An Introduction to the Mechanical Properties of Solid Polymers

Preface.1 Structure of Polymers.2 The Deformation of an Elastic Solid.3 Rubber-like Elasticity.4 Principles of Linear Viscoelasticity.5 The Measurement of Viscoelastic Behaviour.6 Experimental Studies of Linear Viscoelastic Behaviour as a Function of Frequency and Temperature: Time-Temperature Equivalence.7 Anisotropic Mechanical Behaviour.8 Polymer Composites: Macroscale and Microscale.9 Relaxation Transitions: Experimental Behaviour and Molecular Interpretation.10 Creep, Stress Relaxation and Non-linear Viscoelasticity.11 Yielding and Instability in Polymers.12 Breaking Phenomena.Appendix 1.Appendix 2.Answers to Problems.Index.