Film Processing

The manufacturing process for preparing very thin polymer products has developed into what is arguably the largest outlet for synthetic polymers. The central theme of this volume is the developments in process hardware and operating techniques that permit increasingly high production rates, optimum property development, unusual degrees of molecular orientation, and the coextrusion of multi-layer, multi-component film and sheet. The strong relationships and the interdependence of these developments on the achievements in polymer design, such as rheology and mechanical and optical properties, are also discussed.
Contents:
· Film Processing Overview and Introductory Rheology
· Flat Die Analysis
· Spiral Die Analysis
· Die Control System of Film Thickness Distribution
· Kinematics, Dynamics and Physical Properties of Blown Film
· Bubble Instability: Experimental Evaluation
· Optical Properties and Structural Characteristics of Tubular Film
· Theoretical Analysis of Film Deformation Behavior in Casting
· Analysis of Draw Resonance Instability in the Film Casting Process
· Multilayer Films
· Biaxially Oriented Films
· Influence of Processing Conditions on Structure and Physical Properties of Biaxially Stretched Engineering Thermoplastics
· Theoretical Analysis of Tentering Process
· Double Bubble Tubular Film Process System and Theoretical Analysis of Stress Development and Scale-up Rule

Gregory A. Campbell, Ph.D., is Chief Technical Officer at Castle Associates, Jonesport, ME. He was previously professor and departmental chair of chemical engineeering at Clarkson University, NY. He formerly directed a research group at GM Research and managed polymer fabrication at Mobil Chemical Research. He is a Fellow and former Extrusion Board Member of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).