An all-in-one reference work covering the essential principles and techniques on thermal behavior and response of polymeric materials

This book delivers a detailed understanding of the thermal behavior of polymeric materials evaluated by thermal analysis methods. It covers the most widely applied principles which are used in method development to substantiate what happens upon heating of polymers. It also reviews the key application areas of polymers in materials science. Edited by two experts in the field, the book covers a wide range of specific topics within the aforementioned categories of discussion, such as:

• Crucial thermal phenomena - glass transition, crystallization behavior and curing kinetics
• Polymeric materials that have gained considerable interest over the last decade
• The latest advancements in techniques related to the field, such as modulated temperature DSC and fast scanning calorimetry
• The recent advances in hyphenated techniques and their applications

Polymer chemists, chemical engineers, materials scientists, and process engineers can use this comprehensive reference work to gain clarity on the topics discussed within and learn how to harness them in practical applications across a wide range of disciplines.

Professor Krzysztof Pielichowski is the Head of Department of Chemistry and Technology of Polymers at the Cracow University of Technology, Poland. He is an expert in thermal analysis of polymeric materials, especially polymer nanocomposites based on engineering polymers and hybrid organic-inorganic materials containing POSS.

Assoc. Prof. Kinga Pielichowska is the Head of the Department of Biomaterials and Composites at AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland. Her research is focused on polymer chemistry and (nano) technology, with particular attention paid to materials characterization by thermal analysis methods.