Polymer Processing: Principles and Design

Fundamental concepts coupled with practical, step-by-stepguidance

With its emphasis on core principles, this text equips readerswith the skills and knowledge to design the many processes neededto safely and successfully manufacture thermoplastic parts. Thefirst half of the text sets forth the general theory and conceptsunderlying polymer processing, such as the viscoelastic response ofpolymeric fluids and diffusion and mass transfer. Next, the textexplores specific practical aspects of polymer processing,including mixing, extrusion dies, and post-die processing. Byaddressing a broad range of design issues and methods, the authorsdemonstrate how to solve most common processing problems.

This Second Edition of the highly acclaimed PolymerProcessing has been thoroughly updated to reflect currentpolymer processing issues and practices. New areas of coverageinclude:

• Micro-injection molding to produce objects weighing a fractionof a gram, such as miniature gears and biomedical devices
• New chapter dedicated to the recycling of thermoplastics andthe processing of renewable polymers
• Life-cycle assessment, a systematic method for determiningwhether recycling is appropriate and which form of recycling isoptimal
• Rheology of polymers containing fibers

Chapters feature problem sets, enabling readers to assess andreinforce their knowledge as they progress through the text. Thereare also special design problems throughout the text that reflectreal-world polymer processing issues. A companion website featuresnumerical subroutines as well as guidance for usingMATLAB®, IMSL®, and Excel to solvethe sample problems from the text. By providing both underlyingtheory and practical step-by-step guidance, Polymer Processing isrecommended for students in chemical, mechanical, materials, andpolymer engineering.