Polymer Testing and Characterization (EBT 334/4)

This laboratory manual covers important techniques for polymer synthesis and characterization, and provides newcomers with a comprehensive introduction to the basic principles of highlighted techniques. The reader will benefit from the clear writing style and straightforward approach to fairly complex ideas. The book also provides references that the more advanced reader can use to obtain in-depth explanations of techniques. Polymer Synthesis and Characterization will serve as a useful resource for industrial technicians and researchers in polymer chemistry and physics, material science, and analytical chemistry.

This authoritative and comprehensive multi-author volume provides a useful summary of updated knowledge on polymer composites in general, practically integrating experimental studies, theoretical analyses and computational modeling at different scales, i.e. from nano- to macro- scale.  Detailed consideration is given to four major areas: structure and properties of polymer nanocomposites; characterization and modeling; processing and application of macro-composites; and mechanical performance of macro-composites.

Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) are widely used for the design of load-bearing structures. Life time prediction based on failure analysis is therefore essential for many applications in Aeronautics, Automotive and Civil Engineering. Analysis of Failure in Fiber Polymer Laminates presents Alfred Puck´s failure model, which, among several other theories, predicts fracture limits best and describes the failure phenomena in FRP most realistically as confirmed within the World-wide Failure Exercise . Using Puck´s model the composite engineer can follow the gradual failure process in a laminate and deduce from the results of the analysis how to improve the laminate design. This capability distinguishes the model from other phenomenological and global models. It thus reduces the number of required component tests and iteration loops in the design process and paves the way to sorely needed software for crash-simulation of FRP-structures.