The Interfacial Interactions in Polymeric Composites, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1993 NATO Science Series E: Series, Vol. 230

Polymer composites represent materials of great and of continuously growing importance. Their potential for application appears to be limitless. They have been the subject of numerous studies both at academic and industrial levels. Much progress has been made in the incisive formulation of composites; sophisticated methods of property evaluation have been developed in the past decade and many, largely empirical solutions have been proposed to resolve the problem of their long-term performance under typical conditions of use (i. e. the use of silane or titane coupling agents to enhance adhesion within composite materials). Assuredly one of the most essential factors in the performance of these systems is the condition of the interface and interphase among the constituents of a given system. It has become clear that it is the interface/interphase, and the interactions which take place in this part of a system, which determine to a significant degree the initial properties of the material. In order to achieve leadership in the formulation and application of polymer composites, it is evident that in depth understanding of interfacial and interphase phenomena becomes a prerequisite.

Preface. 1. Interfaces, Interphases and `Adhesion': a Perspective; L.H. Sharpe. 2. Aspects of Component Interactions in Polymer Systems; H.P. Schreiber. 3. Rheology at Interfaces; B.G. de Gennes, F. Brochard-Wyart. 4.Interactions and Properties of Composites: (1) Fibre-Matrix Adhesion Measurements; (2) Adhesion Composite Properties Relationships; M. Nardin, J. Schultz. 5. The Role of Interface at the Wall in Flow of Concentrated Composites; U. Yilmazer, D.M. Kalyon. 6. Application of Surface Analysis to High Performance Polymeric Adhesives and Composites; J.P. Wightman. 7. Some Experimental Methods of Characterizing Surface; E. Bayramli. 8. Controlled Interphases in Glass Fiber and Particulate Reinforced Polymers: Structure of Silane Coupling Agents in Solutions and on Substrates; H. Ishida. 9. Control and Modification of Surfaces and Interfaces by Corona and Low Pressure Plasma; J.E. Klemberg-Sapieha, L. Martinu, S. Sapieha, M.R. Wertheimer. 10. Plasmas and Surfaces - a Practical Approach to Good Composites; E.M. Liston. 11. Plasma Polimerization of Acetylene: a Coating Techniaque for Fibre Reinforcement of Composites; W. Weisweiler. 12. Plasma Enhanced CVD of Aromatics: Surface Treatment of Carbon Fibres to Optimize Fibre-Matrix Adhesion; E. Ebert, W. Weisweiler. 13. Some Notes on Surface Modification by Plasma; G. Akovali. 14. Science and Technology of Polymer Composites; L. Nicolais, J.M. Kenny, A. Maffezzoli, L. Torre, A Tvivisano. 15. Reinforcing Fibres for Composites; J.P. Wightman. 16. `In situ' Composites formed with Liquid Crystalline Polymers and Thermoplastic Matrices; A. Amendola, L. Nicolais, C. Carfagna. 17. Some Short Communications of Participants: A: Open Questions on Effects of Fibre-Matrix Interactions on Compound and Composite Properties; B.J.R. Scholtens. B: Interface Stabilization in Polymer Blends by Means of Block and Graft Copolymers; M. Fischer. C: Interfacial Chemical Interactions in Condensation Polymers and their Blends; S. Fakirov, M. Evstatiev. D: Interfacial Polarization and its Diagnostic Significance in Polymeric Composites; G. Banhegyi. E: On the Physical Nature of Interfacial Layer in Polymer Coatings; M.R. Kiselev, V.M. Starsev. F: The Effect of Corona Modification on the Composite Interfaces; S. Sapieha. G: Peculiarity of Film-forming and Hydrolytic Decay of Tin-containing Polymer Coatings; Z.M.O. Rzayev, R.R. Abdullayev, V.A. Zubov. H: Diffusion of Metal Ions in Caroxylic Polymer Sorbents of Different Morphologic Structure; A.A. Efendiev. I: Adsorption of Methylene Blue on PVC-DOP-Natural Zeolite Composites; D. Balköse, S. Ülkü. J: Optically Transparent Glass Fiber Reinforced Poly(methylmethacrylate) Laminates; R.K. Six, J.O. Stoffer, D.E. Day. K: The Effect of Recycling on the Properties of Thermoplastic Composites; C.A. Bernardo, A.M. Cunha, M.J. Oliveira. L: Carbon Fibers from Methane; M.T. Sousa, J.L. Figueiredo. Index.