An Introduction To Plastics

Introduction to Plastics Engineering provides a single reference covering the basics of polymer and plastics materials, and their properties, design, processing and applications in a practical way. The book discusses materials engineering through properties formulation, combining part design and processing to produce final products. This book will be a beneficial guide to materials engineers developing new formulations, processing engineers producing those formulations, and design and product engineers seeking to understand the materials and methods for developing new applications. The book incorporates material properties, engineering, processing, design, applications and sustainable and bio based solutions. Ideal for those just entering the industry, or transitioning between sectors, this is a quick, relevant and informative reference guide to plastics engineering and processing for engineers and plastics practitioners. Provides a single unified reference covering plastics materials, properties, design, processing and applications Offers end-to-end coverage of the industry, from formulation to part design, processing, and the final product Serves as an ideal introductory book for new plastics engineers and students of plastics engineering Provides a convenient reference for more experienced practitioners

This second edition of An Introduction to Plastics is the answer to manifold requests for an updated version by the readership. Since publication of the first edition in 1993, the field of plastics has seen tremendous development. Their manufacture and properties are discussed and correlated to the molecular and supermolecular properties of polymers. The contents have been thoroughly revised, restructured and enlarged. Several topics such as polymer composites and mixtures, morphology, flow properties and processing have been given more space, and chapters on electrical conductivity and non-linear optical properties have been newly added. Reviews of the first edition: "This book presents a precise, yet non-mathematical introduction to plastics, their raw materials, syntheses, properties and applications." (B. Sillion, Revue de l'Institut Francais du Pétrole) "The volume is excellently written, with a simple, straightforward and comprehensive index. It provides an overview of all plastics, including raw materials: manufacture, structure, processing, properties and, of course, applications" (D.W. Taylor and J.F. Kennedy, Polymer International) "This book has all the earmarks of becoming a guide to or even a reference book for polymers in structural applications" (Willi Kreuder, Acta Polymerica)

The authoritative introduction to all aspects of plastics engineering — offering both academic and industry perspectives in one complete volume. Introduction to Plastics Engineering provides a self-contained introduction to plastics engineering. A unique synergistic approach explores all aspects of material use — concepts, mechanics, materials, part design, part fabrication, and assembly — required for converting plastic materials, mainly in the form of small pellets, into useful products. Thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, and advanced composites, the four disparate application areas of polymers normally treated as separate subjects, are covered together. Divided into five parts — Concepts, Mechanics, Materials, Part Processing and Assembly, and Material Systems — this inclusive volume enables readers to gain a well-rounded, foundational knowledge of plastics engineering. Chapters cover topics including the structure of polymers, how concepts from polymer physics explain the macro behavior of plastics, evolving concepts for plastics use, simple mechanics principles and their role in plastics engineering, models for the behavior of solids and fluids, and the mechanisms underlying the stiffening of plastics by embedded fibers. Drawing from his over fifty years in both academia and industry, Author Vijay Stokes uses the synergy between fundamentals and applications to provide a more meaningful introduction to plastics. Examines every facet of plastics engineering from materials and fabrication methods to advanced composites Provides accurate, up-to-date information for students and engineers both new to plastics and highly experienced with them Offers a practical guide to large number of materials and their applications Addresses current issues for mechanical design, part performance, and part fabrication Introduction to Plastics Engineering is an ideal text for practicing engineers, researchers, and students in mechanical and plastics engineering and related industries.

Presents a nonmathematical introduction to plastics and their raw materials, syntheses, properties, and applications. Discusses the manufacture and properties of plastics as a function of the molecular and supermolecular properties of polymers. Covers history of plastics, molar mass distributions, polymerization and polyeliminations, polymer reactions, noncrystalline states, mesophases, polymer composites, and waste disposal. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Brydson's Plastics Materials, Eighth Edition, provides a comprehensive overview of the commercially available plastics materials that bridge the gap between theory and practice. The book enables scientists to understand the commercial implications of their work and provides engineers with essential theory. Since the previous edition, many developments have taken place in plastics materials, such as the growth in the commercial use of sustainable bioplastics, so this book brings the user fully up-to-date with the latest materials, references, units, and figures that have all been thoroughly updated. The book remains the authoritiative resource for engineers, suppliers, researchers, materials scientists, and academics in the field of polymers, including current best practice, processing, and material selection information and health and safety guidance, along with discussions of sustainability and the commercial importance of various plastics and additives, including nanofillers and graphene as property modifiers. With a 50 year history as the principal reference in the field of plastics material, and fully updated by an expert team of polymer scientists and engineers, this book is essential reading for researchers and practitioners in this field. Presents a one-stop-shop for easily accessible information on plastics materials, now updated to include the latest biopolymers, high temperature engineering plastics, thermoplastic elastomers, and more Includes thoroughly revised and reorganised material as contributed by an expert team who make the book relevant to all plastics engineers, materials scientists, and students of polymers Includes the latest guidance on health, safety, and sustainability, including materials safety data sheets, local regulations, and a discussion of recycling issues

As in the successful first edition, this book provides straightforward information on plastic materials and technology, including the options for recycling plastics, with special focus on mechanical recycling. This new edition reflects the great strides that have been made to increase recycling rates worldwide in recent years. It considers the expansion of infrastructure in the UK to support plastic recycling and major achievements that have been made in gaining widespread public support and participation for recycling schemes; specifically the need to manage waste on an individual household level. Current issues surrounding council recycling of plastic bottles, and the practice of providing free plastic carrier bags by supermarkets, are also considered. Biopolymers are expected to have a major impact on plastic markets in the future and therefore some of the issues of biodegradability versus recycling are expanded in this second edition, as is the wider context of life cycle analysis and legislation.

Plastics are everywhere. Bags, bank cards, bottles, and even boats can all be made of this celebrated but much-maligned material. Yet most of us know next to nothing about plastics. We do know that they are practical and cheap--but they also represent a huge environmental problem, for they literally take ages to decompose. In this engaging book, E.S. Stevens tells us everything we have always wondered about plastics and of the efforts, in America, Europe, and Asia, to develop a new breed of environmentally friendly plastics. He points to a possible future where plastics will no longer be made of petroleum, but of plants. The first two chapters assess the increased use of plastics as a relatively new alternative to other materials. The third chapter introduces us to their impact on the environment and strategies for their disposal or recycling. The next two chapters cover basic concepts and terms used in polymer sciences and provide some basic chemistry. With these fundamentals in tow, the author compares how petroleum-based and biological polymers are made, and the various ways in which they decompose. He acquaints readers with the emerging technologies, their commercial viability, and their future. Finally, instructions are given for preparing basic bioplastics using readily available materials. Nonspecialists will find Green Plastics a concise introduction to this exciting interdisciplinary topic--an introduction otherwise not available. For students it provides easy entry to an area of science with wide appeal and current importance; for teachers, excellent background reading for courses in various sciences. The prospect of depleted fossil fuel supplies, and the potential benefits of bioplastics to the environment and to rural areas that could supply the raw materials, make this book a compelling presentation of a subject whose time has come.

Part of a series of core databooks within the William Andrew Plastics Design Library, Fatigue and Tribological Properties of Plastics and Elastomers provides a comprehensive collection of graphical multipoint data and tabular data covering fatigue and tribology. The concept of fatigue is very straightforward: if an object is subjected to a stress or deformation, and it is repeated, the object becomes weaker. This weakening of plastic material is called fatigue. Tribology is the science and technology of surfaces in contact with each other and therefore covers friction, lubrication and wear. The reduction of wear and fatigue and the improvement of lubrication are key bottom-line issues for engineers and scientists involved in the plastics industry and product design with plastics. Fatigue and Tribological Properties of Plastics and Elastomers, 2e, is an update of all that has changed in the world of plastics since the 1st edition appeared nearly 15 years ago, and has been reorganized from a polymer chemistry point of view. A hard-working reference tool: part of the daily workflow of engineers and scientists involved in the plastics industry and product design with plastics The reduction of wear and fatigue and the improvement of lubrication are key bottom-line issues The data in this book provide engineers with the tools they need to design for low failure rates