This report describes in detail the properties demanded of thermal insulation, the types of polymers which may be used, and the kinds of plastics products available for insulating external and internal walls, pitched and flat roofs, and floors. Efficiency and cost comparisons are made with traditional materials. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database provides useful references for further reading.

Thermal and Acoustic Insulation deals with general aspects of thermal insulation, condensation, properties of inorganic insulation materials, organic high void insulation materials, glass, and glazing. The book also describes noise insulation, computerized insulation calculations, fire properties of insulation materials. The book explains thermal insulation, heat transfer (through conduction, convection, radiation), the theory of water vapor diffusion, and dehumidification. The two types of insulation materials in common use prevent the passage of radiant heat through reflection or by impede the flow of conducted heat. The engineer should choose insulation materials with a low thermal conductivity that also have a very high void content. The book suggests, in practice, a material with a k-value of 0.035. The other properties of insulation materials are mechanical strength, physical resistance, chemical resistance, temperature limits, fire resistance, hygroscopy, fungoid resistance, and pest resistance. The text describes a variety of materials are suitable for insulation, such as gypsum, foamed asbestos, foam glass, glass fiber wool, expanded perlite, vermiculite, and foamed plastics. The book will prove beneficial for architects, for computer programmers involved in insulation, for engineers working in building construction, insulation, fire prevention, as well as for private house- or corporate building-owners.

Sound insulation is an important aspect of building performance. This book is a comprehensive guide to sound and vibration theory and its application to the measurement and prediction of sound insulation in buildings. It enables the reader to tackle a wide range of issues relating to sound insulation during the design and construction stages of a building, and to solve problems in existing buildings. The book has been written for engineers, consultants, building designers, students in acoustics, researchers and those involved in the manufacture and design of building products. Key aspects are that it: * Explains the fundamental theory using examples that show its direct application to buildings * Guides the reader through the links between measurement and theory * Explains concepts that are important for the application, interpretation and understanding of guidance documents, test reports, product data sheets, published papers, regulations and Standards * Makes direct reference to ISO and EN Standards on sound insulation * Contains a large number of illustrations showing measurements, predictions and example calculations for quick reference Carl Hopkins previously worked on building acoustics and environmental noise at the Building Research Establishment. During this time he was involved with sound insulation in research, consultancy, standardization, and building regulations as well as being an advisor on acoustics to government departments. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool within the Acoustics Research Unit of the School of Architecture.

This review has been written as a practical guide to rubber injection moulding. Many injection moulding processes produce rejects or scrap, because they depend on a b257 of variables. To eliminate waste it is necessary to learn how to recognise the variables that cause problems, and then experiment to understand their interdependence. This can be developed to a fine art and lead towards 'right first time' processing, the commercial ideal. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database gives useful references for further reading.

This review has been written as a practical approach to bonding various kinds of elastomers to substrates such as steel and plastics, as used in the manufacture of diverse products such as rubber covered rolls, urethane fork lift wheels, rubber lining for chemical storage or solid rocket motors, engine bushes and mounts, seals for transmissions, electrical power connectors and military tank track pads. Based on the authors' years of experience working closely with end-use customers and it offers a thorough overview of how to successfully bond rubber to a given substrate in the manufacture of quality rubber engineered components. This review is supported by an indexed section containing several hundred key references and abstracts selected from the Rapra Abstracts database.

Use of polymers in product design has continued to grow at a rate unrivalled by conventional materials such as metal, ceramics or glass. More polymeric materials are becoming available to the designer, and this report highlights the need for caution in new design work, for careful use of new materials, and for awareness of the product environment. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database gives useful references for further reading.

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.

Fluoropolymers were discovered accidentally by Plunkett in 1938. He was working on freon and accidentally polymerised tetrafluoroethylene. The result was polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), more commonly known as Teflon. PTFE is inert to virtually all chemicals and is considered to be the most slippery material in existence - it has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid material. These properties have made it one of the most valuable and versatile technologies ever invented, contributing to significant advancements in areas such as aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial.