Although polypropylene has been marketed since the 1950s, research and development in this area is still vigorous. The consumption of polypropylene over the years has been relatively high, mainly due to the steady improvement of its property profile. Polypropylene: Structures, Blends and Composites, in three separate volumes, reflects on the key factors which have contributed to the success of polypropylene, dealing with all aspects of structure-performance relationships relevant to thermoplastic polymers and related composites. Volume 1, Structure and Morphology, deals with polymorphism in polypropylene homo- and copolymers, where molecular and supermolecular structures are covered, and the processing-induced structure development of polypropylene, showing the interrelation between the processing-induced morphology and mechanical performance. Volume 2, Copolymers and Blends, contains comprehensive surveys of the nucleation and crystallisation behaviour of the related systems. It includes the development of morphology and its effects on rheological and mechanical properties of polypropylene-based alloys and blends and a review of polypropylene-based thermoplastic elastomers. Volume 3, Composites, gives a comprehensive overview of filled and reinforced systems with polypropylene as a matrix material, with the main emphasis on processing-structure-property-interrelationships. Chapters cover all aspects of particulate filled, chopped fibre-, fibre mat- and continuous fibre-reinforced composites. Interfacial phenomena, such as adhesion, wetting and interfacial crystallisation, are also included as important aspects of this subject.

Organic solids exhibit a wide range of electrical and related properties. They occur as crystals, glasses, polymers and thin films; they may be insulators, semiconductors, conductors or superconductors; and they may show luminescence, nonlinear optical response, and complex dynamical behaviour. The book provides a broad survey of this area, written by international experts, one third being drawn from Eastern Europe. Electrical, optical, spectroscopic and structural aspects are all treated in a way that gives an excellent introduction to current themes in this highly interdisciplinary and practically important area. The coverage is especially strong in the areas where electrical and optical properties overlap, such as photoconductivity, electroluminescence, electroabsorption, electro-optics and photorefraction.

In an area as vast and important as rheology, it is essential that the experimentalist understands the underlying theories and shortcomings of the measurement technique used, that they are aware of the likely microstructure of the fluid under study and that from this they can appreciate how the fluid and the measuring system interact with each other. This major handbook, written by an international group of experts in the range of rheological techniques, presents the state of the art in rheological measurement, and concentrates on the techniques and underlying physical principles. The second edition, fully revised and updated to include new techniques is invaluable to polymer and materials scientists, engineers and technologists, and anyone else making rheological measurements on materials whether they be polymeric, biological, slurries, food or other complex fluids.

Foams are gas filled integral structures in which the gas is finely dispersed throughout acontinuouslyconnected solid phase. The bulk density is usually substantially lower than that of the solid component, and for the foams which form the focus for this book the volume fraction of the gas phase is considerably greater than 0.5 and in most instances in excess of 0.9. Many ofthe materials encountered in every day experience, such as bread, plants and trees, structural materials for buildings, comfort materials for domestic and automotive seating, shock absorbers or car bumpers and materials for noise control, have one thing in common - the cellular nature of their physical structure. Whyare thesestructuressoimportantin the naturaland man-made world? The reasons are both technical and commercial. From a technical viewpoint cellular materials offer: 1. high specific stiffness and strength - making them suitable for structural applications; 2. closeto idealenergymanagement - hencetheir useinthermalandacoustic insulation, vibration damping, acoustic absorption and shock mitigation; and 3. comfort - hence their use for domestic and automotive seating.

Resin Transfer Moulding and other similar 'liquid moulding' manufacturing methods have been used to make non-structural composites for the last 35 years. However, in the last eight years these methods have become the subject of enormous interest by aerospace manufacturing companies. Resin Transfer Moulding for Aerospace Structures describes all aspects of Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) for aerospace structures. Written by an international team of experts, from both industry and academia, it is a comprehensive work providing complete and detailed information on the process of RTM from theoretical modelling to practical experience. With subjects including manufacturing, tooling, fabric design and flow modelling all covered, this book is an invaluable up-to-the-minute reference source which provides the reader with a good understanding of RTM and its possible uses, especially for high performance applications. Resin Transfer Moulding for Aerospace Structures is an ideal guide for those in the aerospace and related industries, who want to understand and utilize RTM, as well as those directly involved in the RTM industry.

R.N.IBBETT This book provides a source of information on all major aspects of NMR spectroscopy of synthetic polymers. It represents a deliberate attempt to pull together the numerous strands of the subject in a single comprehensive volume, designed to be readable at every scientific level. It is intended that the book will be of use to the vast majority of polymer scientists and NMR spec troscopists alike. Readers new to NMR will find extensive information within the book on the available techniques, allowing full exploration of the many polymer science applications. Readers already established within a branch of NMR will find the book an excellent guide to the practical study of polymers and the inter pretation of experimental data. Readers who have specialised in polymer NMR will find the book a valuable dictionary of proven methodologies, as well as a guide to the very latest developments in the subject. Workers from all of the main branches of polymer NMR have been invited to contribute. Each chapter therefore contains information relating to a parti cular investigative topic, indentified mainly on the basis of technique. The book is loosely divided between solution and solid-state domains, although the numerous interconnections confirm that these two domains are parts of the same continuum. Basic principles are explained within each chapter, combined with discussions of experimental theory and applications. Examples of polymer investigations are covered generously and in many chapters there are discussions of the most recent theoretical and experimental developments."

Few scientific developments in recent years have captured the popular imagination like the subject of'biodegradable' plastics. The reasons for this are complex and lie deep in the human subconscious. Discarded plastics are an intrusion on the sea shore and in the countryside. The fact that nature's litter abounds in the sea and on land is acceptable because it is biodegradable - even though it may take many years to be bioassimilated into the ecosystem. Plastics litter is not seen to be biodegradable and is aesthetically unacceptable because it does not blend into the natural environment. To the environmentally aware but often scientifically naive, biodegradation is seen to be the ecologically acceptable solution to the problem of plastic packaging waste and litter and some packaging manufacturers have exploited the 'green' consumer with exaggerated claims to 'environmentally friendly' biodegradable packaging materials. The principles underlying environmental degradation are not understood even by some manufacturers of 'biodegradable' materials and the claims made for them have been categorized as 'deceptive' by USA legislative authorities. This has set back the acceptance of plastics with controlled biodegradability as part of the overall waste and litter control strategy. At the opposite end of the commercial spectrum, the polymer manufactur ing industries, through their trade associations, have been at pains to discount the role of degradable materials in waste and litter management. This negative campaign has concentrated on the supposed incompatibility of degradable plastics with aspects of waste management strategy, notably materials recycling."

In Uses of Immobilized Biological Compounds the reader will find a comprehensive survey of the field written by acknowledged experts who met in Brixen, Italy, between May 9 and 14, 1993 for a NATO Advanced Research Workshop devoted to the topic. The resulting volume presents a critical review of the latest results in the area and sets guidelines for future research. The 53 reports presented here cover: (A) General Aspects of Immobilizing Biological Compounds; (B) Medical, Clinical and Pharmaceutical Applications; (C) Electrochemical Biosensors; (E) Defense Applications; (F) Immunosensors and Receptors; (G) Food, Environmental, Clinical and Analytical Applications; and (H) Biotechnology and Marketing. In short, all aspects of the area are presented, in a compact format which will appeal to undergraduates, technicians, and professional scientists in the food, clinical, environmental, pharmaceutical and industrial fields.

of Polymer Chemistry, Inc. of the American Chemical Society held its The Division 15th Biennial Polymer Symposium on the topic, "Advances in New Materials," November 17-21, 1990, at the Pier 66 Resort and Marina in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A three and one half day program was presented by recognized leaders in major areas of new polymeric materials. The topics of the Biennial Symposium included new high performance polymers, polymers for electronic applications, electrically conducting polymers, nonlinear optics, new polymer systems, and polymers derived from biological media. These are the subject areas of this volume of "Contemporary Topics in Polymer Science." The intent of the Symposium was to focus on recent advances in polymeric materials. The technical sessions were complemented by an initial poster session which augmented the various technical sessions. A particular highlight of the meeting was the presentation to Professor Michael Szwarc of the 1990 Division of Polymer Chemistry Award by Dr. J. L. Benham, Chairman of the T Aymer Division. During his Award address, Professor Szwarc described how he had become a polymer chemist and later developed "living polymers." Without a doubt, Professor Szwarc has made a profound contribution to the polymer field, which has yielded many new forms of living polymerization."

This book deals with the most important substances used as additives in the plastics industry to improve the properties of polymer-based materials. Each chapter deals with a particular type of additive based on the type's definition, structure, and classification according to main effects on polymeric materials. The mechanism of the additive efficiency and its effects on basic properties of specific polymers are discussed and a survey of its important qualities and practical applications is given. Each chapter is introduced by a theoretical analysis of the practical and technological importance of the ad ditive. The book is mainly intended for students in technical colleges, polytechnics and universities who are studying plastics technology and macromolecular chemistry as part of their general curriculum and for technologists in industry engaged in development, sales, technical service and production functions, and applications of plastics. An elementary knowledge of chemistry, physical chemistry and polymer science at the technical college level is assumed. Prague and Montreal, December 1982 J. Stepek, H. Daoust Table of Contents Introduction ."

P. S. HOPE and M. J. FOLKES Mixing two or more polymers together to produce blends or alloys is a well-established strategy for achieving a specified portfolio of physical proper ties, without the need to synthesise specialised polymer systems. The subject is vast and has been the focus of much work, both theoretical and experimental. Much ofthe earlier work in this field was necessarily empirical and many ofthe blends produced were of academic rather than commercial interest. The manner in which two (or more) polymers are compounded together is of vital importance in controlling the properties of blends. Moreover, particular ly through detailed rheological studies, it is becoming apparent that process ing can provide a wide range of blend microstructures. In an extreme, this is exemplified by the in situ formation of fibres resulting from the imposition of predetermined flow fields on blends, when in the solution or melt state. The microstructures produced in this case transform the blend into a true fibre composite; this parallels earlier work on the deformation of metal alloys. This type of processing-structure-property correlation opens up many new possi bilities for innovative applications; for example, the production of stiff fibre composites and blends having anisotropic transport properties, such as novel membranes. This book serves a dual purpose."

During the last two decades, the production of polymers and plastics has been increasing rapidly. In spite of developing new polymers and polymeric materials, only 40 60 are used commercially on a large scale. It has been estimated that half of the annual production of polymers is employed outdoors. The photochemical instability of most polymers limits their outdoor application as they are photodegraded quickly over periods from months to a few years. To the despair of technologists and consumers alike, photodegradation and environmental ageing of polymers occur much faster than can be expected from knowledge collected in laboratories. In order to improve polymer photostability there has been a very big effort during the last 30 years to understand the mechanisms involved in photodegradation and environmental ageing. This book represents the author's attempt, based on his 25 years' experience in research on photodegradation and photo stabilization, to collect and generalize a number of available data on the photodegradation of polymers. The space limitation and the tremendous number of publications in the past two decades have made a detailed presentation of all important results and data difficult. The author apologizes to those whose work has not been quoted or widely presented in this book. Because many published results are very often contradictory, it has been difficult to present a fully critical review of collected knowledge, without antagonizing authors. For that reason, all available theories, mechanisms and different suggestions have been presented together, and only practice can evaluate which of them are valid.

Polymers are ubiquitous and pervasive in industry, science, and technology. These giant molecules have great significance not only in terms of products such as plastics, films, elastomers, fibers, adhesives, and coatings but also less ob viously though none the less importantly in many leading industries (aerospace, electronics, automotive, biomedical, etc.). Well over half the chemists and chem ical engineers who graduate in the United States will at some time work in the polymer industries. If the professionals working with polymers in the other in dustries are taken into account, the overall number swells to a much greater total. It is obvious that knowledge and understanding of polymers is essential for any engineer or scientist whose professional activities involve them with these macromolecules. Not too long ago, formal education relating to polymers was very limited, indeed, almost nonexistent. Speaking from a personal viewpoint, I can recall my first job after completing my Ph.D. The job with E.I. Du Pont de Nemours dealt with polymers, an area in which I had no university training. There were no courses in polymers offered at my alma mater. My experience, incidentally, was the rule and not the exception."

Fluid Effects in Polymers and Polymeric Composites, written by the late Dr. Y. Jack Weitsman, addresses the wide range of parameters that affect the interaction of fluids with polymers and polymeric composites. The book aims at broadening the scope of available data, mostly limited up to this time to weight-gain recordings of fluid ingress into polymers and composites, to the practical circumstances of fluctuating exposure. Various forms of experimental data are given, in conjunction with theoretical models derived from basic scientific principles, and correlated with severity of exposure conditions and interpreted by means of rationally based theoretical models. The practical implications of the effects of fluids are discussed. The issue of fluid effects on polymers and polymeric composites is of concern to engineers and scientists active in aerospace and naval structures, as an increasing portion of these structures are made of polymeric composites and employ polymeric adhesives as a joining device. While the book is intended for this audience, it will also interest researchers and graduate students interested in the mechanics and materials aspects of this matter.

The issue is dedicated to Professor Dr. h. c. Milan Schwuger on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Most of the papers included in this volume are related to the central theme: the interaction of surface active agents with solid materials. It comprises an impressing overview of the actual research in colloid science and reveals expected trends of this strongly developing field at the turn of the millennium.

A humoristic view of the physics of soft matter, which nevertheless has a ring of truth to it, is that it is an ill-defined subject which deals with ill-condensed matter by ill-defined methods. Although, since the Nobel prize was awarded to Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, this subject can be no longer shrugged-away as "sludge physics" by the physics community, it is still not viewed universally as "main stream" physics. While, at first glance, this may be considered as another example of inertia, a case of the "establishment" against the "newcomer", the roots of this prejudice are much deeper and can be traced back to Roger Bacon's conception about the objectivity of science. All of us would agree with the weaker form of this idea which simply says that the final results of our work should be phrased in an observer-independent way and be communicable to anybody who made the effort to learn this language. There exists, however, a stronger form of this idea according to which the above criteria of "objectivity" and "communicability" apply also to the process of scientific inquiry. The fact that major progress in the physics of soft matter was made in apparent violation of this approach, by applying intuition to problems which appeared to defy rigorous analysis, may explain why many physicists feel somewhat ill-at-ease with this subject.

The area of macromolecular and supramolecular science and engineering has gained substantial interest and importance during the last decade and many applications can be envisioned in the future. The rapid developments in this interdisciplinary area justify a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in the research of materials and processes that is given in this monograph. This monograph is based primarily on synthetic architectures and systems covered by the contents of selected plenary and invited lectures delivered at the 1st International Symposium on Macro- and Supramolecular Architectures and Materials (MAM-01): Biological and Synthetic Systems, which was held from 11-14 April 2001 on the international campus of the Kwangju Institute of Science and Technology (K-JIST) in Kwangju, South Korea. In addition, it contains several complementing contributions in this novel field of science dealing with synthetic architectures and represents a unique compilation of reviewed research accounts of the in-depth knowledge of macromolecular and supramolecular materials and processes. It comprises 22 pioneering chapters written by 64 renowned experts from 13 different countries.

Since their first industrial use polymers have gained a tremendous success. The two volumes of "Polymers - Opportunities and Risks" elaborate on both their potentials and on the impact on the environment arising from their production and applications. Volume 11 "Polymers - Opportunities and Risks I: General and Environmental Aspects" is dedicated to the basics of the engineering of polymers - always with a view to possible environmental implications. Topics include: materials, processing, designing, surfaces, the utilization phase, recycling, and depositing. Volume 12 "Polymers - Opportunities and Risks II: Sustainability, Product Design and Processing" highlights raw materials and renewable polymers, sustainability, additives for manufacture and processing, melt modification, biodegradation, adhesive technologies, and solar applications. All contributions were written by leading experts with substantial practical experience in their fields. They are an invaluable source of information not only for scientists, but also for environmental managers and decision makers.

Since their first industrial use polymers have gained a tremendous success. The two volumes of "Polymers - Opportunities and Risks" elaborate on both their potentials and on the impact on the environment arising from their production and applications. Volume 11 "Polymers - Opportunities and Risks I: General and Environmental Aspects" is dedicated to the basics of the engineering of polymers - always with a view to possible environmental implications. Topics include: materials, processing, designing, surfaces, the utilization phase, recycling, and depositing. Volume 12 "Polymers - Opportunities and Risks II: Sustainability, Product Design and Processing" highlights raw materials and renewable polymers, sustainability, additives for manufacture and processing, melt modification, biodegradation, adhesive technologies, and solar applications. All contributions were written by leading experts with substantial practical experience in their fields. They are an invaluable source of information not only for scientists, but also for environmental managers and decision makers.

* Much progress has been made in the last 8 years in understanding the theory and practice of silane coupling agents. A major advance in this direction was the measurement of true equilibrium constants for the hydroly sis and formation of siloxane bonds. Equilibrium constants for bond reten tion are so favorable that a silane coupling agent on silica has a thousandfold advantage for bond retention in the presence of water over an alkoxysilane bond formed from hydroxy-functional polymers and silica. In practice, the bonds of certain epoxies to silane-primed glass resist debonding by water about a thousand times as long as the epoxy bond to unprimed glass. Oxane bonds of silane coupling agents to metal oxides seem to follow the same mechanism of equilibrium hydrolysis and rebonding, although equilibrium constants have not been measured for individual metal-oxygen silicon bonds. This suggests, however, that methods of improving bond retention to glass will also improve the water resistance of bonds to metals. of standard coupling agents with a hydrophobic silane or one Modification with extra siloxane cross-linking have improved the water resistance of bonds to glass and metals another hundredfold over that obtained with single coupling agents."

Since the publication of the first edition of The Physics of Glassy Polymers there have been substantial developments in both the theory and application of polymer physics, and many new materials have been introduced. Furthermore, in this large and growing field of knowledge, glassy polymers are of particular interest because of their homogeneous structure, which is fundamentally simpler than that of crystalline or reinforced materials. This new edition covers all these developments, including the emergence of the polymer molecule with its multiplicity of structure and conformations as the major factor controlling the properties of glassy polymers, using the combined knowledge of a distinguished team of contributors. With an introductory chapter covering the established science in the subject are and summarising concepts assumed in the later chapters, this fully revised and updated second edition is an essential work of reference for those involved in the field.

This publication presents the lectures given at the course on Advanced Separation Technology for Industrial Waste Minimization: Environmental and Analytical Aspects (13-15 October, 1992, Ispra, Italy) organized jointly by the Technical University of Lisbon, University of Calabria and the Environment Institute of the Joint Research Centre of the Commission of the European Communities at Ispra. This course is integrated in a programme for education and training in Advanced Separation Technology for Industrial Waste Minimization supported by the Community Action Programme for Education and Training for Technology (COMETT II). The lecture material is based on case studies of importance to textile, tanneries, pulp and paper, metal finishing and electroplating, food, and other industries. Environmental regulations have lead industrial engineers to search for more efficient, less energy consuming and less waste producing processes. Membrane-based separation processes contributed to recover water, raw materials and energy and to achieve simultaneously pollution control. Along this book emphasis will be given to this fast growing area of process technology.

Polymers are substances made of macromolecules formed by thousands of atoms organized in one (homopolymers) or more (copolymers) groups that repeat themselves to form linear or branched chains, or lattice structures. The concept of polymer traces back to the years 1920's and is one of the most significant ideas of last century. It has given great impulse to indus try but also to fundamental research, including life sciences. Macromolecules are made of sm all molecules known as monomers. The process that brings monomers into polymers is known as polymerization. A fundamental contri bution to the industrial production of polymers, particularly polypropylene and polyethylene, is due to the Nobel prize winners Giulio Natta and Karl Ziegler. The ideas of Ziegler and Natta date back to 1954, and the process has been improved continuously over the years, particularly concerning the design and shaping of the catalysts. Chapter 1 (due to A. Fasano ) is devoted to a review of some results concerning the modelling of the Ziegler- Natta polymerization. The specific ex am pie is the production of polypropilene. The process is extremely complex and all studies with relevant mathematical contents are fairly recent, and several problems are still open.