Multiphase Polylactide Blends


Book Description

Multiphase Polylactide Blends: Toward a Sustainable and Green Environment guides the reader through fundamentals, science, preparation, and key areas of innovation in polylactide (PLA) blends. Bio-based polymers, and notably PLA, have not only gained increasing interest as a more sustainable alternative but also bring challenges in terms of mechanical, rheological, thermal and physical properties, processability, shapability, and foamability. The use of blends looks to address these, with the development of new types of economically viable and environmentally friendly systems. This is a valuable book for academic researchers, scientists, and graduate students across bio-based polymers, polymer science, chemistry, and materials science, as well as engineers, R&D professionals, and all those in industry with interest in PLA-based blends, biopolymers, and sustainable materials and products. More specifically, the first three chapters of this book overview the fundamentals of thermoplastic polymers, polymer blends, and structure and properties of PLA. These chapters could technically be used as a valuable textbook on the noted topics. The rest of the chapters inclusively study the fundamentals, investigations, and achievements in PLA-based blends with various types of polymers. These include miscible blends of poly L-lactide and poly D-lactide, binary immiscible/miscible blends of PLA with other thermoplastics and elastomers, PLA-based ternary blends and blend nanocomposites, as well as PLA-based blend foams. Overall, this book provides a thorough and critical overview of the state of the art in PLA-based blends, including significant past and recent advances, with the aim of supporting and shaping further research and industrial application of these materials for the development of a green and sustainable future. - Overviews the fundamentals of thermoplastic polymers, polymer blends, and the structure and properties of PLA. - Provides detailed coverage of the fundamentals and science of PLA blends, including phase miscibility, thermal and mechanical properties, interface and rheological properties, the use of compatibilizers, and phase morphological analysis. - Offers a thorough critical overview of the state of the art in processing and development of PLA-based blends, addressing key challenges and future perspectives. - Covers the latest advances, including PLA-based ternary blends, blend nanocomposites, and PLA-based blend microcellular foams.




Characterization of Polymer Blends


Book Description

Filling the gap for a reference dedicated to the characterization of polymer blends and their micro and nano morphologies, this book provides comprehensive, systematic coverage in a one-stop, two-volume resource for all those working in the field. Leading researchers from industry and academia, as well as from government and private research institutions around the world summarize recent technical advances in chapters devoted to their individual contributions. In so doing, they examine a wide range of modern characterization techniques, from microscopy and spectroscopy to diffraction, thermal analysis, rheology, mechanical measurements and chromatography. These methods are compared with each other to assist in determining the best solution for both fundamental and applied problems, paying attention to the characterization of nanoscale miscibility and interfaces, both in blends involving copolymers and in immiscible blends. The thermodynamics, miscibility, phase separation, morphology and interfaces in polymer blends are also discussed in light of new insights involving the nanoscopic scale. Finally, the authors detail the processing-morphology-property relationships of polymer blends, as well as the influence of processing on the generation of micro and nano morphologies, and the dependence of these morphologies on the properties of blends. Hot topics such as compatibilization through nanoparticles, miscibility of new biopolymers and nanoscale investigations of interfaces in blends are also addressed. With its application-oriented approach, handpicked selection of topics and expert contributors, this is an outstanding survey for anyone involved in the field of polymer blends for advanced technologies.




Bionanocomposites


Book Description

Beginning with a general overview of nanocomposites, Bionanocomposites: Integrating Biological Processes for Bio-inspired Nanotechnologies details the systems available in nature (nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) that can be integrated within suitable inorganic matrices for specific applications. Describing the relationship between architecture, hierarchy and function, this book aims at pointing out how bio-systems can be key components of nanocomposites. The text then reviews the design principles, structures, functions and applications of bionanocomposites. It also includes a section presenting related technical methods to help readers identify and understand the most widely used analytical tools such as mass spectrometry, calorimetry, and impedance spectroscopy, among others.




Polymer Interface and Adhesion


Book Description

Poly mer Interface and Adhesion provides the critical basis for further advancement in thisfield. Combining the principles of interfacial science, rheology, stress analysis, and fracturemechanics, the book teaches a new approach to the analysis of long standing problemssuch as: how is the interface formed; what are its physical and mechanical properties;and how does the interface modify the stress field and fracture strength of the material.The book offers many outstanding features, including extensive listings of pertinent references, exhaustive tabulations of the interfacial properties of polymers, critical reviews ofthe many conflicting theories, and complete discussions of coupling agents, adhesion promotion, and surface modifications. Emphasis is placed on physical concepts and mechanisms, using clear, understandable mathematics.Polymer Interface and Adhesion promotes a more thorough understanding of the physical, mechanical, and adhesive properties of multiphase, polymer systems. Polymer scientistsand engineers, surface chemists, materials scientists, rheologists, as well as chemical andmechanical engineers interested in the research, development or industrial applications ofpolymers, plastics, fibers, coatings, adhesives, and composites need this important newsource b




Clay-Polymer Nanocomposites


Book Description

Clay–Polymer Nanocomposites is a complete summary of the existing knowledge on this topic, from the basic concepts of synthesis and design to their applications in timely topics such as high-performance composites, environment, and energy issues. This book covers many aspects of synthesis such as in- situ polymerization within the interlamellar spacing of the clays or by reaction of pristine or pre-modified clays with reactive polymers and prepolymers. Indeed, nanocomposites can be prepared at industrial scale by melt mixing. Regardless the synthesis method, much is said in this book about the importance of theclay pre-modification step, which is demonstrated to be effective, on many occasions, in obtaining exfoliated nanocomposites. Clay–Polymer Nanocomposites reports the background to numerous characterization methods including solid state NMR, neutron scattering, diffraction and vibrational techniques as well as surface analytical methods, namely XPS, inverse gas chromatography and nitrogen adsorption to probe surface composition, wetting and textural/structural properties. Although not described in dedicated chapters, numerous X-ray diffraction patterns of clay–polymer nanocomposites and reference materials are displayed to account for the effects of intercalation and exfoliations of layered aluminosilicates. Finally, multiscale molecular simulation protocols are presenting for predicting morphologies and properties of nanostructured polymer systems with industrial relevance. As far as applications are concerned, Clay–Polymer Nanocomposites examines structural composites such as clay–epoxy and clay–biopolymers, the use of clay–polymer nanocomposites as reactive nanocomposite fillers, catalytic clay-(conductive) polymers and similar nanocomposites for the uptake of hazardous compounds or for controlled drug release, antibacterial applications, energy storage, and more. - The most comprehensive coverage of the state of the art in clay–polymer nanocomposites, from synthesis and design to opportunities and applications - Covers the various methods of characterization of clay–polymer nanocomposites - including spectroscopy, thermal analyses, and X-ray diffraction - Includes a discussion of a range of application areas, including biomedicine, energy storage, biofouling resistance, and more




Polymer Morphology


Book Description

With a focus on structure-property relationships, this book describes how polymer morphology affects properties and how scientists can modify them. The book covers structure development, theory, simulation, and processing; and discusses a broad range of techniques and methods. • Provides an up-to-date, comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of polymer morphology • Illustrates major structure types, such as semicrystalline morphology, surface-induced polymer crystallization, phase separation, self-assembly, deformation, and surface topography • Covers a variety of polymers, such as homopolymers, block copolymers, polymer thin films, polymer blends, and polymer nanocomposites • Discusses a broad range of advanced and novel techniques and methods, like x-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and electron microscopy and their applications in the morphology of polymer materials




Polymer Blends Handbook


Book Description

Written by an international group of highly respected contributors, this fundamental reference work covers all aspects of polymer blends: science, engineering, technology and applications.




Shape Memory Polymers


Book Description

Shape-memory polymers (SMP) are a unique branch of the smart materials family which are capable of changing shape on-demand upon exposure to external stimulus. The discovery of SMP made a significant breakthrough in the developments of novel smart materials for a variety of engineering applications, superseded the traditional materials, and also influenced the current methods of product designing. This book provides the latest advanced information of on-going research domains of SMP. This will certainly enlighten the reader to the achievements and tremendous potentials of SMP. The basic fundamentals of SMP, including shape-memory mechanisms and mechanics are described. This will aid reader to become more familiar with SMP and the basic concepts, thus guiding them in undergoing independent research in the SMP field. The book also provides the reader with associated challenges and existing application problems of SMP. This could assist the reader to focus more on these issues and further exploit their knowledge to look for innovative solutions. Future outlooks of SMP research are discussed as well. This book should prove to be extremely useful for academics, R&D managers, researcher scientists, engineers, and all others related to the SMP research.




Introduction to Polymer Compounding


Book Description

Polymer Compounding, Volume 1 focuses on aspects of the raw materials used in polymer processing. Polymer compounding comprises a complex heterogeneous system of polymers and other ingredients and, in many ways, the preparation of these materials is still very much an art. It is a powerful tool that will eventually be required as one of the basics of polymer processing. This book provides readers with a wide array of state-of-the-art strategies to develop their knowledge about compounding and the use of polymers while minimising wastage during processing. Details about polymer properties and additives are assembled to provide a one-source repository for compounding. Another important point to be considered in the book is the combination of polymers and additives and the essentials required for the development of economic and environmental incentives in polymer processing. This book will encourage further studies to understand the scientifically challenging polymer processing issues arising during the manufacture of parts for end-use applications. Finally, this volume presents an overview of polymer compounding requirements, as well as an idea of some of the future directions, advances andchallenges of polymer processing.




Commercial Polymer Blends


Book Description

This book provides an in depth and unparalleled presentation of the compositions of virtually all polymer blends.