Polymer Dynamics and Relaxation

Description

Polymers exhibit a range of physical characteristics, from rubber-like elasticity to the glassy state. These particular properties are controlled at the molecular level by the mobility of the structural constituents. Remarkable changes in mobility can be witnessed with temperature, over narrow, well defined regions, termed relaxation processes. This is an important, unique phenomenon controlling polymer transition behaviour and is described here at an introductory level. The important types of relaxation processes from amorphous to crystalline polymers and polymeric miscible blends are covered, in conjunction with the broad spectrum of experimental methods used to study them. In-depth discussion of molecular level interpretation, including atomistic level computer simulations and applications to molecular mechanism elucidation, are discussed. The result is a self-contained approach to polymeric interpretation suitable for researchers in materials science, physics and chemistry interested in the relaxation processes of polymeric systems.

Richard H. Boyd is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering and of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah. He was awarded the Polymer Physics Prize from the American Physical Society and is the author of over 150 technical papers and book chapters. Grant D. Smith is a Professor at the University of Utah. He has been awarded the NSF Career Award and the Outstanding Research Contribution award from the Eloret Insititute. He is also the author or co-author of over 170 papers.

'The authors have a real gift for conveying the gist of an idea intelligently and effectively ... the book is consistently accessible and clear-headed in a way that can engage many an undergraduate's interest ... warmly recommended. Boyd and Smith have done a good job of explaining the problems and will certainly get you thinking.' Current Engineering Practice