Imagine a world without rubber - neither tyres for motoring or flying, nor bouncing balls for sports, neither seals for washing machines and dishwashers, nor medical gloves, no elastic! This unique book tells the fascinating story of four thousand years of rubber - from its significance in Mayan religious rituals and culture to its pivotal role in today's world. It is seen through the lives of the adventurers and scientists who promoted it, lusted after it, and eventually tamed it into the ubiquitous and crucial material of our lives today. At the same time, it includes the lives of those who caused the deaths of millions of natives in Africa and South America whilst seeking to satisfy the developing world's lust for this wonderful new material as well as their nemeses. As with any biography, this book considers old age, why rubber deteriorates and how the ravages of time may be ameliorated. In death, it deals with our current concern for the environment and various options for 'waste disposal'. For the majority of people, rubber is mostly an unknown history and even for those who think they know 'the truth' about rubber, this book may offer many surprises.

One of the very few books devoted to the chemistry, materials and processing of liquid silicone rubber The scientific literature with respect to liquid silicone rubber is collected in this monograph. The text focuses on the fundamental issues such as properties, curing methods, special materials, as well as the latest developments, and provides a broad overview of the materials used therein. In particular, materials and compositions for liquid functional rubbers are discussed. Methods of curing and special properties are also described, such as tracking and erosion resistance, adhesion properties, storage and thermal stability. Methods of curing are precision casting, hybrid additive manufacturing, peroxide curing, ultraviolet curing, liquid injection moulding, or hot embossing. The book includes applications including automotive and underwater applications, electrical and optical uses, as well as medical uses.

A World History of Rubber helps readers understand and gain new insights into the social and cultural contexts of global production and consumption, from the nineteenth century to today, through the fascinating story of one commodity. * Divides the coverage into themes of race, migration, and labor; gender on plantations and in factories; demand and everyday consumption; World Wars and nationalism; and resistance and independence * Highlights the interrelatedness of our world long before the age of globalization and the global social inequalities that persist today * Discusses key concepts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including imperialism, industrialization, racism, and inequality, through the lens of rubber * Provides an engaging and accessible narrative for all levels that is filled with archival research, illustrations, and maps

A World History of Rubber helps readers understand and gain new insights into the social and cultural contexts of global production and consumption, from the nineteenth century to today, through the fascinating story of one commodity. * Divides the coverage into themes of race, migration, and labor; gender on plantations and in factories; demand and everyday consumption; World Wars and nationalism; and resistance and independence * Highlights the interrelatedness of our world long before the age of globalization and the global social inequalities that persist today * Discusses key concepts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including imperialism, industrialization, racism, and inequality, through the lens of rubber * Provides an engaging and accessible narrative for all levels that is filled with archival research, illustrations, and maps

Recent developments in the modelling of rubber are collated in this volume, including not only stress-strain behaviour and the use of the large strain finite element method for simulation, but also fatigue, fracture, filler reinforcement, dynamic properties and the effects of ageing.