This book explores the ways in which melt flow behaviour can be exploited by the plastics engineer and technician for increased efficiency of processing operation, control of end product properties and selection and development of polymers for specific purposes. (reissued with minor corrections 1994)

This book is designed to fulfill a dual role. On the one hand it provides a description of the rheological behavior of molten poly mers. On the other, it presents the role of rheology in melt processing operations. The account of rheology emphasises the underlying principles and presents results, but not detailed deriva tions of equations. The processing operations are described qualita tively, and wherever possible the role of rheology is discussed quantitatively. Little emphasis is given to non-rheological aspects of processes, for example, the design of machinery. The audience for which the book is intended is also dual in It includes scientists and engineers whose work in the nature. plastics industry requires some knowledge of aspects of rheology. Examples are the polymer synthetic chemist who is concerned with how a change in molecular weight will affect the melt viscosity and the extrusion engineer who needs to know the effects of a change in molecular weight distribution that might result from thermal degra dation. The audience also includes post-graduate students in polymer science and engineering who wish to acquire a more extensive background in rheology and perhaps become specialists in this area. Especially for the latter audience, references are given to more detailed accounts of specialized topics, such as constitutive relations and process simulations. Thus, the book could serve as a textbook for a graduate level course in polymer rheology, and it has been used for this purpose.

Presents rheological data on a number of polymers, making use of the master curve approach to determine unified curves for each generic type of polymer. The text offers a step-by-step procedure for developing a speadsheet computer program to obtain accurate thermoplastic rheograms at any tempertature without using sophisticated rheometres. It inclu

Explore polymer rheology from an industrial standpoint Presenting state-of-the-art polymer rheology as observed by well-recognized authors, Applied Polymer Rheology: Polymeric Fluids with Industrial Applications is designed to help readers understand the relationship between molecular structure and the flow behavior of polymers. In particular, it focuses on polymeric systems that elicit special attention from industry. Providing a comprehensive overview of the rheological characteristics of polymeric fluids, the book bridges the gap between theory and practice/application, enabling readers to see the connection between molecular structure and the behavior of the polymers studied. Beginning with a discussion of the properties, processability, and processing aids of specific polymers, later chapters examine filled polymers and composites, and the theoretical framework upon which their analysis is based. Various systems containing microstructure are presented subsequently, with the final chapter introducing paste extrusion of polytetrafluoroethylene paste. An invaluable reference guide that covers the literature and vast array of technical approaches to polymer rheology, Applied Polymer Rheology's coverage of polymeric fluids of interest to industry make it an essential resource for plastics, polymer, and chemical engineers, materials scientists, polymer chemists, and polymer physicists to use when interpreting findings and planning experiments.

The present monograph is intended as an introduction into a field which certainly did not receive proper attention in the past. It is one of the aims of this book to verify this suppo sition. The author hopes to show that the technique of the measurement of flow birefringence can fulfil an important com plementary task in polymer melt rheology. From this point it is expected that the present monograph will attract the atten tion of polymer scientists in general, and of rheologists and process engineers in particular. Certainly, the fourth chapter will appeal to the latter group. As a teacher in polymer science and technology the author wants to address also the group of the graduate students. In fact, the standard knowledge acquired during usual university studies in chemistry, physics or engineering does not enable a quick start of research activities in the field of polymer melt rheology. Certainly, in this typically interdisciplinary field everyone can lay emphasis on matters which are familar to hirn because of his preceding education. Significant research activities, however, can only be generated on the basis of a more universal knowledge. In the absence of this knowledge beginners have to rely upon the guidance of their supervisors for an unduly long period. Otherwise they take the risk of losing too much of their costly time. This holds in particular for the experimentalists who cannot be dispensed from being familiar with the necessary theoretical background.

Most of the shaping in the manufacture of polymeric objects is carried out in the melt state, as it is a substantial part of the physical property development. Melt processing involves an interplay between fluid mechanics and heat transfer in rheologically complex liquids, and taken as a whole it is a nice example of the importance of coupled transport processes. This book is on the underlying foundations of polymer melt processing, which can be derived from relatively straightforward ideas in fluid mechanics and heat transfer; the level is that of an advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate course, and the material can serve as the text for a course in polymer processing or for a second course in transport processes.

The rheology of filled polymer systems is an ever expanding field in the polymer industry today. Using a concise, practical and simple format this comprehensive work explains the concepts behind filled polymer systems and the rheological techniques involved in studying their behaviour. Aware that the readers of the book may come from differing background, the first three chapters familiarize the reader with the basics about polymers, fillers and physicochemical interactions between them, rheology and rheometry. Covering such topics as preparation of filled polymer systems, steady shear viscous properties and extentional flow properties, this book covers the areas of importance from an introductory level through to more complex issues.

Everything flows, so rheology is a universal science. Even if we set aside claims of such width, there can be no doubt of its importance in polymers. It joins with chemistry in the polymerisation step but polymer engineering is supreme in all the succeeding steps. This is the area concerned with the fabrication of the polymer into articles or components, with their design to meet the needs in service, and with the long and short term performance of the article or component. This is a typical area of professional engineering activity, but one as yet without its proper complement of professional engineers. An understanding of polymer rheology is the key to effective design and material plus process selection, to efficient fabrication, and to satisfactory service, yet few engineers make adequate use of what is known and understood in polymer rheology. Its importance in the flow processes of fabrication is obvious. Less obvious, but equally important, are the rheological phenomena which determine the in-service performance. There is a gap between the polymer rheologist and the polymer engineer which is damaging to both parties and which contributes to a less than satisfactory use of polymers in our society. It is important that this gap be filled and this book makes an attempt to do so. It presents an outline of what is known in a concise and logical fashion. It does this starting from first principles and with the minimum use of complex mathematics.

This book presents the main results obtained by different laboratories involved in the research group Rheology for polymer melt processing which is associated with French universities, schools of engineering, and the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - France). The group comprises some 15 research laboratories of varied disciplines (chemistry, physics, material sciences, mechanics, mathematics), but with a common challenge viz. to enhance the understanding of the relationships between macromolecular species, their rheology and their processing. Some crucial issues of polymer science have been addressed: correlation of viscoelastic macroscopic bulk property measurements and models, slip at the wall, extrusion defects, correlation between numerical flow simulations and experiments. Features of the book: • The book is unique in that it allows one to grasp the key issues in polymer rheology and processing at once through a series of detailed state-of-the-art contributions, which were previously scattered throughout the literature. • Each paper was reviewed by experts and the book editors and some coordination was established in order to achieve a readable and easy access style. • Papers have been grouped in sections covering successively: Molecular dynamics, Constitutive equations and numerical modelling, Simple and complex flows. • Each paper can be read independently. Since the book is intended as an introduction to the main topics in polymer processing, it will be of interest to graduate students as well as to scientists in academic and industrial laboratories.

Understanding the elastic properties of polymer melts is necessary for ensuring successful polymer processing and thus producing high-quality plastic parts. This unique book is the first to focus on this important topic. Starting with the molecular origin of elastic behavior and an explanation of the physical quantities involved, experimental methods and the dependence of elastic behavior on experimental parameters are then presented. Elastic properties of filled and unfilled systems are compared directly, and polymer blends are also considered. Elastic effects in various applications are included, such as in extrudate swell, internal stresses, and shrink films, to illustrate the importance of this field in the plastics processing industry.