Book description
Providing an updated and comprehensive account of the properties of
solid polymers, the book covers all aspects of mechanical behaviour.
This includes finite elastic behavior, linear viscoelasticity and
mechanical relaxations, mechanical anisotropy, non-linear
viscoelasicity, yield behavior and fracture. New to this edition is
coverage of polymer nanocomposites, and molecular interpretations of
yield, e. g. Bowden, Young, and Argon.
The book begins by focusing on the structure of polymers, including
their chemical composition and physical structure. It goes on to
discuss the mechanical properties and behaviour of polymers, the
statistical molecular theories of the rubber-like state and describes
aspects of linear viscoelastic behaviour, its measurement, and
experimental studies.
Later chapters cover composites and experimental behaviour,
relaxation transitions, stress and yielding. The book concludes with a
discussion of breaking phenomena.
Professor Ian M. Ward is an internationally recognized and well
respected authority on this subject. Chair in Physics at Leeds
University since 1970, he has gained a reputation as an outstanding
scientist. He is also a co-founder of the British Polymer Physics
Group and the winner of several awards, including the Glazebrook medal
of the Institute of Physics (2004) and the Netlon award (2004) both
given for his work in polymer physics.
Professor John Sweeney holds a Personal Chair in Polymer
Mechanics at the University of Bradford. He has researched in various
areas of solid polymer behaviour, including viscoelasticity, fracture
mechanics, shear banding, large deformations and nanocomposites. He is
well known for his collaborations with Professor Ward and his
association with the internationally recognized Polymer IRC
(Interdisciplinary Research Centre).
