Acknowledgments
My professional career and personal life have been enriched by many individuals
and organizations. The encouragement and help I received in writing this book
from many leaders in the extrusion industry reminds me of the fraternity among
extrusion professionals and my good fortune to have them as friends.
My involvement in the Society of Plastics Engineers, particularly the Extrusion
Division and its board of directors, has been most valuable in my career. Rensse –
laer Polytechnic Institute has allowed freedom for my research and professional
activities for the past 27 years. My association with Robert A. Barr for the past 35
years has been the driving force for keeping my research interests relevant to the
extrusion industry and for applying my knowledge to practice. My experience at
Waldron Hartig Company, an extruder manufacturer, provided the foundation for
my knowledge and curiosities in extrusion. At Esso Research and Engineering
Company (now Exxon), I learned more polymer physics and chemistry from my
colleagues than in graduate classes. I have learned more from my industrial col –
leagues than I have contributed through my consulting activities. In particular, my
association with The Dow Chemical Company USA during the past 20 years
through Kun Sup Hyun and other members of the Polymer Processing Technology
Group has kept me aware of industrial developments and challenges.
I have benefited from all of my former students, postdoctoral associates, and visit –
ing scholars. Many topics in this book are based on their work with me. Hyun Seog
Kim and Young Seok Kim helped me prepare many figures in this book. I thank
everyone who reviewed the preliminary drafts and helped to improve my writing,
including James Moore on polymer chemistry in Chapter 3, Sonja Krause on ther –
modynamics in Chapter 3, David Todd on twin-screw extruders in Chapter 7, and
the three formal reviewers for their thorough comments.
My wife provided me with encouragement and a conducive environment for writ –
ing. I thank all my children for their understanding of my preoccupation with this
book for a very long time
My professional career and personal life have been enriched by many individuals
and organizations. The encouragement and help I received in writing this book
from many leaders in the extrusion industry reminds me of the fraternity among
extrusion professionals and my good fortune to have them as friends.
My involvement in the Society of Plastics Engineers, particularly the Extrusion
Division and its board of directors, has been most valuable in my career. Rensse –
laer Polytechnic Institute has allowed freedom for my research and professional
activities for the past 27 years. My association with Robert A. Barr for the past 35
years has been the driving force for keeping my research interests relevant to the
extrusion industry and for applying my knowledge to practice. My experience at
Waldron Hartig Company, an extruder manufacturer, provided the foundation for
my knowledge and curiosities in extrusion. At Esso Research and Engineering
Company (now Exxon), I learned more polymer physics and chemistry from my
colleagues than in graduate classes. I have learned more from my industrial col –
leagues than I have contributed through my consulting activities. In particular, my
association with The Dow Chemical Company USA during the past 20 years
through Kun Sup Hyun and other members of the Polymer Processing Technology
Group has kept me aware of industrial developments and challenges.
I have benefited from all of my former students, postdoctoral associates, and visit –
ing scholars. Many topics in this book are based on their work with me. Hyun Seog
Kim and Young Seok Kim helped me prepare many figures in this book. I thank
everyone who reviewed the preliminary drafts and helped to improve my writing,
including James Moore on polymer chemistry in Chapter 3, Sonja Krause on ther –
modynamics in Chapter 3, David Todd on twin-screw extruders in Chapter 7, and
the three formal reviewers for their thorough comments.
My wife provided me with encouragement and a conducive environment for writ –
ing. I thank all my children for their understanding of my preoccupation with this
book for a very long time