DOE Program for Academic and Industrial Research (PAIR) - Final Report

The use of polymeric materials is extremely widespread in our lives today. The value of these materials is directly related to various macroscopic properties. High elasticity, toughness, and strength may all be ultimately important to the end user. A large number of analytical tests can be used to measure these macroscopic properties after the material has been processed. However, it is important to remember that these macroscopic properties ultimately derive from molecular level effects and hence, are already set when processing is complete. Polymers can be extruded into films, spun into fibers, and molded into parts with differing properties, but the understanding of how these properties can be affected by the processing step is unclear. An understanding of the cause and effect