Maintaining a balance between depth and breadth, the Sixth Edition of Principles of Polymer Systems continues to present an integrated approach to polymer science and engineering. A classic text in the field, the new edition offers a comprehensive exploration of polymers at a level geared toward upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students.

Revisions to the sixth edition include:

• A more detailed discussion of crystallization kinetics, strain-induced crystallization, block copolymers, liquid crystal polymers, and gels
• New, powerful radical polymerization methods
• Additional polymerization process flow sheets and discussion of the polymerization of polystyrene and poly(vinyl chloride)
• New discussions on the elongational viscosity of polymers and coarse-grained bead-spring molecular and tube models
• Updated information on models and experimental results of rubber elasticity
• Expanded sections on fracture of glassy and semicrystalline polymers
• New sections on fracture of elastomers, diffusion in polymers, and membrane formation
• New coverage of polymers from renewable resources
• New section on X-ray methods and dielectric relaxation

All chapters have been updated and out-of-date material removed. The text contains more theoretical background for some of the fundamental concepts pertaining to polymer structure and behavior, while also providing an up-to-date discussion of the latest developments in polymerization systems. Example problems in the text help students through step-by-step solutions and nearly 300 end-of-chapter problems, many new to this edition, reinforce the concepts presented.