This book is intended to reveal the correlation between the chemical structure and the physical characteristics of plastic materials. This information will enable the reader to integrate product design, materials selection, and processing method, thus optimizing finished product performance. The entire spectrum of plastics is addressed, including thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, and blends. There is an extensive discussion and explanation of the interdependence between polymer structure, properties, and processing.

Polymeric Materials: Structure — Properties — Applications is presented at an intermediate level, making it useful to newcomers and experienced readers. It contains several application-oriented examples, and includes a concise yet information-laden nine page chart of plastics properties.

From the Preface: “...The ability to apply polymeric maerials to innovative and technically demanding applications is attributed to improvements in design principles, new processing techniques, and the determination of the influence of the processing conditions on material characteristics. With no other engineering material are processing, design, and properties so intimately related as with plastics. Therefore, a scientific book concerning polymeric materials must maintain the fine balance between the vast amount of knowledge based on both experience and intuition, and the new scientific endeavors that continue to advance their development...”

Target Audience: Practicing plastics engineers and advanced engineering students.

Table of Contents:

Nomenclature and Abbreviations

Economic Development — Market Review and Predictions

General Characteristics of Polymeric Materials

Molecular Structure and Synthesis of Polymers

Structure of Polymeric Materials

Thermomechanical Properties

Mechanical Behavior

Aging and Stabilization

Overview of Selected Polymeric Materials

Guide Values of the Physical Properties of Plastics

Index