Books in the Polymers - Properties and Applications series

The concept of controlled release has attracted increasing attention over the last two decades, with the applications of this technology proliferating in diverse fields in cluding medicine, agriculture and biotechnology. The number and variety of controlled release systems, differing in their physical and chemical makeup, are increasing rapidly.

The book is mainly intended for students in technical colleges, polytechnics and universities who are studying plastics technology and macromolecular chemistry as part of their general curriculum and for technologists in industry engaged in development, sales, technical service and production functions, and applications of plastics.

The increasing use of electronic spectroscopy by polymer researchers, on the other hand, shows that this type of spectroscopy provides efficient tools for gaining insight into the properties of polymers which cannot be obtained by any other means.

The present monograph is intended as an introduction into a field which certainly did not receive proper attention in the past. In fact, the standard knowledge acquired during usual university studies in chemistry, physics or engineering does not enable a quick start of research activities in the field of polymer melt rheology.