Polymers at Surfaces and Interfaces

This text deals with the behavior of polymers at surfaces and interfaces. Topics covered include the nature and properties of the surface of a polymer melt, the structure of interfaces among different polymers and between polymers and nonpolymers, the molecular basis of adhesion and the properties of polymers at liquid surfaces. Emphasis is placed on the underlying physical principles. It introduces statistical mechanics models of polymer behavior near interfaces, emphasizing theory that is applicable to experimental situations. Advanced undergraduates, graduate students and research workers in physics, chemistry and materials science with an interest in polymers will find this book of interest.

Why does paint stick to a vertical surface? Why do some plastics become stuck to each other while others do not? How can the surface of packaging be modified by the material from which it is made? The answers to these questions are determined by the way polymer molecules behave at the surfaces of the complex mixtures that are used to make plastics, paints and other polymer-based products. This book explains the basic principles that are at work and illustrates them with experimental data on simple polymers and polymer mixtures.