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CHE 596 624 Adventures in Polymer Physics

3 Credit Hours

This is a graduate student level course on the fundamentals of polymeric materials from a physical science perspective. The course is designed to provide the students with the basis to be able to understand and use the fundamentals of polymer science and engineering. The class will cover Solution properties, chain conformation, and molar mass characterization; Rubber elasticity and viscoelastic behavior; Crystalline polymers and morphology, glass transition and mechanical properties; Composites; Behavior of polymers at the nanometer size-scale; behavior of natural rubber and its latex.

Some specific aims of the course are for the students to:

  • Be able to demonstrate understanding of mixing thermodynamics. (Flory-Huggins theory).
  • Understand dilute solution behavior as it relates to polymer characterization.
  • Be able to calculate rubber elasticity response using entropy models.
  • Be able to calculate molecular weight distributions.
  • Understand the glass transition.
  • Understand importance of crystallinity in polymers.
  • Understand and be able to model kinetics of crystallization in polymers (nucleation and growth).
  • Understand the behavior of polymer composites and nanocomposites.
  • Understand the behavior of natural rubber and natural rubber latex.

Grading

Class participation 5%
Homeworks (But lack of submission and completion of homeworks results in negative points of 5% per homework ) 0%
Project30%
Exams (15% exam 1, 20% exam 2, 30% Final Exam)65%

Homework policy

There is no credit for the homeworks. Students are encouraged to work together on the homework assignments but to turn in individual solutions. Homeworks will be turned in on time and any late homework or blank submission will be treated as a non-submission and given a -5% of the total class grade.

Textbook

J.M.G. Cowie and V. Arrighi, Polymers: Chemistry and Physics of Modern
Materials, Third Edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2008.
Or
J.M.G. Cowie, Polymers: Chemistry and Physics of Modern Materials,
Second Edition, Blackie Academic & Professional, New York, 1991.

Created 10/15/2024