Synopses & Reviews
This volume emphasizes the importance of first understanding cryogenic properties in order to comprehend the room temperature properties of polymers. The author describes the necessary modifications for polymers and their applications to the most important thermal, mechanical, and dielectric properties. Other chapters discuss the correlation between polymer structures and properties, the phonon structure of polymers, separation of components influenced by glass transitions and 'basic properties' related to solid state physics, and the influence of tunneling processes on properties at very low temperatures. Polymer Properties at Room and Cryogenic Temperatures also features an extensive appendix with key data on all the properties considered in the text. This volume is an important and useful text for students, scientists, lecturers, and engineers in the area of polymer science.
Review
`[This book] form[s] the basis of a good postgraduate course on the physics of the polymeric solid state....To produce a text like this is not easy...useful to those seeking to understand polymer physics of solids.' Polymer International `Good organization....The book is a textbook, a review, a handbook all rolled into one.' Polymer News
Review
`[This book] form[s] the basis of a good postgraduate course on the physics of the polymeric solid state....To produce a text like this is not easy...useful to those seeking to understand polymer physics of solids.'
Polymer International
`Good organization....The book is a textbook, a review, a handbook all rolled into one.'
Polymer News
Synopsis
Most descriptions of polymers start at room temperature and end at the melting point. This textbook starts at very low temperatures and ends at room temperature. At low temperatures, may processes and relaxations are frozen which allows singular processes or separate relaxations to be studied. At room temperatures, or at the main glass transitions, many processes overlap and the properties are determined by relaxations. At low temperatures, there are temperature ranges with negligible influences by glass transitions. They can be used for investigating so-called basic properties which arise from principles of solid state physics. The chain structure of polymers, however, requires stringent modifications for establishing solid state physics of polymers. Several processes which are specific of polymers, occur only at low temperatures. There are also technological aspects for considering polymers at low temperatures. More and more applications of polymeric materials in low- temperature technology appear. Some examples are thermal and electrical insulations, support elements for cryogenic devices, low-loss materials for high- frequency equipments. It is hoped that, in addition to the scientific part, a data collection in the appendix may help to apply polymers more intensively in low- temperature technology. The author greatly appreciates the contributions by his coworkers of the Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe in measurement and discussion of many data presented in the textbook and its appendix. Fruitful disccussions with the colleagues Prof. H. Baur, Prof. S. Hunklinger, Prof. D. Munz and Prof. R.
Table of Contents
Introduction and General Polymer Features. Phonon Structure and Polymers. Specific Heat. Thermal Expansion and the Grueneisen Relation. Thermal Conductivity. Molecular Place Changes and Dampening Spectra. Mechanical Deformation Behavior. Dielectric Properties and their Correlations. Fracture Behavior of Polymers. Cryogenic Measuring Methods. Polymers as Matrix for Composites. Appendix. Index.