Crystalline or, more properly, semi-crystalline polymers continue to present major challenges and opportunities to scientists and technologists alike. On the one hand, scientific understanding of their structure and properties still lags behind that of other economically important, but less complicated materials. On the other hand, there remains very considerable potential for improving properties in systems designed for specific pur poses. Ways are only just being found of transferring inherent molecular properties (such as high modulus) to the macromolecular solid. Beyond these are many...

This book is intended for those people who have a knowledge or understanding of rubber materials and processes but who wish to update their knowledge. It should be read in conjunction with Developments in Rubber Technology-l as that volume discussed developments in natural rubber and selected special purpose synthetic rubbers as well as additives. The authors have been selected for their expertise in each particular field and we, as editors, would like to express our appreciation to the individual authors and also to their companies. Such a book would be impossible to produce without such...

For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, That it will sprout again And that the tender branch Thereof will not cease. Job XIV (7) Mankind has been blessed with a multitude of resources. In the beginning he utilized almost soley replenishable items such as vegetation and animal protein, for both nourishment and shelter. Gradually, such metals as copper and iron were developed and replaced wood as a material of construction. Cement and glass, although more plentiful than other minerals, also replaced the use of growing sub- stances. Coal and oil became the primary sources of heat and...

Polymers and polymer composites have been increasinqly used in place of metals for various industries; namely, aerospace, automotive, bio-medical, computer, electrophotography, fiber, and rubber tire. Thus, an understanding of the interactions between polymers and between a polymer and a rigid counterface can enhance the applications of polymers under various environments. In meet- ing this need, polymer tribology has evolved to deal with friction, lubrication and wear of polymeric materials and to answer some of the problems related to polymer-polymer interactions or oolymer- rigid body...

The past decade has witnessed a vigorous growth in activities toward the development of a variety of biomedical devices ranging from the simple A-V shunt to the complex artificial heart. Re- search and development teams have been created comprising engi- neers, material scientists and clinicians and, perhaps for the first time, such groups are collaboratively bringing their respec- tive talents to bear on problems associated with defects in the human organism. These collaborations have resulted in a prolifera- tion of new information and a rapid and continuing redefinition of the frontiers of...

This book contains the proceedings of the Symposium on FT-IR Characterization of Polymers, which was held under the auspices of the Division of Polymer Chemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS) during the annual ACS meeting in Philadelphia, August, 1984. The content of each paper has been substantially extended from the papers presented during the conference. Due to the accidental, irrecoverable loss of the entire contents of the book by the computer system used for editorial purposes, the publication of this book has been delayed more than one year over the initial scheduled date. It has...

This book is an extended version of the proceedings of the Symposium on Polymer Composites, Interfaces, which was held under the auspices of the Division of Polymer Chemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS) during the annual ACS meeting in Seattle, March, 1983. The importance of the interface in composite materials has been recognized since the inception of modern composite technology. Specifically, silane coupling agents were developed for glass fiber reinforced compOSites at a very early date. Ever since then the diversity of composite materials and the development of various surface...