is a need for a general theory which will allow the potential user to predict the performance of a particular antioxidant structure under specific practical conditions. Any such predictive tool must involve a simplified kinetic approach to inhibited oxidation and, in Chapter 1, Denisov outlines a possible mechanistic approach with the potential to predict the most useful antioxidant to use and the limits of its usefulness. In Chapter 2, Schwetlick reviews the current state of knowledge on the antioxidant mechanisms of the phosphite esters with particular emphasis on their catalytic peroxidolytic activity. Dithiophosphate v vi PREFACE derivatives show a similar behaviour but for quite different reasons and, in Chapter 3, AI-Malaika reviews information available from analytical studies, particularly using 31p_NMR spectroscopy, to elucid ate the complex chemistry that leads to the formation of the antioxidant -active agents.

Chitin is the second most abundant natural polymer in the world after cellulose, mainly derived from the food waste of shrimp and crabs. Chitosan is the most important derivative of chitin. Thanks to their biodegradability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, bioactivity, and versatile chemical and physical properties, chitin and chitosan derivatives are used in a wide variety of applications, including water treatment, cosmetics and toiletries, food and beverages, healthcare/medical, and agrochemicals. Chitin and Chitosans in the Bioeconomy covers all major aspects of chitin and chitosan, including structure, biosynthesis, biodegradation, properties of chitin and derivatives, applications, and market. It offers a special focus on the bioeconomy, which is the renewable segment of the circular economy. Describes the structure, biosynthesis, and biodegradation of chitin and chitosan Covers chitin- and chitosan-based products Details valorization of these materials Presents information on shell biorefineries Chitin and Chitosans in the Bioeconomy serves as a reference for polymer scientists and engineers and is also accessible to economists and advanced students.

The polyurethane industry is among the fastest growing, with polyurethanes used in consumer as well as industrial sectors. Waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) exhibit many advantages over conventional volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based polyurethanes and have emerged as an environmentally friendly alternative. WPUs offer an opportunity to use sustainable raw materials to produce environmentally sustainable polymers, particularly, polyols derived from vegetable oils. Eco-Friendly Waterborne Polyurethanes: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications provides state-of-the-art knowledge of the synthesis, application, and property enhancement of WPUs. Covers various types of eco-friendly materials and technologies used to synthesize WPUs Presents an overview and applications of WPUs in several advanced research areas Provides fundamentals of synthetic processes and their chemistries for specific applications Elaborates on advanced approaches used to convert renewable resources into polymers Offers new direction to scientists, researchers, and students to better understand the chemistry, technologies, and applications Written for polymer chemists, materials scientists, and other researchers and industry, this book serves as a comprehensive reference for readers interested in the development and application of sustainable polymers.

Mineral-filled polymer composites are increasingly used for various applications, including automotive, construction, biomedical, maritime, sport and ballistic, due to the advantages of low cost, light weight, excellent rigidity and high mechanical strength. One of two volumes comprising the Mineral-Filled Polymer Composites Handbook, this volume provides an overview of the latest research, trends, applications and future directions of advanced mineral fiber-reinforced polymer composites. It focuses specifically on material selection, processing and applications. This book: Emphasizes the principles governing the behavior of mineral-filled composite materials in the field of engineering and their applications Covers systematic material selection tools such as analytical hierarchy process (AHP), analytical network process (ANP), and technique of ranking preferences by similarity of the ideal solution (TOPSIS) Reviews the use of these materials for various engineering applications Features chapters looking at fabrication techniques and frictional properties Details current research in polymer nanocomposites and particulate polymer composites This book serves as an excellent reference guide for researchers, advanced students, academics and industry professionals interested in the synthesis of mineral-filled polymer and biopolymer composites, as well as those pursuing research in the broad fields of composite materials, polymers, organic/inorganic hybrid materials and nano-assembly.

Mineral-filled polymer composites are widely used in industries across the globe, and applications are continuously increasing in sectors such as shipping, manufacturing and renewable energy. One of two volumes comprising the Mineral-Filled Polymer Composites Handbook, this volume provides an overview of the latest research and future directions of advanced mineral fiber-reinforced polymer composites, focused specifically on materials properties. It covers fundamentals, recent progress and new materials involved in mineral-filled polymer composites and includes a wide-ranging list of chapters authored by an international team of experts. This book: Examines the properties of a wide range of materials, from macro- to nano-sized Highlights resources for bio-based minerals production and compares bio-based minerals with commercial mineral fillers Covers novel synthesis methods Discusses effects of aging on properties Describes using halloysite and montmorillonite to improve composite properties and the potential of using mineral fillers to enhance the properties of biopolymer and synthetic polymers This book serves as an excellent reference guide for researchers, advanced students, academics and industry professionals interested in the synthesis of mineral-filled polymer and biopolymer composites, as well as those pursuing research in the broad fields of composite materials, polymers, organic/inorganic hybrid materials and nano-assembly.

Describes preparation, characterization, and applications of pH responsive membranes in biomedical applications. Introduces the theoretical understanding of the pH responsiveness. Covers advancement of techniques regarding pH responsive membranes. Provide insights for the development of new materials and membranes. Discusses advancements in drug delivery, haemodialysis, antibodies and enzyme production, chemical sensing and selective ionic transport using pH responsive membranes.

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.

This new volume presents leading-edge research in the rapidly changing and evolving field of polymer science as well as on chemical processing. The topics in the book reflect the diversity of research advances in the production and application of modern polymeric materials and related areas, focusing on the preparation, characterization, and applications of polymers. Also covered are various manufacturing techniques. The book helps to fill the gap between theory and practice in industry. The book introduces current state-of-the-art technology in modern materials with an emphasis on the rapidly growing technologies. It takes a unique approach by presenting specific materials and then progresses into a discussion of the ways in which these materials and processes are integrated into today's functioning manufacturing industry. Readers will also discover how material properties relate to the process variables in a given process as well as how to perform quantitative engineering analysis of manufacturing processes.

This new book explores the consideration of relationships that connect the structural and basic mechanical properties of polymeric mediums within the frameworks of fractal analysis with cluster model representations attraction. Incidentally, the choice of any structural model of medium or their combinations is defined by expediency and further usage convenience only. This book presents leading-edge research in this rapidly changing and evolving field. The book presents descriptions of the main reactions of high-molecular substances within the frameworks of fractal analysis and irreversible aggregation models. Synergetics and percolation theory were also used. In spite of the enormous number of papers dealing with the influence of the medium on the rate of chemical reactions (including synthesis of polymers), no strict quantitative theory capable of "universal" application has been put forward up until now. It is now possible to describe the relationship between the reaction rate constants and the equilibrium constants with the nature of the medium in which the reactions take place by means of a single equation. This important book for the first time gives structural and physical grounds of polymers synthesis and curing, and the fractal analysis is used for this purpose. This new book: * Highlights some important areas of current interest in polymer products and chemical processes * Focuses on topics with more advanced methods * Emphasizes precise mathematical development and actual experimental details * Analyzes theories to formulate and prove the physicochemical principles * Provides an up-to-date and thorough exposition of the present state of the art of complex polymeric materials

This book provides a vast amount of information on new approaches, limitations, and control on current polymers and chemicals complexity of various origins, on scales ranging from single molecules and nano-phenomena to macroscopic chemicals. Starting with a detailed introduction, the book is comprised of chapters that survey the current progress in particular research fields. The chapters, prepared by leading international experts, yield together a fascinating picture of a rapidly developing research discipline that brings chemical technology and polymers to new frontiers.

This book covers a broad range of polymeric materials and provides industry professionals and researchers in polymer science and technology with a single, comprehensive book summarizing all aspects involved in the functional materials production chain. This volume presents the latest developments and trends in advanced polymer materials and structures. It discusses the developments of advanced polymers and respective tools to characterize and predict the material properties and behavior. This book has an important role in advancing polymer materials in macro and nanoscale. Its aim is to provide original, theoretical, and important experimental results that use non-routine methodologies. It also includes chapters on novel applications of more familiar experimental techniques and analyses of composite problems that indicate the need for new experimental approaches. This new book: * Provides a collection of articles that highlight some important areas of current interest in key polymeric materials and technology * Gives an up-to-date and thorough exposition of the present state of the art of key polymeric materials and technology * Describes the types of techniques now available to the engineers and technicians and discusses their capabilities, limitations, and applications * Provides a balance between materials science and chemical aspects, basic and applied research * Focuses on topics with more advanced methods * Emphasizes precise mathematical development and actual experimental details * Explains modification methods for changing of different materials properties

The proposed book focusses on the theme of failure of polymer composites, focusing on vital aspects of enhancing failure resistance, constituents and repair including associated complexities. It discusses characterization and experimentation of the composites under loading with respect to the specific environment and applications. Further, it includes topics as green composites, advanced materials and composite joint failure, buckling failure, and fiber-metal composite failure. It explains preparation, applications of composites for weight sensitive applications, leading to potential applications and formulations, fabrication of polymer products based on bio-resources. Provides exhaustive understanding of failure and fatigue of polymer composites Covers the failure of fiber reinforced polymer composites, composite joint failure, fiber-metal composite, and laminate failure Discusses how to enhance the resistance against failure of the polymer composites Provides input to industry related and academic orientated research problems Represents an organized perspective and analysis of materials processing, material design, and their failure under loading This book is aimed at researchers, graduate students in composites, fiber reinforcement, failure mechanism, materials science, and mechanical engineering.

This book presents the application of Polymer-Silica Based Composites in the Construction Industry providing the fundamental framework and knowledge needed for the sustainable and efficient use of these composites as building and structural materials. It also includes characterization of prepared materials to ascertain mechanical, chemical, and physical properties and analyses results obtained using similar methods. Topics such as life cycle analysis of plastics, application of plastics in construction and elimination of plastic wastes are also discussed. The book also provides information on the outlook and competitiveness of emerging composites materials. Covers theory, preparation and characterizations of polymer-silica based composites for green construction. Discusses technology, reliability, manufacturing cost and environmental impact. Reviews the classification, application, and processing of polymer-silica composites. Gives a deeper analysis on the various tests carried out on polymer-silica composite. Highlights role of such composites in the Industry 4.0 and emerging technologies. This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in civil engineering, built environment, construction materials, and materials science.

Explores the nature of relaxation phenomena in polymers on the basis of time-temperature equivalence. Its role in the physical and mechanical behavior of polymers materials and fundamentals of thermoplastics processing are discussed. Four appendixes detail thermo-mechanical methods to study relaxation in polymers, structure of both amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers, and unified approach to describe deformation of polymeric materials.