Polymers, main components of plastics and rubbers, are being discarded in increasing quantities. But this waste can also be considered as plastic gold'. Public concern, coupled with the inherent value of the material, means that recycling is imperative. The present book presents a survey of current knowledge in the form of case studies, including current legal and educational issues. Topics covered also include regulation and practice in NATO countries, the economics of recycling, the reprocessing of single polymers and mixtures, and future prospects and strategies. Audience: Vital reading for all polymer scientists, technicians and engineers.

Polymer composites represent materials of great and of continuously growing importance. Their potential for application appears to be limitless. They have been the subject of numerous studies both at academic and industrial levels. Much progress has been made in the incisive formulation of composites; sophisticated methods of property evaluation have been developed in the past decade and many, largely empirical solutions have been proposed to resolve the problem of their long-term performance under typical conditions of use (i. e. the use of silane or titane coupling agents to enhance adhesion within composite materials). Assuredly one of the most essential factors in the performance of these systems is the condition of the interface and interphase among the constituents of a given system. It has become clear that it is the interface/interphase, and the interactions which take place in this part of a system, which determine to a significant degree the initial properties of the material. In order to achieve leadership in the formulation and application of polymer composites, it is evident that in depth understanding of interfacial and interphase phenomena becomes a prerequisite.

Polymers, main components of plastics and rubbers, are being discarded in increasing quantities. But this waste can also be considered as plastic gold'. Public concern, coupled with the inherent value of the material, means that recycling is imperative. The present book presents a survey of current knowledge in the form of case studies, including current legal and educational issues. Topics covered also include regulation and practice in NATO countries, the economics of recycling, the reprocessing of single polymers and mixtures, and future prospects and strategies. Audience: Vital reading for all polymer scientists, technicians and engineers.