This is an excellent book on inelastic deformation and fracture of polymers from a mechanistic point of view. It is written by a leading researcher who has studied this subject at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for more than 30 years. A large part of the book is based on the author’s own contribution to the field. The book comprises 13 chapters and about 500 pages. It is concisely written yet contains sufficient details. This book is a good reference for graduate students as well as engineers in the field.

The first six chapters present a tutorial of polymer physics, including polymer chain structures, condensed states, rubber elasticity, and linear viscoelastic properties. The discussions of viscoelasticity and time-temperature superposition are insightful. Introduction of in elastic behavior of polymers starts with nonpolymeric glasses in chapter 7. This part concentrates heavily on the author’s own research and addresses the general picture, such as kinematics of plasticity, nucleation of shear transformations, yielding, and post-yielding large plastic deformation. The presentation is beautiful. Chapters 8 and 9 include in-depth discussions of polymer rheology, plastic deformation and flow, kinetic models of yielding, temperature dependence, large strain deformation, and strain hardening. A number of amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers are discussed individually and computer simulations of plastic deformation-induced texture development are described. Chapter 10 covers deformation instability in plastic flow, especially during necking and post-necking. Chapter 11 gives a useful description of crazing, including initiation, growth, and molecular mechanisms. Chapter 12 presents polymer material fracture behavior. Fracture, deformation at crack tips, crack propagation, and brittle-to-ductile transition of polymers are discussed comprehensively from mechanical and molecular points of view. Chapter 13 describes polymer toughening mechanisms based on crazing, plastic deformation, and cracking. Toughening with low molecular weight plasticizing diluents and dispersed rubber particles is discussed in good depth. The book also provides a nice collection of polymer property data.

This book could have been improved by incorporating an analysis of multiphase polymer toughening. Good progress has been made in analyzing toughening of plastics with rubber particles in the recent past, so it would have been appropriate to include this subject.

In summary, this book gives a coherent and insightful presentation of inelastic behaviors of polymers. It will be a lasting reference in the field.

Reviewer: SuPing Lyuis a Principal Scientist at Medtronic Inc., Mounds View, Minn., USA.