New edition brings classic text up to date with the latest science, techniques, and applications With its balanced presentation of polymer chemistry, physics, and engineering applications, the Third Edition of this classic text continues to instill readers with a solid understanding of the core concepts underlying polymeric materials. Both students and instructors have praised the text for its clear explanations and logical organization. It begins with molecular-level considerations and then progressively builds the reader's knowledge with discussions of bulk properties, mechanical behavior, and processing methods. Following a brief introduction, Fundamental Principles of Polymeric Materials is divided into four parts: Part 1: Polymer Fundamentals Part 2: Polymer Synthesis Part 3: Polymer Properties Part 4: Polymer Processing and Performance Thoroughly Updated and Revised Readers familiar with the previous edition of this text will find that the organization and style have been updated with new material to help them grasp key concepts and discover the latest science, techniques, and applications. For example, there are new introductory sections on organic functional groups focusing on the structures found in condensation polymerizations. The text also features new techniques for polymer analysis, processing, and microencapsulation as well as emerging techniques such as atom transfer radical polymerization. At the end of each chapter are problems—including many that are new to this edition—to test the reader's grasp of core concepts as they advance through the text. There are also references leading to the primary literature for further investigation of individual topics. A classic in its field, this text enables students in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, and mechanical engineering to fully grasp and apply the fundamentals of polymeric materials, preparing them for more advanced coursework.

Expanded discussion of extended-chain crystals and their commercial developments; phase behavior in polymer-solvent systems; and three-dimensional stress and strain introduction to the Flory-Huggins theory; the "modified Cross" model; and Tobolsky's "Procedure X" for extracting discrete relaxation times and moduli from data. New sections on scaleup calculations for the laminar flow of non-Newtonian fluids; liquid-crystal polymers; and group-transfer polymerization, including a quantitative treatment of Ziegler-Natta polymerization with worked-out examples. All kinetic expressions are written in terms of conversions (rather than monomer concentration) for greater generality and ease of application. Kinetic expressions incorporate the possibility of a variable-volume reaction mass, and feature new examples to illustrate the effects of variable volume.

Exploring the chemistry of synthesis, mechanisms of polymerization, reaction engineering of step-growth and chain-growth polymerization, polymer characterization, thermodynamics and structural, mechanical, thermal and transport behavior of polymers as melts, solutions and solids, Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering, Third Edition covers essential concepts and breakthroughs in reactor design and polymer production and processing. It contains modern theories and real-world examples for a clear understanding of polymer function and development. This fully updated edition addresses new materials, applications, processing techniques, and interpretations of data in the field of polymer science. It discusses the conversion of biomass and coal to plastics and fuels, the use of porous polymers and membranes for water purification, and the use of polymeric membranes in fuel cells. Recent developments are brought to light in detail, and there are new sections on the improvement of barrier properties of polymers, constitutive equations for polymer melts, additive manufacturing and polymer recycling. This textbook is aimed at senior undergraduate students and first year graduate students in polymer engineering and science courses, as well as professional engineers, scientists, and chemists. Examples and problems are included at the end of each chapter for concept reinforcement.

This successor to the popular textbook, “Polymer Physics” (Springer, 1999), is the result of a quarter-century of teaching experience as well as critical comments from specialists in the various sub-fields, resulting in better explanations and more complete coverage of key topics. With a new chapter on polymer synthesis, the perspective has been broadened significantly to encompass polymer science rather than “just” polymer physics. Polysaccharides and proteins are included in essentially all chapters, while polyelectrolytes are new to the second edition. Cheap computing power has greatly expanded the role of simulation and modeling in the past two decades, which is reflected in many of the chapters. Additional problems and carefully prepared graphics aid in understanding. Two principles are key to the textbook’s appeal: 1) Students learn that, independent of the origin of the polymer, synthetic or native, the same general laws apply, and 2) students should benefit from the book without an extensive knowledge of mathematics. Taking the reader from the basics to an advanced level of understanding, the text meets the needs of a wide range of students in chemistry, physics, materials science, biotechnology, and civil engineering, and is suitable for both masters- and doctoral-level students. Praise for the previous edition: ...an excellent book, well written, authoritative, clear and concise, and copiously illustrated with appropriate line drawings, graphs and tables. - Polymer International ...an extremely useful book. It is a pleasure to recommend it to physical chemists and materials scientists, as well as physicists interested in the properties of polymeric materials. - Polymer News This valuable book is ideal for those who wish to get a brief background in polymer science as well as for those who seek a further grounding in the subject. - Colloid Polymer Science The solutions to the exercises are given in the final chapter, making it a well thought-out teaching text. - Polymer Science