This is the first comprehensive handbook to address the subject of antistatic additives for polymers. These additives modify the polymer properties by making them antistatic, conductive, and/or EMI shielding. Each of the book's 22 chapters addresses a specific aspect of properties and applications of antistatic agents. The comprehensive analysis of performance of these materials presented in this volume forms a critical source of information for researchers, formulators, product end-users, and regulators.

From the Introduction: “...Antistatics (antistats, antistatic agents) are additives, which impart some electrical conductivity to plastic materials, thus preventing or reducing the accumulation of electrical charges of finished articles. Antistatic materials are materials which are not conductive, but which exhibit a conductivity sufficient to eliminate or at least diminish static charging. In the later case, after removing the source of charging, the static charge will disappear within a short period of time. Any material which is able to dissipate a charge formed at the surface is referred to as static dissipative...”

Target Audience: Chemists, engineers, industrial hygienists, environmental professionals, legislators, and academics concerned with antistatic agents.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Types of Antistatic Agents

Typical Methods of Quality Control of Antistatics

Ignition Hazards and Preventive Measures

Mechanisms of Action of Antistatic Agents

Compatability of Antistatic Agents with Matrix and Their Performance

Antistatic Agent Motion and Diffusion

Structure and Distribution of Non-Migrating Antistatics

Antistatic Agent Incorporation Method and Its Performance

Antistatic Agents and Other Components of Formulation

Effect of Antistatic Agents on Some Properties of Compounded Materials

Antistatic Agent Selection for Specific Polymers

Antistatic Agents in Polymer Blends

Antistatic Agents in Various Industrial Products

Antistatic Agents in Various Processing Methods

Specialized Analytical Methods in Antistatic Agent Testing

Mathematical Modelling of Antistatic Agents

The Environmental Fate of Antistatic Agents

Regulations and Data

Personal Protection

Index

Note: The Antistatics Database is a companion CD-ROM to this volume.