- Email: [email protected]
Injection moulding—theory and practice
Book Reviews Directorate, Ministry of Defence, for their support of this w o r k .
C. B. Bucknall and I. C. Drinkwater Department of Materials, Cranfield Institute of Technology, Cranfield, Bedford, UK (Received6 February1974) References 1 Bucknall, C. B., Drinkwater, I. C. and Keast, W. E. Polymer 1972, 13, 115 2 Evans, L. J., Bucknall, C. B. and Hall, M. M. Plastics and Polymers 1971, 39, 118 3 Spit, B. J. Polymer 1963, 4, 109 4 Keskkula, H. and Traylor, P. A. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1967, 11, 2361 5 Eastmond, G. C. and Smith, E. G. Polymer 1973, 14, 509
I
Book Reviews
Progress in polymer science Japan, Vol 4 Edited by K. Imahori and Y. Iwakura
Kodansha Ltd, Tokyo and Halstead Press, New York, 1973, 278 pp. £7.00 This is a volume in yet another of the 'Progress in' type series of book which have expanded the volume of the scientific literature and drained the financial resources of libraries in recent years. While many people might doubt the value of such volumes, this particular series has a potentially useful and specific role to play. The Society of Polymer Science, Japan has about 10 000 members in universities and industry, representing a massive effort in the polymer field. Inevitably this effort has produced a vast literature much of which is published in Japanese, either in journals or conference proceedings. Japanese scientists will tell you that most of the good work is published in English eventually, sometimes three years after its appearance in Japanese. A significant fraction of the papers appear in the English language literature published in Japan, including research bulletins of individual universities. These volumes suffer from a limited circulation and readership and are not well-known. Consequently, a large proportion of the literature is, at least temporarily, lost to the Western reader. It is the stated purpose of these volumes to rectify this situation by having Japanese authors review specific and important aspects of Japanese polymer research. If the editors succeed in attaining their objective we should have access to a coherent, rather than the present fragmentary, picture of polymer science in Japan. Volume 4 of this series contains five articles, the authors of which concentrate on research carried out in their own laboratories. The first article, by Yoda et aL of Toray Industries, discusses the preparation of thermally stable polymers. The materials described contain heterocyclic ring structures and are produced by 'cyclopolycondensation reactions' (polycondensation and subsequent ring closure). Particular emphasis is placed on polymerizations in poly(phosphoric acid) solutions. Some practical details relating to characterization, properties and preparation, including the preparation of tractable materials in the intermediate stages, are presented. In the second article, Iwakura et aL review the chemistry of pseudoxazolones and describe a number of new polymerizations and copolymerizations involving these monomers. The article by Okawara and coworkers outlines synthetic routes to a wide variety of polymers carrying reactive functional groups, prepared mainly by reactions on preformed polymers. Some applications of the functional polymers are described. This article contains a particularly high proportion of references ( > 5 0 ~ ) to original Japanese language publications and conference proceedings. Kawai and coworkers describe their contribution to the study of multicomponent polymers. They discuss experimental observations and theoretical considerations relating to microphase separation in AB and ABA block copolymers and blends of those polymers with homopolymers of the constituent monomers. Microphase eparation in poly(methyl acrylate)-polystyrene graft c opolymers
is also discussed. Finally, Hatano and Nozawa consider the use of polypeptide-metal complexes as models for metalloenzymes, concentrating on the characterization of poly(L-lysine)-Cu(II) complexes and commenting on the reactivity of the complexes. The standard of English in the volume and the overall presentation are very good. Although the individual articles are commendable, in view of their diversity it cannot be expected that any one individual will have special interest in more than one contribution. On this basis, the price per page of information is very high and is high even for background availability in libraries. Surely, to achieve their worthwhile objective of improving western awareness of Japanese polymer science the publishers should consider methods of providing more value for money in future volumes ?
G. C. Eastmond
Injection moulding--theory and practice Irvin I. Rubin
John Wiley, New York, 1973, 672 pp. £.12.50 An up-to-date book which brings together the many aspects of plastics injection moulding in one volume has been long overdue. If only for this reason it is a useful reference book which is further augmented by extensive bibliographies. Thus either the layman, the polymer technologist or the engineer will gain something of value from the contents. The most important feature of the treatment are the straightforward explanations of the influence on processability and properties of mouldings of melt rheology and polymer structure, For once a serious attempt has been made to marry scientific principles to the practical situation revealing that the 'art' of moulding is logically explicable. The moulder can only benefit from such an understanding. This approach could have been carried further but Mr Rubin has fallen into the trap of including unhelpful complexities on the one hand and unnecessary trivia on the other. Explanations of molecular weight calculations and too detailed an account of chemical structure seem as much out of place in this context as does the usual stuff on examples of mouldings. More on part design, mould design and process control would have been more profitable and less on electrical and hydraulic mechanisms. The check list on correcting moulding faults contrasts with the earlier understanding of melt flow behaviour and its usefulness is overstated. For once the diagrams are mostly clear and uncomplicated but there are numerous irritating printing errors throughout the text which do nothing to help the author's somewhat staccato style. All pertinent English language publications have not been included as claimed on the dust cover. Regrettably, none of the many foreign language papers are mentioned.
R. R. Whisson
Concise guide to biomedical polymers C. C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1973, $14.75 The clinician of today has at his disposal an increasing array of machines and devices to assist in his treatment of patients. Much of the equipment incorporates plastics or rubbers in a variety of forms. A whole new technology is evolving around these biomedical polymers and this book presents a useful guide to the selection of a material for a particular purpose. Information is provided on the physical and mechanical properties of those polymer systems which have been examined for medical use and due attention is given to those disadvantages which preclude the use of a polymer either totally or partly from consideration. Much of the content is concerned with the practical aspects of working with plastic and rubber compositions and ranges from compounding and moulding to machining and finishing. The surgeon and bioengineer will find the information supplied in this text and supplemented from the additional references cited, of use in narrowing the choice of materials and in gaining an understanding of the fabrication techniques required for the production of a medical device. The importance attached to the use of medical grade materials in medical work is stressed and the list of trade names and sources of medical polymers is a most worthwhile inclusion, coupled with details of appropriate sterilization techniques which have to take into account the possibility of chemical reaction or degradation occurring during such treatments.
POLYMER, 1974, Vol 15, April 255
C. B. Bucknall and I. C. Drinkwater Department of Materials, Cranfield Institute of Technology, Cranfield, Bedford, UK (Received6 February1974) References 1 Bucknall, C. B., Drinkwater, I. C. and Keast, W. E. Polymer 1972, 13, 115 2 Evans, L. J., Bucknall, C. B. and Hall, M. M. Plastics and Polymers 1971, 39, 118 3 Spit, B. J. Polymer 1963, 4, 109 4 Keskkula, H. and Traylor, P. A. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1967, 11, 2361 5 Eastmond, G. C. and Smith, E. G. Polymer 1973, 14, 509
I
Book Reviews
Progress in polymer science Japan, Vol 4 Edited by K. Imahori and Y. Iwakura
Kodansha Ltd, Tokyo and Halstead Press, New York, 1973, 278 pp. £7.00 This is a volume in yet another of the 'Progress in' type series of book which have expanded the volume of the scientific literature and drained the financial resources of libraries in recent years. While many people might doubt the value of such volumes, this particular series has a potentially useful and specific role to play. The Society of Polymer Science, Japan has about 10 000 members in universities and industry, representing a massive effort in the polymer field. Inevitably this effort has produced a vast literature much of which is published in Japanese, either in journals or conference proceedings. Japanese scientists will tell you that most of the good work is published in English eventually, sometimes three years after its appearance in Japanese. A significant fraction of the papers appear in the English language literature published in Japan, including research bulletins of individual universities. These volumes suffer from a limited circulation and readership and are not well-known. Consequently, a large proportion of the literature is, at least temporarily, lost to the Western reader. It is the stated purpose of these volumes to rectify this situation by having Japanese authors review specific and important aspects of Japanese polymer research. If the editors succeed in attaining their objective we should have access to a coherent, rather than the present fragmentary, picture of polymer science in Japan. Volume 4 of this series contains five articles, the authors of which concentrate on research carried out in their own laboratories. The first article, by Yoda et aL of Toray Industries, discusses the preparation of thermally stable polymers. The materials described contain heterocyclic ring structures and are produced by 'cyclopolycondensation reactions' (polycondensation and subsequent ring closure). Particular emphasis is placed on polymerizations in poly(phosphoric acid) solutions. Some practical details relating to characterization, properties and preparation, including the preparation of tractable materials in the intermediate stages, are presented. In the second article, Iwakura et aL review the chemistry of pseudoxazolones and describe a number of new polymerizations and copolymerizations involving these monomers. The article by Okawara and coworkers outlines synthetic routes to a wide variety of polymers carrying reactive functional groups, prepared mainly by reactions on preformed polymers. Some applications of the functional polymers are described. This article contains a particularly high proportion of references ( > 5 0 ~ ) to original Japanese language publications and conference proceedings. Kawai and coworkers describe their contribution to the study of multicomponent polymers. They discuss experimental observations and theoretical considerations relating to microphase separation in AB and ABA block copolymers and blends of those polymers with homopolymers of the constituent monomers. Microphase eparation in poly(methyl acrylate)-polystyrene graft c opolymers
is also discussed. Finally, Hatano and Nozawa consider the use of polypeptide-metal complexes as models for metalloenzymes, concentrating on the characterization of poly(L-lysine)-Cu(II) complexes and commenting on the reactivity of the complexes. The standard of English in the volume and the overall presentation are very good. Although the individual articles are commendable, in view of their diversity it cannot be expected that any one individual will have special interest in more than one contribution. On this basis, the price per page of information is very high and is high even for background availability in libraries. Surely, to achieve their worthwhile objective of improving western awareness of Japanese polymer science the publishers should consider methods of providing more value for money in future volumes ?
G. C. Eastmond
Injection moulding--theory and practice Irvin I. Rubin
John Wiley, New York, 1973, 672 pp. £.12.50 An up-to-date book which brings together the many aspects of plastics injection moulding in one volume has been long overdue. If only for this reason it is a useful reference book which is further augmented by extensive bibliographies. Thus either the layman, the polymer technologist or the engineer will gain something of value from the contents. The most important feature of the treatment are the straightforward explanations of the influence on processability and properties of mouldings of melt rheology and polymer structure, For once a serious attempt has been made to marry scientific principles to the practical situation revealing that the 'art' of moulding is logically explicable. The moulder can only benefit from such an understanding. This approach could have been carried further but Mr Rubin has fallen into the trap of including unhelpful complexities on the one hand and unnecessary trivia on the other. Explanations of molecular weight calculations and too detailed an account of chemical structure seem as much out of place in this context as does the usual stuff on examples of mouldings. More on part design, mould design and process control would have been more profitable and less on electrical and hydraulic mechanisms. The check list on correcting moulding faults contrasts with the earlier understanding of melt flow behaviour and its usefulness is overstated. For once the diagrams are mostly clear and uncomplicated but there are numerous irritating printing errors throughout the text which do nothing to help the author's somewhat staccato style. All pertinent English language publications have not been included as claimed on the dust cover. Regrettably, none of the many foreign language papers are mentioned.
R. R. Whisson
Concise guide to biomedical polymers C. C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1973, $14.75 The clinician of today has at his disposal an increasing array of machines and devices to assist in his treatment of patients. Much of the equipment incorporates plastics or rubbers in a variety of forms. A whole new technology is evolving around these biomedical polymers and this book presents a useful guide to the selection of a material for a particular purpose. Information is provided on the physical and mechanical properties of those polymer systems which have been examined for medical use and due attention is given to those disadvantages which preclude the use of a polymer either totally or partly from consideration. Much of the content is concerned with the practical aspects of working with plastic and rubber compositions and ranges from compounding and moulding to machining and finishing. The surgeon and bioengineer will find the information supplied in this text and supplemented from the additional references cited, of use in narrowing the choice of materials and in gaining an understanding of the fabrication techniques required for the production of a medical device. The importance attached to the use of medical grade materials in medical work is stressed and the list of trade names and sources of medical polymers is a most worthwhile inclusion, coupled with details of appropriate sterilization techniques which have to take into account the possibility of chemical reaction or degradation occurring during such treatments.
POLYMER, 1974, Vol 15, April 255