Compostable Polymer Materials, Second Edition, deals with the environmentally important family of polymers designed to be disposed of in industrial and municipal compost facilities after their useful life. These compostable plastics undergo degradation and leave no visible, distinguishable, or toxic residue. Environmental concerns and legislative measures taken in different regions of the world make composting an increasingly attractive route for the disposal of redundant polymers.This book covers the entire spectrum of preparation, degradation, and evironmental issues related to compostable polymers. It emphasizes recent studies concerning compostability and ecotoxilogical assessment of polymer materials. It descibes the thermal behavior, including flammability properties, of compostable polymers. It also explores possible routes of compostable polymers waste disposal through an ecological lens. Finally, the book examines the economic factors at work, including price evolution over the past decade, the current market, and future perspectives. Compostable Polymer Materials is an essential resource for graduate students and scientists working in chemistry, materials science, ecology, and environmental science. - Provides a comprehensive study of the composting process - Details methods of compostable polymers preparation, including properties, processing and applications - Presents the state-of-the-art knowledge on ecotoxicity testing and biodegradation under real composting conditions of compostable polymers, as well as biodegradation in various environments, such as marine environments and anaerobic conditions - Discusses the evolution of waste management in Europe and the United States, as well as the status of MSW disposal and treatment methods in countries such as China and Brazil - Overviews biodegradation studies under real composting conditions of products made of compostable polymers, e.g. bags, bottles, cutletry - Analyzes evolution of market development, including price of compostable polymers during the last decade

Advanced reviews for Polymer Materials "Molecular modeling of polymers ... is a subject that cannot be found in any other [book] in any appreciable detail. ... [T]he detailed chapters on specific polymer systems is a great idea." — Gregory Odegard, Michigan Technological University "The polymer community needs a text book which can connect the macroscopic mechanics with mesoscopic and molecular aspects of polymer." — Liangbin Li, University of Science and Technology of China This book takes a unique, multi-scale approach to the mechanical properties of polymers, covering both the macroscopic and molecular levels unlike any other book on the market. Based on the authors’ extensive research and writing in the field, Polymer Materials emphasizes the relationships between the chemical structure and the mechanical behavior of polymer materials, providing authoritative guidelines for assessing polymer performance under different conditions and the design of new materials. Key features of this book include: Experimental results on selected examples precede and reinforce the development of theoretical features In-depth discussions of a limited number of polymer systems instead of a brief overview of many Self-contained chapters with a summary of their key points Comprehensive problems and a solutions manual for the different parts of the book Coverage of the basics with an emphasis on polymer dynamics An indispensable resource for polymer scientists and students alike, Polymer Materials is also highly useful for material scientists, engineers, chemists, and physicists in industry and academia.

This book covers recent advancements in the field of polymer science and technology. Frontiers areas, such as polymers based on bio-sources, polymer based ferroelectrics, polymer nanocomposites for capacitors, food packaging and electronic packaging, piezoelectric sensors, polymers from renewable resources, superhydrophobic materials and electrospinning are topics of discussion. The contributors to this book are expert researchers from various academic institutes and industries from around the world.

This text examines the effect of radiation on polymers and the versatility of its industrial applications. By helping readers understand and solve problems associated with radiation processing of polymers, it serves as an important reference and fills a gap in the literature. Radiation processing can significantly improve important properties of polymers, however, there are still misconceptions about processing polymers by using ionizing radiation. This book explains the radiation processing of polymeric materials used in many industrial products including cars, airplanes, computers, and TVs. It even addresses emerging "green" issues like biomaterials and hydrogels.

Polymer Science and Nanotechnology: Fundamentals and Applications brings together the latest advances in polymer science and nanoscience. Sections explain the fundamentals of polymer science, including key aspects and methods in terms of molecular structure, synthesis, characterization, microstructure, phase structure and processing and properties before discussing the materials of particular interest and utility for novel applications, such as hydrogels, natural polymers, smart polymers and polymeric biomaterials. The second part of the book examines essential techniques in nanotechnology, with an emphasis on the utilization of advanced polymeric materials in the context of nanoscience. Throughout the book, chapters are prepared so that materials and products can be geared towards specific applications. Two chapters cover, in detail, major application areas, including fuel and solar cells, tissue engineering, drug and gene delivery, membranes, water treatment and oil recovery. - Presents the latest applications of polymers and polymeric nanomaterials, across energy, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and environmental fields - Contains detailed coverage of polymer nanocomposites, polymer nanoparticles, and hybrid polymer-metallic nanoparticles - Supports an interdisciplinary approach, enabling readers from different disciplines to understand polymer science and nanotechnology and the interface between them

Dielectric Polymer Materials for High-Density Energy Storage begins by introducing the fundamentals and basic theories on the dielectric behavior of material. It then discusses key issues on the design and preparation of dielectric polymer materials with strong energy storage properties, including their characterization, properties and manipulation. The latest methods, techniques and applications are explained in detail regarding this rapidly developing area. The book will support the work of academic researchers and graduate students, as well as engineers and materials scientists working in industrial research and development. In addition, it will be highly valuable to those directly involved in the fabrication of capacitors in industry, and to researchers across the areas of materials science, polymer science, materials chemistry, and nanomaterials. Focuses on how to design and prepare dielectric polymer materials with strong energy storage properties Includes new techniques for adjusting the properties of dielectric polymer materials Presents a thorough review of the state-of-the-art in the field of dielectric polymer materials, providing valuable insights into potential avenues of development