Characterization and Physical Properties of Polymers

Catalog description

This survey of polymer physics connects polymer chains' chemical structures and environmental conditions to their observable properties via conformations using statistical mechanics concepts. The following topics are discussed: microstructural parameters, conformational parameters, ideal and other chain models, polymer statistical thermodynamics, chain and network mechanics, polymer solutions and mixing, polymer states of matter and thermal transitions, and characterization methods. The course is not a substitute for dedicated courses on analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, or mechanics/rheology, but does present concepts from these disciplines.