Introduction to Polymer Science

Catalog description

Introduction to synthesis, structure, characterization and processing of polymers. Single molecule properties, polymer solutions, glasses, crystals and blends. CH E 443 Introduction to Polymer Science (3) The objective of this course is to introduce students to the synthesis, structure, characterization and processing of polymers. Emphasis is placed on the molecular origins of polymer properties. The course will provide an overview of single molecule properties and polymeric solutions, glasses, crystals and mixtures from a Chemical Engineering perspective. The course builds on CH E 320, Chemical and Phase Equilibria, to develop a more in-depth description of the thermodynamics of polymers. This course will also build on CHEM 210 , Organic Chemistry, to analyze more in-depth strategies for the synthesis of polymers. At the end of the course, the students will be able to evaluate the viability of synthetic pathways for various polymers, estimate the size of polymer chains in solution and in the melt, calculate thermodynamics phase diagrams of polymer blends and solutions, and compare and contrast different approaches to describe the physical properties of polymers.