Synopses & Reviews
The polymer industry raises a large number of relevant mathematical problems with respect to the quality of manufactured polymer parts. These include in particular questions about: - the production of the polymeric material from a monomer (based on the Ziegler-Natta catalytic process) - the crystallization kinetic of the polymer melt - the coupling of the crystallization process with the fluid dynamics of the manufacturing process such as extrusion, injection moulding of film blowing, etc. This book provides the first unified presentation of the mathematical modelling of polymerization, crystallization and extrusion of polymer melts, by means of advanced methods, presented in an accessible way for applied scientists and engineers. The present volume is the result of a long-term cooperation between different research teams in Europe within the ECMI Special Interest Group on "Polymers".
Review
Excerpt from "1st PROOF"
...It is a merit of the book that it can be read without much knowledge of the application area as such, but at the same time contains very useful analyses for researchers in the area. A reader who would like to get a good overview of the topic will not find all he may wish. On the other hand, it is certainly very well suited for a first encounter with a variety of mathematical modeling aspects of this intriguing and important application area. I can also recommend it for modeling classes at the graduate level, as well as to authors who would like to see how a successful amalgamation of topics and mathematical approaches can be produced.
Robert M. M. Mattheij
Technische Universiteit Eindhofen
Review
From the reviews: "This book is a monograph in Springer's Mathematics in Industry series ... . It is a merit of the book that it can be read without much knowledge of the application area as such, but at the same time contains very useful analyses for researchers ... . it is certainly very well suited for a first encounter with a variety of mathematical modeling aspects ... . I can also recommend it for modeling classes at the graduate level, as well as to authors ... ." (Robert M. M. Mattheij, SIAM Review, Vol. 46 (1), 2004) "This book provides the first unified presentation of the mathematical modelling of polymerisation, crystallisation and extrusion of polymer melts, by means of advanced methods, presented in an accessible way for applied scientists and engineers. The present volume is the result of a long-term co-operation between different polymer research terms in Europe." (Materials World, Vol. 11 (5), 2003)
Synopsis
A large amount of relevant mathematical problems arise from the polymer industry with respect to the quality of manufactured polymer parts. This book provides the first unified presentation of the mathematical modeling of polymerization, crystallization and extrusion of polymer melts, by means of advanced methods, presented in an accessible way for applied scientists and engineers.
Synopsis
Polymers are substances made of macromolecules formed by thousands of atoms organized in one (homopolymers) or more (copolymers) groups that repeat themselves to form linear or branched chains, or lattice structures. The concept of polymer traces back to the years 1920's and is one of the most significant ideas of last century. It has given great impulse to indus try but also to fundamental research, including life sciences. Macromolecules are made of sm all molecules known as monomers. The process that brings monomers into polymers is known as polymerization. A fundamental contri bution to the industrial production of polymers, particularly polypropylene and polyethylene, is due to the Nobel prize winners Giulio Natta and Karl Ziegler. The ideas of Ziegler and Natta date back to 1954, and the process has been improved continuously over the years, particularly concerning the design and shaping of the catalysts. Chapter 1 (due to A. Fasano ) is devoted to a review of some results concerning the modelling of the Ziegler- Natta polymerization. The specific ex am pie is the production of polypropilene. The process is extremely complex and all studies with relevant mathematical contents are fairly recent, and several problems are still open."
Table of Contents
Introduction.- Part I.: Polymerization: 1. Mathematical Models for Polymerization Processes of the Ziegler-Natta type.- Part II. Nucleation: 2. Classical Kinetic Theory of Nucleation and Coarsening. 3. Multidimensional Theory of Crystallization. 4. Nucleation in Presence of Thermal Gradients.- Part III. Crystallization: 5. Mathematical Models for Polymer Crystallization. 6. Polymer Crystallization Processes via Many Particle Systems.- Part IV. Manufacturing: 7. Modelling of Industrial Processes for Polymer Melts: Extrusion and Injection Moulding - Subject Index.