This book describes the properties of single polymer molecules and polymeric materials and the methods how to characterize them. Molar masses, molar mass distributions and branching structure are discussed in detail. These properties are decisive for a deeper understanding of structure/properties relationships of polymeric materials. This book therefore describes and discusses them in detail. The mechanical behavior as a function of time and temperature is a key subject of the book. The authors present it on the basis of many original results they have obtained in their long research careers. They present the temperature dependence of mechanical properties of various polymeric materials in a wide temperature range: from cryogenic temperatures to the melt. Besides an extensive data collection on the transitions of various different polymeric materials, they also carefully present the physical explanations of the observed phenomena. Glass transition and melting temperatures are discussed, particularly, with their relevance for applications.

A comprehensive part of the book deals with properties of polymers in the molten state and their decisive influence on the processing of the materials. The book presents and discusses viscous and elastic properties in detail as a function of molar mass, polydispersity, and branching.

This book addresses students of polymer and materials science, as well as other natural sciences. Besides this educational value, it will also serve as a valuable monograph for everyone dealing with polymers and polymeric materials, from research, over development, to applications.

1;Preface;5 2;Contents;8 3;1 Introduction;15 3.1;1.1...General Aspects of Polymeric Materials;15 3.2;1.2...Nomenclature;17 3.3;1.3...General Classification of Polymeric Materials;18 3.4;References;19 4;2 Physical Structure of Macromolecules;20 4.1;2.1...Structure and Brownian Motion of Macromolecules;20 4.2;2.2...Molar Mass and Molar Mass Distribution;23 4.3;2.3...The Random Walk Problem in Three Dimensions;32 4.4;2.4...Macromolecules in Solution;38 4.5;2.5...Statistical Shape of Linear Macromolecules in Theta -Solution;44 4.6;2.6...Statistical Shape of Macromolecules in Good Solvents;48 4.7;2.7...Analysis of Branched Macromolecules;50 4.8;2.8...Size of Macromolecules in the Glassy and Molten State;53 4.9;References;54 5;3 Experimental Methods to Determine Molecular Quantities;55 5.1;3.1...Osmometry;55 5.2;3.2...Viscometry;61 5.3;3.3...Light Scattering;74 5.4;3.4...Gel Permeation Chromatography;80 5.5;References;87 6;4 Structure and States of Polymers;89 6.1;4.1...Classification of Polymeric Materials;89 6.2;4.2...Molecular Structure of Amorphous Polymers;99 6.3;4.3...States of Order of Uncross-Linked Amorphous Polymers;101 6.4;4.4...Influence of Molar Mass and Cross-Linking Density;106 6.5;4.5...Semicrystalline Polymers;111 6.5.1;4.5.1 Features of Crystallinity;111 6.5.2;4.5.2 States of Order;116 6.5.3;4.5.3 Crystallization;122 6.6;4.6...The Specific Volume of Polymers;123 6.6.1;4.6.1 The Specific Volume of Amorphous Polymers;123 6.6.2;4.6.2 The Free Volume Theory;127 6.6.3;4.6.3 Volume Relaxation and Physical Aging;129 6.7;References;131 7;5 Linear Viscoelastic Deformation Behavior in Simple Shear;133 7.1;5.1...Theoretical Description of the Deformation Behavior of Polymers;133 7.2;5.2...Creep, Creep Recovery, and Stress Relaxation;134 7.3;5.3...The Principle of Superposition;139 7.4;5.4...Relaxation and Retardation Spectra;142 7.5;5.5...The Creep Recovery Experiment;149 7.6;5.6...The Creep Compliance of Amorphous Polymers;152 7.7;5.7...Relations Between Creep and Stress Relaxation;161 7.8;5.8...Oscillatory Experiments;167 7.9;5.9...Approximate Relations Between Measurable Viscoelastic Functions;179 7.10;5.10...The Viscoelastic Behavior of Amorphous Polymers in Shear;189 7.11;References;198 8;6 Time-Temperature Shift of Mechanical Properties;200 8.1;6.1...The Significance of the Time-Temperature Shift for the Description of the Deformation Behavior of Polymers;200 8.2;6.2...The Time-Temperature Shift Principle;201 8.3;6.3...The Time-Temperature Shift of the Glass-Rubber Transition;204 8.4;6.4...The Time-Temperature Shift in the Flow Region of Amorphous Polymers;214 8.5;6.5...The Time-Temperature Shift in the Flow Region of Semicrystalline Polymers;221 8.6;6.6...The Time-Temperature Shift of Secondary Transitions in the Glassy State;227 8.7;References;233 9;7 Linear Viscoelastic Deformation Under Three-Dimensional Stresses;234 9.1;7.1...The Stress Tensor and the Equations for the Balance of Forces;234 9.2;7.2...The Strain Tensor for Small Deformations;238 9.3;7.3...The Rheological Equation of State for Isotropic Linear Elastic Materials (Hookean Theory of Elasticity);241 9.4;7.4...The Rheological Equation of State for Isotropic Linear Viscoelastic Materials at Small Deformations;242 9.5;7.5...Simple Shear;244 9.6;7.6...Isotropic Compression;245 9.7;7.7...Uniaxial Tensile Stress;246 9.8;7.8...The Viscoelastic Functions for Amorphous Uncross-Linked Polymers;250 9.9;References;252 10;8 Fundamentals of the Rheology of Large Deformations;253 10.1;8.1...Kinematics of Large Deformations;253 10.2;8.2...Deformation Gradient and Finite Strain Tensors;257 10.3;8.3...Relative Deformation Gradient and Relative Strain Tensors;260 10.4;8.4...The Rate of Strain Tensor;264 10.5;8.5...Dynamics of Deformable Bodies;266 10.6;8.6...Eigenvalues and Invariants of the Stress Tensor;269 10.7;8.7...Transformation of the Strain Tensors and the Rate of Strain Tensor to Principal Axis;275 10.7.1;8.7.1 Time-Dependent Simple Shear;278 10.7.2;8.7.2 Multidim