Mechanical Response of Polymers: An Introduction

Automobiles, household appliances, and electronic devices all make use of polymeric materials. As polymers are used increasingly in sophisticated industrial applications, it has become essential that mechanical engineers, who have traditionally focused on the behavior of metals, become as capable and adept with polymers. This text provides a thorough introduction to the subject of polymers from a mechanical engineering perspective, treating stresses and deformations in structural components made of polymers. Three themes are developed. First, the authors discuss the time-dependent response of polymers and its implications for mechanical response. Secondly, descriptions of mechanical response are presented for both time-dependent and frequency-dependent material properties. Finally, the stress-strain-time relation is applied to determine stresses and deformations in structures. With numerous examples and extensive illustrations, this book will help advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as practising mechanical engineers, make optimal and effective use of polymeric materials.

Alan S. Wineman is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics and Member of the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Center, University of Michigan.