This report describes the current state-of-the-art in mixing from a practical viewpoint. It begins by offering historical background against which the latest developments are set. It considers both batch and continuous systems, containing details of key developments by equipment manufacturers, with the different concepts discussed in layman's terms. This report also summarises the range of mixing techniques applied in the industry as well as methods for monitoring mixing quality both off- and on-line are also covered. Recent academic research in rubber mixing is briefly considered, providing an indication of possible future practical advances in this field. This review of rubber mixing is supported by an indexed section containing several hundred key references and abstracts selected from the Rapra Abstracts database.

There is an exciting mix in these proceedings from both material suppliers and end users, who have discussed test and formulation data. There is an overview paper on the markets for rubbers from the International Rubber Study Group. There is also a new presentation on studies of food contact applications of high performance elastomers, with migration data available.

Conference proceedings from 'Defining the Future Through Technology- Polyurethanes', held in Westin Copley Place, Boston, Massachusetts, on October 8-11 2000. Sponsored by the Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry.

Many variations of injection moulding have been developed and one of the rapidly expanding fields is multi-material injection moulding. This review looks at the many techniques being used, from the terminology to case studies. The three primary types of multi-material injection moulding examined are multi-component, multi-shot and over-moulding. The basic types of multi-material injection moulding, the issues surrounding combining different types of polymers and examples of practical uses of this technology are described.

Engineering or specialty elastomers are the stalwart materials of the rubber industry. They are high volume and medium priced elastomers, often employed in demanding applications, such as the automotive, industrial, medical and electrical industries. The Engineering Elastomers 2003 conference had an exciting series of papers from authors in both Europe and the USA, addressing the opportunities for growth in engineering elastomers, as well as the challenges to producers and users operating in a rapidly changing competitive environment. Session 1 Market Review; Session 2 Advances in Compounding and Production; Session 3 Advances in Elastomers; Session 4 Additives and Vulcanising Agents; Session 5: Technologies and Materials Analysis; Session 6: Developments In Production And Processing Technologies And Equipment; Session 7 Inter-materials Competition; Session 8 Developments In End Use Applications

High-Performance Elastomeric Materials Reinforced by Nanocarbons: Multifunctional Properties and Industrial Applications provides detailed information on the latest techniques and state-of-the-art developments regarding elastomeric materials reinforced by nano-carbon. The book supports academic researchers and postgraduate students who are looking to further advance the research and study of high-performance, multifunctional materials. In addition, it enables those in industry to improve manufacture and end products by using these materials. - Enables the reader to understand the latest advanced applications of high-performance elastomers reinforced by nano-carbons - Unlocks the door to essential properties for harsh environments, such as thermal conductivity, oil resistance, permeability, de-icing, and cracking resistance - Covers the processability of elastomers reinforced by nano-carbons, including extrusion, compression, molding methods and techniques

Degradation reactions grouped under the heading chemical attack include oxidation hydrolysis, halogenation and other reactions. They also include some purely physical interactions between materials and fluids, dominated by the absorption of fluid into the material or vice versa. One particular mechanism described in some detail is acid induced stress corrosion cracking, which is the most frequent cause of premature failure of GRP products, and where the principle degradation reaction is between the fluid and the glass fibres. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database gives useful references for further reading.

This book presents selected papers on various aspects of rubber engineering, technology, and exploitation. The contributions range from new methods of the modification of filler surface and crosslinks structure of rubber vulcanizates, through modern functional elastomer composites, to aspects of their thermal stability, flammability, and ozone degradation. Each chapter contains a brief introduction to a particular topic, a description of the experimental techniques, and a discussion on the results obtained, followed by conclusions. The book will help to broaden the knowledge of researchers in the field of rubber compounding, crosslinking, and behavior under various exploitation conditions. The research and development presented in this book has potential for industrial applications as well as for new materials and technologies. The book also details theoretical background to a number of experimental techniques, which should make it interesting to research students and professionals.

The book offers an in-depth review of the materials design and manufacturing processes employed in the development of multi-component or multiphase polymer material systems. This field has seen rapid growth in both academic and industrial research, as multiphase materials are increasingly replacing traditional single-component materials in commercial applications. Many obstacles can be overcome by processing and using multiphase materials in automobile, construction, aerospace, food processing, and other chemical industry applications. The comprehensive description of the processing, characterization, and application of multiphase materials presented in this book offers a world of new ideas and potential technological advantages for academics, researchers, students, and industrial manufacturers from diverse fields including rubber engineering, polymer chemistry, materials processing and chemical science. From the commercial point of view it will be of great value to those involved in processing, optimizing and manufacturing new materials for novel end-use applications. The book takes a detailed approach to the description of process parameters, process optimization, mold design, and other core manufacturing information. Details of injection, extrusion, and compression molding processes have been provided based on the most recent advances in the field. Over two comprehensive sections the book covers the entire field of multiphase polymer materials, from a detailed description of material design and processing to the cutting-edge applications of such multiphase materials. It provides both precise guidelines and general concepts for the present and future leaders in academic and industrial sectors.