Polymer Mechanics: Processing‐Structure–Property

Abstract

This chapter describes the phenomenological theoretical framework that unifies three subjects concerning polymers in liquid and solid states: (i) melt rheology, (ii) molecular mechanics of glassy polymers, (iii) plastic deformation of semicrystalline polymers. Based on the available phenomenology, it is proposed that chain networking is essential in all of the three cases for providing the structural integrity. Predictable control of this structure permits us to explore and establish the principle for Processing–Structure–Property (P–S–P). Specifically, in each of the three topics, examples are presented to show the latest successes that can be used to indicate the observed “chain” of P–S–P.