This book is concerned with the configuration of polymers at the interfacial zone between two other phases or immiscible components. In recent years, developments in technology combined with increased attention from specialists in a wide range of fields have resulted in a considerable increase in our understanding of the behavior of polymers at interfaces. Inevitably these advances have generated a wealth of literature and although there have been numerous reviews, a critical treatment with adequate descriptions of both theory and experiment, including detailed analysis of the two, has been missing. This text hopes to fill this gap, providing a timely and comprehensive account of the field as it stands today. This long needed work will be invaluable to experts as well as newcomers in the broad field of polymers, interfaces and colloids, both in industry and academia. Whilst industrial laboratories involved in this field will find it indispensable, it will be equally important to anyone with an interest in interfacial polymer or colloidal research.

This book is concerned with the configuration of polymers at the interfacial zone between two other phases or immiscible components. In recent years, developments in technology combined with increased attention from specialists in a wide range of fields have resulted in a considerable increase in our understanding of the behavior of polymers at interfaces. Inevitably these advances have generated a wealth of literature and although there have been numerous reviews, a critical treatment with adequate descriptions of both theory and experiment, including detailed analysis of the two, has been missing. This text hopes to fill this gap, providing a timely and comprehensive account of the field as it stands today. This long needed work will be invaluable to experts as well as newcomers in the broad field of polymers, interfaces and colloids, both in industry and academia. Whilst industrial laboratories involved in this field will find it indispensable, it will be equally important to anyone with an interest in interfacial polymer or colloidal research.

Colloidal systems are important across a range of industries, such as the food, pharmaceutical, agrochemical, cosmetics, polymer, paint and oil industries, and form the basis of a wide range of products (eg cosmetics & toiletries, processed foodstuffs and photographic film). A detailed understanding of their formation, control and application is required in those industries, yet many new graduate or postgraduate chemists or chemical engineers have little or no direct experience of colloids.

Based on lectures given at the highly successful Bristol Colloid Centre Spring School, "Colloid Science: Principles, Methods and Applications" provides a thorough introduction to colloid science for industrial chemists, technologists and engineers. Lectures are collated and presented in a coherent and logical text on practical colloid science.