Derived from the fourth edition of the well-known Plastics Technology Handbook, Plastics Fabrication and Recycling presents the molding and fabrication processes of plastics as well as several important fe

Updated throughout to reflect advances over the last decade, the Fifth Edition continues the handbook’s tradition of authoritative coverage of fundamentals, production methods, properties, and applications of plastics and polymer-based materials. It covers tooling for plastics fabrication processes, thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics, foamed plastics, reinforced plastics, plastisols, and new developments in mold design. It also discusses rubber compounding and processing technologies. More recent developments in polymer fabrication and processing, including electrospinning, electrografted coating, polymer-metal hybrid joining, flex printing, and rapid prototyping/ 3D printing, are also presented. The handbook highlights advanced materials including natural and synthetic gfnanosize polymers, their unusual properties, and innovative applications, as well as polymer-carbon nanocomposites, graphene-based polymer nanocomposites, smart healable polymer composites, smart polymer coatings, electroactive polymers, polymer nanomaterials, and novel nano-/microfibrillar polymer composites. It offers updates on polymer solar battery development, plastics recycling and disposal methods, new concepts of "upcycling" and single-polymer composites, renewable synthetic polymers, biodegradable plastics and composites, and toxicity of plastics. The book also provides an overview of new developments in polymer applications in various fields including packaging, building and construction, corrosion prevention and control, automotive, aerospace applications, electrical and electronic applications, agriculture and horticulture, domestic appliances and business machines, medical and biomedical applications, marine and offshore applications, and sports.

Because the field of plastics is one of the fastest changing areas today, the need arises to offer relevant, comprehensive material on polymers. An established source of information on modern plastics, the Plastics Technology Handbook continues to provide up-to-date coverage on the properties, processing methods, and applications of polymers. Retaining the easy-to-follow structure of the previous editions, this fourth edition includes new topics of interest that reflect recent developments and lead to better insights into the molecular behavior of polymers. New to the Fourth Edition Advances in supramolecular polymerization, flame retardancy, polymer-based nanomedicines, and drug delivery The new concept of oxo-biodegradable polymers Broadened discussion on plastic foams and foam extrusion processes More information on the processing and applications of industrial polymers, including the emerging field of nanoblends Developments in polymer synthesis and applications, such as polymeric sensors, hydrogels and smart polymers, hyperbranched polymers, shape memory polymers, polymeric optical fibers, scavenger resins, polymer nanocomposites, polymerization-filled composites, and wood-polymer composites A state-of-the-art account of the various available methods for plastics recycling Advances in the use of polymers in packaging, construction, the automotive and aerospace industries, agriculture, electronics and electrical technology, biomedical applications, corrosion prevention, and sports and marine applications Plastics Technology Handbook, Fourth Edition thoroughly covers traditional industrial polymers and their processing methods as well as contemporary polymeric materials, recent trends, and the latest applications.