1;Preface;8 2;Acknowledgements;9 3;Contents;10 4;1 Introduction to Synthetic Polymers;22 4.1;1.1 Definition of Polymers;22 4.2;1.2 Chemical Categories of Polymers;24 4.3;1.3 Physical Categories of Polymers;31 4.4;1.4 Statistical Distributions;34 4.5;1.5 Properties and Applications;38 4.6;Review Questions for Chapter 1;40 5;2 Polymer Chemistry;42 5.1;2.1 Introduction;42 5.2;2.2 Thermoplastics and Thermosets;42 5.3;2.3 Chain Growth Polymerization of Thermoplastics;43 5.4;2.4 Step Growth Thermoplastic Polymers;53 5.5;2.5 Comparison of Chain Growth and Step GrowthPolymers;56 5.6;2.6 Commercial Methods of Thermoplastic Polymerization;57 5.7;2.7 Polymerization of Thermosets;62 5.8;2.8 Conclusions;64 5.9;Review Questions for Chapter 2;64 6;3 Thermodynamics, StatisticalThermodynamics, and Heat Transfer;66 6.1;3.1 Introduction;66 6.2;3.2 Energy of Polymerization Reactions;74 6.3;3.3 Energies of Interactions;75 6.4;3.4 Statistical Thermodynamics;80 6.5;3.5 Heat Transfer;81 6.6;3.6 Summary;81 6.7;Review Questions for Chapter 3;82 7;4 Kinetics;84 7.1;4.1 Introduction;84 7.2;4.2 The Rate Law: Orders, Rate Constants, and Their Use;85 7.3;4.3 Kinetics of Step Growth Polymerization Processes;90 7.4;4.4 Kinetics of Chain Growth Polymerization;91 7.5;4.5 Other Kinetic Processes Studied in Polymeric Systems;95 7.6;4.6 Conclusions;95 7.7;Review Questions for Chapter 4;95 8;5 Molecular Characterization of Polymers;98 8.1;5.1 Introduction;98 8.2;5.2 Molecular Weight;99 8.3;5.3 Homopolymer Chemical Composition;107 8.4;5.4 Copolymer Chemical Composition;110 8.5;5.5 Branching;114 8.6;5.6 Crosslinking;119 8.7;5.7 Conclusions;123 8.8;Review Questions for Chapter 5;123 9;6 Rheological Properties of PolymericMaterials;124 9.1;6.1 Introduction;124 9.2;6.2 Flow, Stresses, Strains and Deformations;124 9.3;6.3 The Molecular Origin of Rheological Properties;128 9.4;6.4 Temperature Effects on Rheological Properties;131 9.5;6.5 Measurement Techniques;132 9.6;6.6 Implications of Rheology and Conclusions;133 9.7;Review Questions for Chapter 6;134 10;7 Development and Characterizationof Solid State Molecular andSupermolecular Structure;136 10.1;7.1 Introduction;136 10.2;7.2 Solid State Morphology;137 10.3;7.3 Crystallization;143 10.4;7.4 Characterization of Solid State Molecular andSupermolecular Structure;147 10.5;7.5 Conclusions;155 10.6;Review Questions for Chapter 7;156 11;8 Solid State Properties of Polymers;158 11.1;8.1 Introduction;158 11.2;8.2 Mechanical Properties;158 11.3;8.3 Optical Properties;173 11.4;8.4 Surface Contact Properties;177 11.5;8.5 Barrier Properties;181 11.6;8.6 Electrical Properties;184 11.7;8.7 Weather Resistance;189 11.8;8.8 Conclusions;190 11.9;Review Questions for Chapter 8;190 12;9 Polymer Degradation and Stability;192 12.1;9.1 Polymer Lifetime Experiences;192 12.2;9.2 General Descriptions of Degradation;192 12.3;9.3 Conclusions;201 12.4;Review Questions for Chapter 9;202 13;10 Polymeric Mixtures;204 13.1;10.1 Introduction to Polymeric Blends and Mixtures;204 13.2;10.2 Polymer Blends;204 13.3;10.3 Properties of Blends;209 13.4;10.4 Polymer-Additive Mixtures;212 13.5;10.5 Conclusion;214 13.6;Review Questions for Chapter 10;214 14;11 Extrusion Processes;216 14.1;11.1 Introduction;216 14.2;11.2 Principles of Extrusion;216 14.3;11.3 Profi le Extrusion;220 14.4;11.4 Film and Sheet Casting;221 14.5;11.5 Film Blowing;223 14.6;11.6 Fiber Spinning;225 14.7;11.7 Extrusion Coating;227 14.8;11.8 Wire and Cable Coating;228 14.9;11.9 Conclusion;229 14.10;Review Questions for Chapter 11;230 15;12 Compounding;232 15.1;12.1 Introduction;232 15.2;12.2 The Goal of Compounding;232 15.3;12.3 Compounding Equipment;234 15.4;12.4 Additional Considerations;242 15.5;12.5 Conclusions;243 15.6;Review Questions for Chapter 12;243 16;13 Injection Molding;246 16.1;13.1 Introduction;246 16.2;13.2 Principles of Injection Molding;246 16.3;13.3 Products;251 16.4;13.4 Conclusion;252 16.5;Review Questions for Chapter 13;252 17;14 Blow Molding;254 17.1;14.1 Introduction;