Polymer Characterization

Microscopic, Spectroscopic, Thermal, Mechanical and Nanoscale Characterization

Daria Bukharina, Paraskevi Flouda, Vladimir Tsukruk

• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9783111345895
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Chemistry
• Index: Chemistry

The book provides a concise and practically-driven overview of fundamentals and current experimental practices in the field of characterization of modern polymer, biopolymer materials and related composites. Such guide is important for experienced undergraduate students and new graduate students starting their adventure into polymer materials research. It helps students with quick introduction into theoretical basics, guidance on experimental routines, specimen preparations, data analysis, resolution and limitations of experimental measurements, and common issues and artifacts. It includes most popular spectroscopic and microscopic techniques for understanding chemical composition, microstructure and morphology, and fundamental properties of solid polymeric materials including mechanical, viscoelastic, thermomechanical, surface, and optical properties. All chapters are accompanied by examples of specific study cases, experimental problems and questions for solving and self-testing, as well as laboratory practice videos collected by the authors in their labs.

• Includes long-lasting and in-depth research experience in the field of polymer characterization of a wide variety of polymers, biopolymers and composites.
• Contains guide to training, practical use, data analysis, limitations and resolution, common experimental routine parameters, and other practical considerations such as applicability in real lab environment.
• Includes examples of study cases, questions and problems for student self-testing and analysis.
• Includes examples of prominent artifacts and data corruptions and how to avoid and correct those.
• Shows practical lessons in the video collected by the authors with specimen preparation, experimental parameters selection, measuring process, and data collection, all in real-time.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Frontmatter
• Contents
• Chapter 1 Preface
• Chapter 2 Survey on fundamentals of polymer materials
• Chapter 3 Measurements of thermal properties of polymers
• Chapter 4 Mechanical behavior and related properties
• Chapter 5 Thermomechanical and dynamical properties
• Chapter 6 Spectroscopic and optical imaging methods: UV-vis, photoluminescence, and hyperspectral imaging
• Chapter 7 Advanced spectroscopic methods: FTIR and Raman techniques
• Chapter 8 Characterization of surface properties
• Chapter 9 Electron microscopy techniques
• Chapter 10 Scanning probe microscopy: principles and imaging modes
• Chapter 11 Scanning probe microscopy: probing localized properties
• Chapter 12 Computational approaches and polymer characterization
• Chapter 13 Practical videos for polymer characterization
• Chapter 14 General thoughts on status and trends
• Index
• Index