Handbook of Condensation Thermoplastic Elastomers

Reporting on the work of an international team of scientists actively involved in the study of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) based on polyesters, polyamides, and polyurethanes, this book is the first to provide a detailed description of condensation TPE with close attention paid to polyamide-based systems. Reflecting the increasing importance of TPE as engineering plastics, the authors discuss the widened application opportunities by preparing systems with various chemical compositions and molecular structures as (semi-) interpenetrating networks. The contents also cover the chemical aspects, physical structure and properties, life cycle assessment, and recycling possibilities as well as such unique "smart" properties like the shape memory effect of the three classes of thermoplastic elastomers.