Book excerpt: Because the field of plastics is one of the fastest changing areas today, the need arises to offer relevant, comprehensive material on polymers. An established source of information on modern plastics, the Plastics Technology Handbook continues to provide up-to-date coverage on the properties, processing methods, and applications of polymers. Retaining the easy-to-follow structure of the previous editions, this fourth edition includes new topics of interest that reflect recent developments and lead to better insights into the molecular behavior of polymers. New to the Fourth Edition Advances in supramolecular polymerization, flame retardancy, polymer-based nanomedicines, and drug delivery The new concept of oxo-biodegradable polymers Broadened discussion on plastic foams and foam extrusion processes More information on the processing and applications of industrial polymers, including the emerging field of nanoblends Developments in polymer synthesis and applications, such as polymeric sensors, hydrogels and smart polymers, hyperbranched polymers, shape memory polymers, polymeric optical fibers, scavenger resins, polymer nanocomposites, polymerization-filled composites, and wood-polymer composites A state-of-the-art account of the various available methods for plastics recycling Advances in the use of polymers in packaging, construction, the automotive and aerospace industries, agriculture, electronics and electrical technology, biomedical applications, corrosion prevention, and sports and marine applications Plastics Technology Handbook, Fourth Edition thoroughly covers traditional industrial polymers and their processing methods as well as contemporary polymeric materials, recent trends, and the latest applications.