Polymer Processing Technology

Catalog description

Basic principles of polymer melt processing are reviewed and subsequently applied to the most important industrial processing operations. MATSE 448 (CH E 442) Polymer Processing Technology (3) MATSE 448 involves both lectures and laboratory experiments illustrating the interrelations between structure, processing conditions, and physical properties of industrial polymer products. Students apply engineering fundamentals and principles of polymer melt rheology to analyze industrial processing operations. Unlike typical polymer processing courses offered at most U.S. universities, MATSE 448 covers detailed analyses of individual processing operations, rather than dwelling on underlying polymer science fundamentals that are covered elsewhere in our curriculum. Students learn to optimize processing variables, given a particular set of materials and conditions, establishing how processing conditions impact the physical properties of finished polymer products. We explore the physics governing processing operations including extrusion, mixing, calendering, blow molding, thermoforming fiber spinning compression molding, injection molding, and nanolithography.