Mechanical Properties of Solid Polymers

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).