Rheology Applied in Polymer Processing

This book covers a wide range of topics in polymer rheology. These are:

• Basic Principles, parameters, systems and applied mathematical models used in the rheological studies
• Melt flow analysis of different non-Newtonian fluids in laminar flow, transition between laminar and turbulent flow and modified Reynolds number
• The effects of different physical and molecular parameters on purely viscous rheological response of polymer melts and solutions
• Principles of rheometery and different types of viscometers and on-line rheometers
• The static and dynamic viscoelastic response of the polymer melts and solutions, viscoelasticity, mechanical models and Boltzmann superposition principle
• Molecular structure – viscoelasticity relationship and linear and non-linear viscoelasticity
• Effects of different processes, materials parameters like temperature, fillers (micro and nano-fillers) and molecular parameters like MW, MWD
• The role of rheology in polymer processing in different equipment
• Modified power law constants and two range power law constants for a large number of polymers, rheology software program in Java, comparison of different polymer rheological models using the rheology software and answers to the problems

The book will be very useful to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as teachers and practicing rheologists.

B. R. Gupta received his Ph. D. from I I T Kharagpur in chemical Engineering in the field of “Rheology of rapidly settling suspensions”. He worked as a faculty member at IIT Kharagpur for more than three decades initially in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering and then in Rubber Technology Centre. He has served as Emeritus Professor at (AICTE) at SJC College of Engineering, Mysore, Karnataka. Dr. Gupta's research areas are Polymer Rheology and Processing, Waste Rubber Recycling, Chemical Modification of Rubbers and Rheology of filled systems. He has guided a number of Ph.D. and masters degree students. He has published more than 80 research papers in reputed international journals and 3 books; one on Polymer rheology; another on Polymer processing Technology; and one on Rubber processing on a Two Roll Mill. Dr. Gupta retired in the year 2004.