Engineering of Polymers and Chemical Complexity : New Approaches, Limitations and Control

This book provides a vast amount of information on new approaches, limitations, and control on current polymers and chemicals complexity of various origins, on scales ranging from single molecules and nano-phenomena to macroscopic chemicals. Starting with a detailed introduction, the book is comprised of chapters that survey the current progress in particular research fields. The chapters, prepared by leading international experts, yield together a fascinating picture of a rapidly developing research discipline that brings chemical technology and polymers to new frontiers.

Professor Walter W. Focke obtained bachelor and master’s degrees in chemical engineering at the University of Pretoria and a PhD in polymer science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He is a full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Director of the Institute of Applied Materials at Pretoria University in South Africa. He teaches materials science and engineering as well as phase equilibrium thermodynamics at the undergraduate level and polymer processing and polymer additive technology at the postgraduate level. Professor Focke is a registered professional engineer, a member of the American Chemical Society, the Polymer Processing Society, the International Pyrotechnics Society, and the South African Institute of Chemical Engineers. His research is focused on chemical product design with emphasis on carbon materials, polymer additive technology, pyrotechnics, and prophylactic malaria control. Various thermal analysis techniques are employed to characterize and control oxidative processes in pyrotechnics, biodiesel and materials such as polymers and graphite.

Professor Focke has published more than 90 papers in peer-reviewed journals. His current Scopus h-Index is 8, and his publications listed in Scopus have been cited more than 1200 times. He is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology, the International Journal of Adhesion & Adhesives, and International Polymer Processing.

Professor Hans-Joachim Radusch is a full professor of polymer engineering at the Center of Engineering Science at Martin Luther University, Halle-Saale, Germany. He is a world-renown scientist in the field of chemistry, physics and mechanic of polymers , polymer blends, polymer composites, and nanocomposites. He published several books and 500 original papers and reviews in above fields of science.