Polymer Science and Technology, 3rd Edition

Chapter 13. Correlations and Simulations in Polymer Science

Many properties of polymers can be easily measured by use of relatively simple instrumentation as discussed in earlier chapters. Standardized testing methods have been formulated by the American Society of Testing Methods (ASTM). A partial listing of these standards for plastics and rubber is given in Appendix C. When a polymer has not yet been synthesized or perhaps is unavailable or in quantities too small to fully test, a variety of approaches can be used to accurately predict polymer properties. In addition, these methods can be used to investigate how systematic structural changes such as the substitution of different chemical groups may affect polymer properties. Early approaches ...