Synopses & Reviews
This book provides an authoritative and up-to-date survey of the technology available to synthesize and test polymer blends and alloys, and of the future applications which developments in processing are offering. Emphasis is on the properties required by industry, and how these properties can be achieved and tested.
Review
...liberally illustrated and well-referenced text...if you are looking for a convenient starting point for learning about the practical aspects of polymer blending, then this is a good (though expensive) purchase, being both up-to-date and succinct, with many references - Polymer International
Synopsis
P. S. HOPE and M. J. FOLKES Mixing two or more polymers together to produce blends or alloys is a well-established strategy for achieving a specified portfolio of physical proper- ties, without the need to synthesise specialised polymer systems. The subject is vast and has been the focus of much work, both theoretical and experimental. Much ofthe earlier work in this field was necessarily empirical and many ofthe blends produced were of academic rather than commercial interest. The manner in which two (or more) polymers are compounded together is of vital importance in controlling the properties of blends. Moreover, particular- ly through detailed rheological studies, it is becoming apparent that process- ing can provide a wide range of blend microstructures. In an extreme, this is exemplified by the in situ formation of fibres resulting from the imposition of predetermined flow fields on blends, when in the solution or melt state. The microstructures produced in this case transform the blend into a true fibre composite; this parallels earlier work on the deformation of metal alloys. This type of processing-structure-property correlation opens up many new possi- bilities for innovative applications; for example, the production of stiff fibre composites and blends having anisotropic transport properties, such as novel membranes. This book serves a dual purpose.
Table of Contents
Overview. Rheology of two-phase blends. Practical aspects of processing of blends. Compatibilization and reactive blending. Practical techniques for studying blend microstructure. Modelling the properties of polymer blends. Toughened polymers. Blends containing liquid crystal polymers. Fibre forming blends and in situ fibre composites. References. Index.