Smithers Rapra, a subsidiary of the US-based independent testing, consulting and contract research organisation, The Smithers Group, has just published a new book, Characterisation of Polymers, Volume 1, written by T. R. Compton. An essential guide to Polymer Characterisation, this book provides a complete compendium of methodologies that have evolved for the determination of the chemical composition of polymers.

This 478-page book gives an up-to-date and thorough exposition of the state-of-the-art theories and availability of instrumentation needed to effect chemical and physical analysis of polymers. This is supported by approximately 1200 references.

Characterisation of Polymers, Volume 1 covers the methodology used for the determination of metals, non-metals and organic functional groups in polymers, and for the determination of the ratio in which different monomer units occur in copolymers. The book should be of great interest to all those engaged in the subject in industry, university research establishments and general education. The book is intended for all staff who are concerned with the elucidation of polymer structure and with the provision of suitable instrumentation in polymer research laboratories.

Volume Two is due for release September 2008 and will cover in detail the structure and microstructure of polymers, copolymers and rubbers as well as sequencing of monomer units in copolymers, end-group analysis, tacticity and stereochemical determinations. Both volumes will also be available as a two-volume set.

About the author…
Roy Crompton, currently a consultant in the field of analytical chemistry, has written extensively on this subject, with many books published to date. Roy was Head of the Polymer Analysis Research Department of a major international polymer producer for some 15 years. Crompton was heavily engaged in analysis method development for low-pressure polyolefins produced by the Ziegler-Natta route. Roy was also responsible for the development of thin-layer chromatography for the determination of various types of additives in polymers and did pioneering work on the use of TLC to separate polymer additives and to examine the separated additives by infrared and mass spectrometry.