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.

Having a solid understanding of materials recycling is of high importance, especially due to the growing use of composites in many industries and increasingly strict legislation and concerns about the disposal of composites in landfills or by incineration. Recycling of Plastics, Metals, and Their Composites provides a comprehensive review of the recycling of waste polymers and metal composites. It provides the latest advances and covers the fundamentals of recycled polymers and metal composites, such as preparation, morphology, and physical, mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardancy properties. FEATURES Offers a state-of-the-art review of the recycling of polymer composites and metal composites for sustainability Describes a life-cycle analysis to help readers understand the true potential value and market for these recycled materials Details potential applications of recycled polymer and metal composites Includes the performance of natural fiber-reinforced recycled thermoplastic polymer composites under aging conditions and the recycling of multi-material plastics Covers recycling technologies, opportunities, and challenges for polymer-matrix composites This book targets technical professionals in the metal and polymer industries as well as researchers, scientists, and advanced students. It is also of interest to decision makers at material suppliers, recycled metal and polymer product manufacturers, and governmental agencies working with recycled metal and polymer composites.

Among electrode materials, inorganic materials have received vast consideration owing to their redox chemistry, chemical stability, high electrochemical performance, and high-power applications. These exceptional properties enable inorganic-based materials to find application in high-performance energy conversion and storage. The current advances in nanotechnology have uncovered novel inorganic materials by various strategies and their different morphological features may serve as a rule for future supercapacitor electrode design for efficient supercapacitor performance. Inorganic Nanomaterials for Supercapacitor Design depicts the latest advances in inorganic nanomaterials for supercapacitor energy storage devices. Key Features: ? Provides an overview on the supercapacitor application of inorganic-based materials. ? Describes the fundamental aspects, key factors, advantages, and challenges of inorganic supercapacitors. ? Presents up-to-date coverage of the large, rapidly growing, and complex literature on inorganic supercapacitors. ? Surveys current applications in supercapacitor energy storage. ? Explores the new aspects of inorganic materials and next-generation supercapacitor systems.

Chitin is one of the most important biopolymers, synthesized by an enormous number of living organisms and is a promising bioactive polymer for food packaging applications due to its functional properties. This book focuses on composition, properties, characterization, and theoretical approach of chitin and chitosan bio-composites. It describes the most recent studies concerning chitin and chitosan-based films and gives an overview about future trends regarding the industrial applications of chitin and chitosan for food packaging purposes. This book is especially useful for researchers in the fields of bionanocomposites, especially those with an interest in packaging applications.

Low shear polymer powder processing provides unique solutions to many processing problems and offers a set of production techniques, frequently un-paralleled by other production methods. In recent years there has been increased interest in this field but no comprehensive review of the subject has been available until now. In this book, a team of experts have taken the novel approach of treating several processing techniques, such as compacted powder sintering, rotational moulding, powder coating, ram extrusion, and compression moulding, as diverse implementations of a single technology. The first chapters deal with the scientific and engineering fundamentals shared by various polymer powder processing techniques, and are followed by a detailed examination of each technique and some special effects. Polymer Powder Technology will prove invaluable to technologists, plastics and materials engineers, researchers and students working with various aspects of particulate polymer processing.

This specialist monograph provides an overview of the recent research on the fundamental and applied properties of nanoparticles extracted from cellulose, the most abundant polymer on the planet and an ubiquitous essential renewable resource. Given the rapid advances in the field and the high level of interest within the scientific and industrial communities, this revised and updated second edition expands the broad overview of recent research and will be required reading for all those working with nanocellulose in the life sciences and bio-based applications, biological, chemical and agricultural engineering, organic chemistry and materials science. It combines a general introduction to cellulose and basic techniques with more advanced chapters on specific properties, applications and current scientific developments of nanocellulose. The book profits from the author's extensive knowledge of cellulose nanocomposite materials.

This book emphasizes the relationship between the microscopic structure of gels and their macroscopic behaviour. Deals with organic polymeric gels, focusing on experimental methods which have only recently been introduced to study both reversible and irreversible gels. It introduce the reader with to theory and practice of physics as applied to the study of characteristics of polymeric gels and offers several clearly described basic approaches to experimental investigations into gel properties. An outstanding resource on experimental advances and modern interpretations of polymeric gel properties written by prominent experts in the field.

As the title suggests, this unique book describes the synthesis, structure and properties of the polyamide family known by the common term n-nylon. Each nylon from n=1 to n=22 is discussed in detail with descriptions of the preparation of monomers, various synthetic approaches to the polymerization, structure and crystallisation of polymers and both their fundamental properties and important technological properties. It treats the structure and properties from two perspectives, namely the effect of the aliphatic chain length between amide groups and the effects of the rigidity or flexibility of the main chain Whilst intended as a reference work for all polymer scientists, in academia and industry, working with nylons, polyamide and condensation polymers, n-Nylons will also be appreciated by post-graduate students of polymer science and engineering. Each self-contained chapter can be read individually and is extensively referenced.

This book provides a broad overview of current studies in the engineering of polymers and chemicals of various origins. The innovative chapters cover the growth of educational, scientific, and industrial research activities among chemists, biologists, and polymer and chemical engineers. This book publishes significant research and reviews reporting new methodologies and important applications in the fields of industrial chemistry, industrial polymers, and biotechnology, as well the latest coverage of chemical databases and the development of new computational methods and efficient algorithms for chemical software and polymer engineering.

This new book provides a solid understanding of the recent developments in the field of composites and nanocomposites. It explains the significance of the new fillers, such as graphene and arbon nanotubes in different matrix systems. The application of these materials in biological and others fields also makes this book unique. This detailed study of nanocomposites, their structure, processing and characterization will be of value in all walks of engineering life. The book covers the following topics: * polymer matrix composites * ceramic matrix composites * carbon matrix composites * wood-based composites * biocomposites * ecocomposites * nanocomposites * processing * properties * fracture and damage mechanics * durability * and more Composite materials are solids that contain two or more distinct constituent materials or phases, on a scale larger than the atomic. The term "composite" is usually reserved for those materials in which the distinct phases are separated on a scale larger than the atomic, and in which properties such as the elastic modulus are significantly altered in comparison with those of a homogeneous material. Composites have properties that cannot be achieved by either of the constituent materials alone. Composites are becoming more and more important as they can help improve our quality of life. Composites are put into service in flight vehicles, automobiles, boats, pipelines, buildings, roads, bridges, and dozens of other products. Researchers are finding ways to improve other qualities of composites so they may be strong, lightweight, long-lived, and inexpensive to produce. The science and engineering of composites and nanocomposites draws on traditional characterization and processing technologies. Research describing structures containing nanoparticles seems to rely on methods that are being pushed to the limit of resolution. Preparation of nanocomposites also poses very real processing challenges. The list of questions about the fabrication, characterization, and use of nanocomposites is long despite massive financial and intellectual investment. The magnitude of the effects these small particles impart to the bulk properties of a composite are great enough that the science is likely to continue to grow in importance.

This new book presents the authors' biomedical studies of natural degradable biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoates [PHAs]) and discusses the demand for medical-grade materials and modern trends, focusing on the present status and future potential of PHAs. The authors present and summarize their most important results and findings obtained during the last few years in experimental studies and clinical trials of PHAs at the Institute of Biophysics Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science.

Scientists and researchers are looking for new smart materials to replace old or conventional materials for better performance and for new applications. The use of polymeric materials and nanomaterials is increasing due to their wide-spectrum tunability and many properties. It is now easier to formulate materials for special purposes using these materials than using conventional materials and methods. Many commercial products made from polymeric materials and nanomaterials are now in use and on the market. This book presents a diverse selection of cutting-edge research on the development of polymeric materials and nanomaterials for new and different applications. These include electrical applications, biomedical applications, sensing applications, coating applications, and others. A few chapters dedicated to materials for construction applications are also included. Discussions include the properties, behavior, preparation, processing, and characterization of various polymeric materials, nanomaterials, and their composites. Some of the chapter authors present theoretical studies of these systems, which can help readers to develop a better understanding in this area.

Engineering design teams sometimes have need of a material that may not exist because the combination of required properties is difficult to achieve. One solution is to develop a new material having the required set of properties needed in the application. During the author's 40-year career he has successfully worked on many such problems. The uniquely useful and valuable book, Polymeric Thermosetting Compounds: Innovative Aspects of Their Formulation Technology, presents twenty of those design problems and the solutions, which resulted in patents and spin-off applications. Author Ralph Hermansen, with years of experience of hands-on experience, is an expert in formulating epoxies, polyurethanes, and other polymers into compounds that have unique properties, and here he shares his knowledge and experience of attaining novel solutions to very challenging problems. He covers polymeric compounds such as coatings, adhesives, encapsulants, transparent plastics, and others. Chapters describe the design problem and define which key properties are sought in the new material. The author shares his thinking about how to approach the formulating problem and describes the experimental procedures used to eventually solve the problem. Patent information is shared as well. Once a new family of polymeric compounds is developed, that technology can be used to attack new unsolved materials problems, or "spin-offs," and real-life examples are provided to help readers see new applications of the technologies described in the earlier chapters. The book will be of interest to a diverse group of people. Industry professionals already in the business of selling specialty compounds may be able to add new products to their catalogs with little research cost or time by using the information in the book. Formulators, trying to develop a new compound to challenging requirements, may gain insight into how to make a breakthrough. The information in the book will be very valuable to companies needing these novel solutions. And younger people wondering what a career in materials science would be like get a first-hand commentary from someone who has done it.

High-Performance Polymers for Engineering-Based Composites presents a selection of investigations and innovative research in polymer chemistry and advanced materials. The book includes case studies in the field of nanocomposites. The volume provides coverage of new research in polymer science and engineering with applications in chemical engineering, materials science, and chemistry. In addition to synthetic polymer chemistry, it also looks at the properties of polymers in various states (solution, melt, solid). The chapters provide a survey of the important categories of polymers including commodity thermoplastics and fibers, elastomers and thermosets, and engineering and specialty polymers. Basic polymer processing principles are explained as well as in-depth descriptions of the latest polymer applications in different industrial sectors. This new book reviews the field's current state and emerging advances. With contributions from experts from both the industry and academia, this book presents the latest developments in polymer products and chemical processes.

Natural Fiber Textile Composite Engineering sheds light on the area of the natural fiber textile composites with new research on their applications, the material used, the methods of preparation, the different types of polymers, the selection of raw materials, the elements of design the natural fiber textile polymer composites for a particular end use, their manufacturing techniques, and finally their life cycle assessments (LCA). The volume also addresses the important issue in the materials science of how to utilize natural fibers as an enhancement to composite materials. Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites have been proven to provide a combination of superior mechanical property, dielectric property, and environmental advantages such as renewability and biodegradability. Natural fibers, some from agricultural waste products, can replace existing metallic and plastic parts and help to alleviate the environmental problem of increasing amounts of agriculture residual. The book is divided into four sections, covering: applications of natural fiber polymer composites design of natural fiber polymer composites composite manufacturing techniques and agriculture waste manufacturing composite material testing methods The first section of the book deals with the application of textile composites in the industry and the properties of the natural fibers, providing an understanding of the history of natural fiber composites as well as an analysis of the different properties of different natural fibers. The second section goes on to explain the textile composites, their classification, different composite manufacturing techniques, and the different pretreatment methods for the natural fibers to be used in composite formation. It also analyzes the composite material design under different types of loading and the mechanism of failure of the natural fiber composite. The effect of the fiber volume fraction of different textile structures is explained. The third section of the book, on composite manufacturing techniques and agriculture waste manufacturing, concerns the natural fiber composite manufacturing techniques, agricultural waste, and the methods of their preparation to be used successfully in the composite, either in the form of fibers particles or nanoparticles. The book then considers the testing methods of the different composite components as well as the final composite materials, giving the principle of the testing standards, either distractive or nondestructive. This book attempts to fill the gap between the role of the textile engineer and the role of the designer of composites from natural fibers. It provides important information on the application of textile composites for textile engineers, materials engineers, and researchers in the area of composite materials.

This book focuses on food, non-food, and industrial packaging applications of polymers, blends, nanostructured materials, macro, micro and nanocomposites, and renewable and biodegradable materials. It details physical, thermal, and barrier properties as well as sustainability, recycling, and regulatory issues. The book emphasizes interdisciplinary research on processing, morphology, structure, and properties as well as applications in packaging of food and industrial products. It is useful for chemists, physicists, materials scientists, food technologists, and engineers.

With chapters by the editors and other experts in the field of polymer science, this book covers a broad selection of important research advances in the field, including updates on enzymatic destruction and photoelectric characteristics, studies on the changes in the polymer molecular mass during hydrolysis and a new type of bioadditive for motor fuel, and an exploration of the interrelation of viscoelastic and electromagnetic properties of densely cross-linked polymers. Also included are chapters that discuss the problems of mechanics of textile performance, new aspects of polymeric nanofibers, a mathematical model of nanofragment cross-linked polymers, and much more.

Covering fundamentals through applications, this book discusses environmentally friendly polymer nanocomposites and alternatives to traditional nanocomposites through detailed reviews of a variety of materials procured from different resources, their synthesis, and applications using alternative green approaches. The text: Describes green polymeric nanocomposites that show greater properties in terms of degradability, biocompatibility, synthesis process, cost effectiveness, mechanical strength, high surface area, nontoxicity, and environmental friendliness Explains the basics of eco-friendly polymer nanocomposites from different natural resources and their chemistry Discusses practical applications that present future directions in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries This book is aimed at scientists, researchers, and academics working in nanotechnology, biomaterials, polymer science, and those studying products derived from eco-friendly nanomaterials.

This title gives an overview of composites and biocomposites. It discusses the history of CaPO4/ /polymer biocomposites and hybrid biomaterials, as well as analyzing the latest developments in the field. It also covers bioactivity and biodegradation of CaPO4-based biomaterials.

Polymere sind eine beeindruckend vielseitige Gruppe von makromolekularen Verbindungen und sind aus der heutigen Zeit nicht mehr wegzudenken. Es gibt wenige naturwissenschaftliche Bereiche, in denen so grosse Fortschritte gemacht worden sind wie in der Polymerforschung; zukunftige Moglichkeiten beflugeln eine rasant wachsende Industrie. Da uberall auf der Welt intensiv an Polymeren geforscht und gearbeitet wird, ist es notwendig, in der internationalen Kommunikation keine sprachlichen Missverstandnisse aufkommen zu lassen; dazu will das -Worterbuch Polymerwissenschaften- einen Beitrag leisten, indem es den wichtigsten Wortschatz 12 500 Begriffe in jeder Sprachrichtung: Englisch und Deutsch in klarer ubersichtlicher Weise gegenuber stellt. Eine ausfuhrliche Akronym-Liste der wichtigsten Polymere erganzt dieses handliche und nutzliche Referenzwerk. Ein unentbehrliches Handwerkszeug fur Chemiker, Physiker und Ingenieure in Forschung, Industrie und Lehre.

Polymers are an impressively diverse and versatile group of macromolecular compounds contributing significantly to progress and well-being in modern society. In this "era of polymers" the present enormous pace of new developments coupled with an unimaginable potential in polymer science is creating an exciting stimulation of a rapidly growing industry. International communication in the field of polymers requires an efficient use of the according terminology. This means the need of consulting according sources especially dictionaries. This -Polymer Science Dictionary- with some 12,500 terms in both languages, German and English, is an attempt to serving the growing community of chemists, physicists, and engineers in research, academia, and industry involved with polymers. A detailed list of acronyms of the most important polymers adds to this overall handy and useful ready-reference. An indispensable tool for anyone working in the field of polymers."

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.

This valuable book is devoted to problems of the synthesis, vulcanization, modification, and study of structure and properties of highly filled sealants based on polysulfide oligomers (PSO). The book summarizes information concerning chemistry, synthesis technology, structure, and properties of liquid thiokols and thiokol-containing polyesters. It also presents a literary survey on chemism and mechanisms for liquid thiokols vulcanization involving oxidants or through polyaddition. The book describes formulation principles of sealants, their properties, and application areas. The book provides research on vulcanization and modification of thiokol sealants involving thiokol-epoxy resin copolymers, unsaturated polyesters, and various isocyanate prepolymers. It describes studies of mechanisms underlying vulcanization of polysulphide oligomers by manganese dioxide, sodium dichromate and zinc oxide, and also of the structure and properties of sealants on the basis of a liquid thiokol and commercial " -2" polymer depending on a chemical nature and the ratio of constituent oligomers. The book gives information on the influence of filling materials on vulcanization kinetics, rheological, and physico-mechanical properties of sealants depending on the nature of PSO. The book will be of interest to research personnel of scientific institutes and centers developing reactive oligomers and their compositions and studying their structure and properties as well as engineers working in science centers or enterprises working in the area of development, production, and application of polysulfide oligomers and sealants.

This informative volume discusses recent advancements in the research and development in synthesis, characterization, processing, morphology, structure, and properties of advanced polymeric materials. With contributions from leading international researchers and professors in academic, government and industrial institutions, Advanced Polymeric Materials for Sustainability and Innovations has a special focus on eco-friendly polymers, polymer composites, nanocomposites, and blends and materials for traditional and renewable energy. In this book the relationship between processing-morphology-property applications of polymeric materials is well established. Recent advances in the synthesis of new functional monomers has shown strong potential in generating better property polymers from renewable resources. Fundamental advances in the field of nanocomposite blends and nanostructured polymeric materials in automotive, civil, biomedical and packaging/coating applications are the highlights of this book.

Biopolymers are attracting immense attention of late because of their diverse applications that can address growing environmental concerns and energy demands. The development of various biomaterials creates significant advancements in the medical field as well, and many biopolymers are used for the fabrication of biomaterials. Together, biopolymers and biomaterials create great potential for new materials, applications, and uses. This new volume, Biopolymers and Biomaterials, covers the science and application of biopolymers and biomaterials. It presents an array of different studies on biopolymers and biomaterials, along with their results, interpretation, and the conclusions arrived at through investigations. It includes biopolymer synthesis, their characterizations, and their potential applications. The book begins with an explanation of the different biopolymers used in the textile industry, their advantages and disadvantages, and their applications.

This book provides an important structural analysis of polymer solutions and melts, using fractal analysis. The book covers the theoretical fundamentals of macromolecules fractal analysis. It then goes on to discuss the fractal physics of polymer solutions and the fractal physics of melts. The intended audience of the book includes specialists in chemistry and physics of polymer synthesis and those in the field of polymers and polymer composites processing.