Solvent Crazing of Polymers


Book Description

The problems related to crazing in polymers are of special interest to polymer scientists since only polymers display this universal phenomenon and no analogues are available for low-molecular-mass compounds. The important problems of solvent crazing and the development of a universal description of polymer structure and properties have received much attention from many leading scientists. Nevertheless, some aspects of polymer crazing are still unclear, and scientific activities in this area are in progress. This work provides an up-to-date account of scientific advances in the area of solvent crazing. The principal features and stages of solvent crazing (craze nucleation, craze tip advance, craze thickening, and craze collapse at high strains) are described. Additionally, the authors present information concerning the activities of Russian scientists in this area, which might have escaped the attention of their colleagues because of the language barrier.




The Physics of Deformation and Fracture of Polymers


Book Description

A physical, mechanism-based presentation of the plasticity and fracture of polymers, covering industrial scale applications through to nanoscale biofluidic devices.




Polypropylene


Book Description

My heart sank when I was approached by Dr Hastings and by Professor Briggs (Senior Editor of Materials Science and Technology and Series Editor of Polymer Science and Technology Series at Chapman & Hall, respectively) to edit a book with the provisional title Handbook of Poly propylene. My reluctance was due to the fact that my former book [1] along with that of Moore [2], issued in the meantime, seemed to cover the information demand on polypropylene and related systems. Encour aged, however, by some colleagues (the new generation of scientists and engineers needs a good reference book with easy information retrieval, and the development with metallocene catalysts deserves a new update!), I started on this venture. Having some experience with polypropylene systems and being aware of the current literature, it was easy to settle the titles for the book chapters and also to select and approach the most suitable potential contributors. Fortunately, many of my first-choice authors accepted the invitation to contribute. Like all editors of multi-author volumes, I recognize that obtaining contributors follows an S-type curve of asymptotic saturation when the number of willing contributors is plotted as a function of time. The saturation point is, however, never reached and as a consequence, Dear Reader, you will also find some topics of some relevance which are not explicitly treated in this book (but, believe me, I have considered them).




Environmental Stress Cracking of Plastics


Book Description

Simultaneous action of stress and strain on plastics in contact with specific fluids causes the onset of cracking and embrittlement of plastic known as environmental stress cracking. Since this is responsible for 15% of all failures of plastics components, environmental stress cracking has long been the subject of intensive research. This volume reviews factors that influence environmental stress cracking, and the state of knowledge regarding many families of plastics. Various types of damage, from disfiguring to catastrophic, are discussed in this volume, with the period of time over which the damage occurs. Plastics designers and specifiers will benefit from the wealth of information and data provided.




Properties of Polymers


Book Description

Properties of Polymers: Their Correlation with Chemical Structure; Their Numerical Estimation and Prediction from Additive Group Contributions summarizes the latest developments regarding polymers, their properties in relation to chemical structure, and methods for estimating and predicting numerical properties from chemical structure. In particular, it examines polymer electrical properties, magnetic properties, and mechanical properties, as well as their crystallization and environmental behavior and failure. The rheological properties of polymer melts and polymer solutions are also considered. Organized into seven parts encompassing 27 chapters, this book begins with an overview of polymer science and engineering, including the typology of polymers and their properties. It then turns to a discussion of thermophysical properties, from transition temperatures to volumetric and calorimetric properties, along with the cohesive aspects and conformation statistics. It also introduces the reader to the behavior of polymers in electromagnetic and mechanical fields of force. The book covers the quantities that influence the transport of heat, momentum, and matter, particularly heat conductivity, viscosity, and diffusivity; properties that control the chemical stability and breakdown of polymers; and polymer properties as an integral concept, with emphasis on processing and product properties. Readers will find tables that give valuable (numerical) data on polymers and include a survey of the group contributions (increments) of almost every additive function considered. This book is a valuable resource for anyone working on practical problems in the field of polymers, including organic chemists, chemical engineers, polymer processers, polymer technologists, and both graduate and PhD students.




Fracture Behaviour of Polymers


Book Description

Over recent years there has been a tremendous upsurge in interest in the fracture behaviour of polymers. One reason for this is the increas ing use of polymers in structural engineering applications, since in such circumstances it is essential to have as complete an understanding as possible of the polymer's fracture behaviour. This book is designed to meet the requirements of those who need to be informed of the latest developments in the field of polymer fracture. It is written particularly for research workers but it should also prove invaluable for advanced students taking final-year undergraduate or postgraduate courses. The main emphasis is upon the use of fracture mechanics in the study of polymer fracture but this approach is then developed to cover the micromechanisms of the fracture process. Particular prominence is given to the relationship between structure, mechanical properties and the mechanics and mechanisms of fracture. The first chapter is a brief introduction which has several aims. One is to introduce polymers to the reader who does not have a strong background in the subject and another is to provide background material that will be used at later stages. The book is then split into two main parts: the first deals with the mechanics and mechanisms whilst the second is concerned with materials. In Part I phenomena such as molecular fracture, fracture mechanics, shear yielding and crazing are covered from a general viewpoint.




The Physics of Deformation and Fracture of Polymers


Book Description

Demonstrating through examples, this book presents a mechanism-based perspective on the broad range of deformation and fracture response of solid polymers. It draws on the results of probing experiments and considers the similar mechanical responses of amorphous metals and inorganic compounds to develop advanced methodology for generating more precise forms of modelling. This, in turn, provides a better fundamental understanding of deformation and fracture phenomena in solid polymers. Such mechanism-based constitutive response forms have far-reaching application potential in the prediction of structural responses and in tailoring special microstructures for tough behaviour. Moreover, they can guide the development of computational codes for deformation processing of polymers at any level. Applications are wide-ranging, from large strain industrial deformation texturing to production of precision micro-fluidic devices, making this book of interest to both advanced graduate students and to practising professionals.




Polymer Glasses


Book Description

"the present book will be of great value for both newcomers to the field and mature active researchers by serving as a coherent and timely introduction to some of the modern approaches, ideas, results, emerging understanding, and many open questions in this fascinating field of polymer glasses, supercooled liquids, and thin films" –Kenneth S. Schweizer, Morris Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (from the Foreword) This book provides a timely and comprehensive overview of molecular level insights into polymer glasses in confined geometries and under deformation. Polymer glasses have become ubiquitous to our daily life, from the polycarbonate eyeglass lenses on the end of our nose to large acrylic glass panes holding water in aquarium tanks, with advantages over glass in that they are lightweight and easy to manufacture, while remaining transparent and rigid. The contents include an introduction to the field, as well as state of the art investigations. Chapters delve into studies of commonalities across different types of glass formers (polymers, small molecules, colloids, and granular materials), which have enabled microscopic and molecular level frameworks to be developed. The authors show how glass formers are modeled across different systems, thereby leading to treatments for polymer glasses with first-principle based approaches and molecular level detail. Readers across disciplines will benefit from this topical overview summarizing the key areas of polymer glasses, alongside an introduction to the main principles and approaches.




Nonlinear Polymer Rheology


Book Description

Integrating latest research results and characterization techniques, this book helps readers understand and apply fundamental principles in nonlinear polymer rheology. The author connects the basic theoretical framework with practical polymer processing, which aids practicing scientists and engineers to go beyond the existing knowledge and explore new applications. Although it is not written as a textbook, the content can be used in an upper undergraduate and first year graduate course on polymer rheology. • Describes the emerging phenomena and associated conceptual understanding in the field of nonlinear polymer rheology • Incorporates details on latest experimental discoveries and provides new methodology for research in polymer rheology • Integrates latest research results and new characterization techniques like particle tracking velocimetric method • Focuses on the issues concerning the conceptual and phenomenological foundations for polymer rheology • Has a companion website for readers to access with videos complementing the content within several chapters




The Physics of Glassy Polymers


Book Description

This work sets out to provide an up-to-date account of the physical properties and structure of polymers in the glassy state. Properties measured above the glass transition temperature are therefore included only in so far as is necessary for the treatment of the glass transition process. This approach to the subject therefore excludes any detailed account of rubber elasticity or melt rheology or of the structure and conformation of the long chain molecule in solution, although knowledge derived from this field is assumed where required. Major emphasis is placed on structural and mechanical properties, although a number of other physical properties are included. Naturally the different authors contributing to the book write mainly from their own particular points of view and where there are several widely accepted theoretical approaches to a subject, these are sometimes provided in different chapters which will necessarily overlap to a significant extent. For example, the main theoretical presentation on the subject of glass transition is given in Chapter 1. This is supplemented by accounts of the free volume theory in Chapter 3 and in the Introduction, and a short account of the work of Gibbs and DiMarzio, also in Chapter 3. Similarly, there is material on solvent cracking in Chapters 7 and 9, though the two workers approach the subject from opposite directions. Every effort has therefore been made to encourage cross-referencing between different chapters.