The automotive sector has a dedicated special issue in the leading international journal Plastics, Rubber and Composites. Published by Maney on behalf of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, the September issue reports on the AutoPolymers2005 workshop to discuss the integration of polymeric systems and fabrication processes into components for use in car manufacture.

AutoPolymers2005 was held in Charleston, USA, in the autumn of last year. It was run jointly by the University of Minho, Portugal, and Clemson University, USA, to bring together academics and industrialists. Consequently, the published papers will be of interest to those in industry as well as researchers in polymer science and technology. Developments in car component design aimed at meeting economic drivers and the pressure to use renewable materials as well as improving safety features are considered. Specific papers include those on carbon materials in composites, the design of plastic structural pillars, as well as the conductive properties of nanofibres and paintability of polymer composites.

The special issue was guest edited by Antonio Cunha and C A Bernardo of the University of Minho, and J M Kennedy of Clemson University. View sample content for free.

Notes to editors

For more information, visit www.maney.co.uk/journals/prc or contact Alison Holgate, tel: +44 (0)113 386 8160, email: a.holgate@maney.co.uk.

Maney Publishing was founded in 1900 and has over 60 journals in materials science, the humanities and healthcare. Maney is committed to publishing high quality international journals in print and electronic formats. Website: www.maney.co.uk.

Plastics, Rubber and Composites presents peer-reviewed research on the processing, properties and modelling of macromolecular and composite materials.