Handbook of Polymer Blends and Composites (RAPRA Handbooks)

The extraordinary growth in the use of plastics in the last century is in response to a growing world population, with its increasing demands for more food, better health care, improved housing and numerous cheaper and abundant consumer products. What is expected of the chemical industry in the 21st century is to produce plastics while being aware of the environment, by reducing waste production, reducing the consumption of materials, reducing the demand for energy, reducing the use of non-renewable resources, and reducing risks, hazards and costs. Use of polymer blends and composites provides a very versatile strategy for designing new materials that fulfil these 'green' requirements: * Lower costs without sacrificing properties * Ability to tailor properties without creation of completely new polymer * High performance blend from synergistically interacting polymers * Recycling industrial and/or municipal scrap The four volume handbook, Handbook of Polymer Blends and Composites is intended to provide an overview of the theory and application of polymer blends and composites. Volumes 1 and 2 are concerned with the state of the art of composites’ development, the characteristics of particulate fillers and fibre reinforcements, the main procedures of composites manufacture and their applications. Volume 3 deals with general aspects of polymer blend morphology, properties and behaviour in various conditions, while Volume 4 is mainly concerned with the various chemical classes of polymer blends. The Handbook is available as a four-volume set or as individual volumes