JEP_46_8_Cover:JEP-43-04.qxd 11/4/14 5:24 PM Page 2 Editor-in-Chief H. A. AGLAN, Mechanical Engineering Department, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA E-mail: [email protected] Advisory Board L. E. Brower N. Nakajima SKW MBT Construction Chemicals Master Builders Inc., USA M. El-Halwagi Institute of Polymer Engineering The University of Akron, USA J. Kent Newman Chemical Engineering Department Texas A & M University, USA A. I. Isayev Institute of Polymer Engineering The University of Akron, USA L. H. Lewandowski The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, USA USAE, Waterways Experiment Station, USA S. Qutubuddin Departments of Chemical Engineering and Macromolecular Science Case Western Reserve University, USA AIMS AND SCOPE The Journal of Elastomers and Plastics is a high quality peer reviewed journal which publishes original research on the development and marketing of elastomers and plastics and the area in between where the characteristics of both extremes are apparent. JOURNAL OF ELASTOMERS AND PLASTICS ISSN 0095–2443 (Print), 1530– 8006(Online)—Published 8 issues, February, March, April, June, August, October, November and December, one volume per year, by SAGE Publications, 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, UK. Abstracting and Indexing: Please visit jep.sagepub.com and click on More about this journal, then Abstracting/Indexing, to view a full list of databases in which this journal is indexed. Annual subscription (2015). Combined Institutional Rate (print and electronic) £1,182/ $2,009. Electronic only and print only subscriptions are available for institutions at a discounted rate. Please note VAT may be applicable at the appropriate local rate. Visit jep.sagepub.com for more details. Printed in Great Britain by Page Bros Ltd, Norwich, Norfolk, UK. SAGE Publications, 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, UK SAGE Publications, PO Box 5096, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359, USA Tel: +44 (0)20 7324 8500 Email: [email protected] Website: jep.sagepub.com SAGE Publications is a member of CrossRef Library of Congress Card No. 78-9996 Copyright SAGE Publications 2014. All rights reserved. Printed on paper from sustainable resources. EDITORIAL POLICY 4HE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THEJournal of Elastomers and Plastics IS TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS OF ELASTOMERS AND PLASTICS )MPLICIT IN THIS OBJECTIVE IS THE RECOGNITION AND APPROPRIATE PUBLICATION OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ALL PARTICIPATING INTERESTS &ULFILLMENT OF THIS PURPOSE DEPENDS ALMOST ENTIRELY UPON THE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION OF ARTICULATE ACCURATE AND AUTHORITATIVE MANUSCRIPTS )N ADDITION TO THE MULTIPLE REVIEWING OF CANDIDATE MANUSCRIPTS TO ASSURE HIGH STANDARDS OF TECHNICAL VERACITY EDITORIAL SELECTIVITY ALSO INVOLVES CONSIDERATION OF THE EQUITABLE COVERAGE OF THE ENTIRE FIELD )N FURTHER DISCHARGING ITS RESPONSIBILITIES THE JOURNAL ENDORSES THE CONTENT AND PROGRAMS OF APPROPRIATE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES BUT ASSERTS ITS INDEPENDENT ROLE IN BOTH THE RECORDING AND IF NECESSARY APPRAISING OF THEIR ACTIVITIES INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS Submitting Papers to the Journal: -ANUSCRIPTS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED ONLINE VIA 3!'% 4RACK MCMANUSCRIPTCENTRALCOM*%0 )F YOU ARE A NEW USER YOU WILL FIRST NEED TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT 3UBMISSIONS SHOULD BE MADE BY LOGGING IN AND SELECTING THE !UTHOR #ENTER AND THE @#LICK HERE TO 3UBMIT A .EW -ANUSCRIPT OPTION &OLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON EACH PAGE CLICKING THE @.EXT BUTTON ON EACH SCREEN TO SAVE YOUR WORK AND ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SCREEN )F AT ANY STAGE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR REQUIRE THE USER GUIDE PLEASE USE THE @/NLINE (ELP BUTTON AT THE TOP RIGHT OF EVERY SCREEN #ENTRED TITLE SHOULD BE BRIEF FOLLOWED BY CENTRED NAME AFFILIATION ADDRESS COUNTRY AND POSTAL CODE ZIP OF AUTHORS )NDICATE TO WHOM CORRESPONDENCE AND PROOFS SHOULD BE SENT INCLUDING A TELEPHONE NUMBER FAX NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS )NCLUDE A WORD ABSTRACT AND A LIST OF KEY WORDS ! LIST OF FIVE POTENTIAL REVIEWERS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE %DITOR AT THE TIME OF MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION ;OPTIONAL= ),,5342!4)/.3 !RTWORK SHOULD BE SUPPLIED AS %03 FILES OR 4)&& FILES AT A MINIMUM RESOLUTION OF DPI FOR SUPERIOR REPRODUCTION ,ETTERING SHOULD BE PLANNED FOR REDUCTION TEXT SHOULD BE READABLE AFTER REDUCTION )LLUSTRATIONS SHOULD BE REFERRED TO AS &IGURE &IGURE ETC */52.!, !.$ "//+ 2%&%2%.#%3 SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED IN THE TEXT USING THE 6ANCOUVER SYSTEM ;NUMBERED NOTES THROUGHOUT TEXT NUMBERED LIST AT END OF ARTICLE= 4!",%3 .UMBER CONSECUTIVELY AND TYPE ON A NUMBERED SEPARATE PAGE 0LEASE USE ARABIC NUMERALS AND SUPPLY A HEADING #OLUMN HEADINGS SHOULD BE EXPLANATORY AND CARRY UNITS $O NOT INCLUDE VERTICAL RULES 5.)43 !""2%6)!4)/.3 3) UNITS SHOULD BE USED 39-"/,3 ! LIST OF SYMBOLS USED AND THEIR MEANINGS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IF A LARGE NUMBER OF SYMBOLS APPEARS IN THE TEXT 02//&3!UTHORSWILLRECEIVEPROOFSWHICHTHEYSHOULDCORRECTANDRETURNASSOONASPOSSIBLE #/092)'(4 ).&/2-!4)/. 3!'% 5+ !PART FROM FAIR DEALING FOR THE PURPOSES OF RESEARCH OR PRIVATE STUDY OR CRITICISM OR REVIEW AND ONLY AS PERMITTED UNDER THE #OPYRIGHT $ESIGNS AND 0ATENTS !CT THIS PUBLICATION MAY ONLY BE REPRODUCED STORED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS WITH THE PRIOR PERMISSION IN WRITING OF THE 0UBLISHERS OR IN THE CASE OF REPROGRAPHIC REPRODUCTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF LICENCES ISSUED BY THE #OPYRIGHT ,ICENSING !GENCY WWWCLACOUK 53 !UTHORISATION TO PHOTOCOPY ITEMS FOR INTERNAL OR PERSONAL USE OR THE INTERNAL OR PERSONAL USE OF SPECIFIC CLIENTS IS GRANTED BY 3!'% 0UBLICATIONS AND IS PAID DIRECTLY TO THE #OPYRIGHT #LEARANCE #ENTER )NC WWWCOPYRIGHTCOM &OR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GRANTED A PHOTOCOPY LICENCE BY ### A SEPARATE SYSTEM OF PAYMENT WILL ALREADY HAVE BEEN ARRANGED )NQUIRIES CONCERNING REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THOSE TERMS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE 0UBLISHERS $ISCLAIMER 4HE AUTHORS EDITORS AND PUBLISHER WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY BE MADE IN THIS PUBLICATION 4HE PUBLISHER MAKES NO WARRANTY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WITH RESPECT TO THE MATERIAL CONTAINED HEREIN (%!$).'3 9OUR ARTICLE SHOULD BE STRUCTURED INTO SECTIONS .ORMALLY TWO HEADINGS ARE USED AS FOLLOWS -AIN 3UBHEAD $%3)'. /& ! -)#2/7!6% ).34!,,!4)/. ;ALL CAPITAL LETTERS CENTRED= 3ECONDARY 3UBHEAD 0RINCIPAL OF THE $ESIGN -ETHOD ;CAPITALIZE FIRST LETTER OF MAIN WORDS LEFT JUSTIFIED= %15!4)/.3 .UMBER EQUATIONS WITH ARABIC NUMBERS ENCLOSED IN PARENTHESES AT THE RIGHTHAND MARGIN 4YPE SUPERSCRIPTS AND SUBSCRIPTS CLEARLY ABOVE OR BELOW THE BASELINE OR MARK THEM WITH A CARET "E SURE THAT ALL SYMBOLS LETTERS AND NUMBERS ARE DISTINGUISHABLE EG FOR ZERO ONE OR LOWERCASE @@EL @@VEE OR 'REEK NU 0%2-)33)/.3 4HE AUTHOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING RELEASES FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS FOR 3!'% 0UBLICATIONS TO PUBLISH MATERIAL COPYRIGHTED BY SOMEONE ELSE GENERAL .EITHER Journal of Elastomers and Plastics NOR THE EDITORIAL BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS IN ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THE *OURNAL