FROM THE INTRODUCTION "Considerable effort has gone into the study of various aspects of flammability and of various plastic materials, so that these materials which are proving so useful to man will always be used in ways which will not compromise his safety. The task is a continuing one, because the family of plastics continues to grow, and, along with it, its variety of applications. Some of these future applications cannot even be conceived of at the present time. The needs of man and his society are changing, and with them the factors that affect his safety, comfort, and convenience. A flammability handbook for plastics must necessarily involve a variety of sciences and technologies spread across the whole spectrum of human knowledge, and it is impossible to discuss all the subjects in great depth. Any details extracted for attention are brought because they are believed to be significant to the overall effort to make plastics as useful and safe as humanly possible."

Here is a new completely updated edition of a highly regarded, easy-to-use handbook It describes a multitude of national flammability regulations, standards, testing methods, and product approval procedures for plastics and plastic components worldwide. This unique and comprehensive handbook is an essential reference for everyone concerned with the fire performance of plastics or who develop, sell, or approve plastics products or components in all fields of application.

A practical reference for all plastics engineers who are seeking to answer a question, solve a problem, reduce a cost, improve a design or fabrication process, or even venture into a new market. Applied Plastics Engineering Handbook covers both polymer basics – helpful to bring readers quickly up to speed if they are not familiar with a particular area of plastics processing – and recent developments – enabling practitioners to discover which options best fit their requirements. Each chapter is an authoritative source of practical advice for engineers, providing authoritative guidance from experts that will lead to cost savings and process improvements. Throughout the book, the focus is on the engineering aspects of producing and using plastics. The properties of plastics are explained along with techniques for testing, measuring, enhancing and analyzing them. - Practical introductions to both core topics and new developments make this work equally valuable for newly qualified plastics engineers seeking the practical rules-of-thumb they don't teach you in school, and experienced practitioners evaluating new technologies or getting up to speed on a new field - The depth and detail of the coverage of new developments enables engineers and managers to gain knowledge of, and evaluate, new technologies and materials in key growth areas such as biomaterials and nanotechnology - This highly practical handbook is set apart from other references in the field, being written by engineers for an audience of engineers and providing a wealth of real-world examples, best practice guidance and rules-of-thumb

"This authoritative reference work will provide a comprehensive source of information for readers concerned with the highly diverse subject of fire retardance. The emphasis is on the burning behaviour and flame retarding properties of polymeric materials. It covers combustion, flame retardants, smoke and toxic products generally and goes on to concentrate on more material-specific aspects of combustion in relation to textiles, composites and bulk polymers. A wide range of fire retardant materials are covered including research in the new field of nanocomposites."--Knovel.