Complete descriptions, scheduling, and textbook information, if available, may be found by searching for these classes in SPIRE.
Courses
Introductory Courses
501 Introduction to Polymer Science and Engineering |
Physical and organic chemistry of polymers for persons with a basic training in chemistry, physics, or engineering. A survey of preparative methods of polymers; physical chemistry of polymer molecules in solution, liquid, and solid phases; thermodynamics and statistics of polymers; methods of characterization; mechanical properties, fabrication techniques. Prerequisites: one semester of physical chemistry and one semester of organic chemistry. For non-PSE students. |
3 credits |
Core Courses
602 Polymer Characterization Laboratory |
Characterization of polymers by up to fifteen methods, including spectroscopic (nuclear magnetic resonance, Raman, infrared), mechanical (tensile, dynamic mechanical, rheological), microscopic (electron and optical microscopy), physiochemical (intrinsic viscosity, differential scanning, calorimetry, gel permeation chromatography) and scattering (light, x-rays). Molecular simulation techniques introduced. Lectures provide a state-of-the-art description of these and additional polymer characterization methods. |
3 credits |
603 Polymer Synthesis Laboratory |
Preparation and characterization of the most important polymer types. Radical, cationic, anionic polymerization; copolymerization; Ziegler-Natta polymerization; step growth polymerization; suspension and emulsion polymerization; group transfer polymerization; metathesis polymerization. |
3 credits |
604 Introduction to Polymer Engineering |
Physical and mathematical principles required to understand and solve engineering problems encountered with polymeric materials. Vector and tensor operations, stress-strain analysis of solids, fluid mechanics, transport equations for mass and energy, nonlinear physical properties, overview of polymer processing. |
3 credits |
607 Introduction to Synthetic Polymer Chemistry |
Polymer structure, classification of polymerization reactions, theory and practice of step growth polymerization, radical polymerization, ionic polymerization, ring-opening polymerization, polymerization by transition metal catalysts. |
3 credits |
608 Physical Chemistry of Polymers I |
Review of classical and statistical thermodynamics, configuration and conformation of isolated polymer chains, the rotational isomeric state model, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of polymer solutions, scaling theory, single chain dynamics, scattering (light, x-ray, neutron). |
3 credits |
891A/891 Seminar |
Invited lectures by visiting academic and industrial scientists. Held regularly on Friday afternoons throughout the academic year. PSE students are required to register and attend. |
1 credit |
721 Morphology of Polymers |
Methods of structural characterization for important morphological classes of polymers. Overview of scattering physics leading to a discussion of specific techniques such as small and wide angle x-ray and transmission electron microscopy. Polymeric materials surveyed include mesophases, liquid crystalline polymers, polymer blends, block copolymers, and crystalline polymers forming lamellae or spherulites. |
3 credits |
760 Organic Polymerization Reaction |
Mechanisms, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the principal polymerization reactions. Recent special topics included liquid crystalline polymers, piezoelectric polymers, bioploymers, olefin metathesis polymerization. Prerequisite: PSE 607. |
3 credits |
789 Physical Chemistry of Polymers II |
Rubber elasticity, glass transition phenomena, phase separation kinetics, crystallization thermodynamics and kinetics, physics of polymer crystals, description and determination of crystalline and amorphous chain orientation. |
3 credits |
891A/891 Seminar |
Invited lectures by visiting academic and industrial scientists. Held regularly on Friday afternoons throughout the academic year. PSE students are required to register and attend. |
1 credit |
Advanced Topic Courses
720 Viscoelasticity |
Molecular foundations of polymer viscoelasticity. Rouse-Bueche theory, Boltzmann superposition principle, mechanical models, distribution of relaxation and retardation times, interrelationships between mechanical spectra, the glass transition, secondary relaxations, dielectric relaxations. |
2 credits |
731 Polymer Properties |
Techniques for predicting the engineering and physical properties of polymers from their molecular structures. Empirical, semi-empirical, and theoretical methods, with emphasis on the group additivity approach. Properties discussed include refractive index, density, glass transition temperature, modulus, and compatibility. |
2 credits |
733 Micromechanics |
Effects of microstructure on the mechanics of polymeric media: deformation modes, yield, rubber toughening, alloys and blends, fatigue and fracture of highly filled systems. |
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735 Interaction of Radiation with Matter |
Maxwell's equation, wave propagation and dispersion, index of refraction and polarizability, absorption and the "Golden Rule," introduction to nonlinear optics, scattering. |
3 credits |
736 Polymer Surfaces |
Discussion of theoretical and experimental methods providing insight into polymer interfacial phenomena. Theoretical: surface dynamics, Gibbs isotherm, gradient-square theory of interfaces, wetting. Experimental: IR, optical, neutron, and x-ray reflectivity; contact angle; surface tensiometry; scanning probe microscopy (atomic force, scanning tunnel); electron probes (ESCA, EELS). |
1 credit |
737 Polymer Reaction Engineering |
Engineering principles applied to the analysis and design of polymerization processes. Mathematical modeling of polymerization kinetics, ideal polymerization reactors, heat and mass transfer, reactor dynamics and optimization, mixing effects. Case studies of important industrial processes. |
3 credits |
740 Vibrational Spectroscopy of Macromolecules |
Infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Concepts and algorithms of normal mode analysis, symmetry analysis, Fermi resonance interactions, defect-induced vibrational transitions, polarization phenomena, surface characterization. |
2 credits |
742 Biopolymers |
Structure, function, and physical properties of naturally-occurring polymers, including proteins, polysaccharides, polyesters, and DNA. Methods of characterization (nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance, circular dichroism, centrifugation, electrophoresis, chemical modification), polymer chemistry of biological processes (visual transduction, synaptic transmission, ion transport, chemical recognition). |
3 credits |
745 Colloidal Phenomena |
Classical and modern developments in colloid science. Colloid preparation, Brownian motion, surface forces, particle-particle interactions (flocculation and stabilization), thermodynamics, electrokinetic effects, mechanical properties. Prerequisite: one semester of undergraduate physical chemistry. |
3 credits |
757 Polymer Rheology |
Definition and measurement of the material functions of complex fluids, continuum mechanics of stress and deformation, constitutive equations derived from both continuum and molecular theories, interrelation of material functions for both shear and elongational flows, linear and nonlinear elasticity and viscoelasticity, material functions of important classes of polymeric fluids, the role of rheological properties in material characterization and polymer processing. Prerequisite: PSE 604 or equivalent background in fluid mechanics. |
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758 Polymer Processing |
Application of engineering principles to the analysis of polymer processes such as extrusion, roll coating, mixing, etc. Applied fluid dynamics with attention to heat and mass transfer. Prerequisite: PSE 604 and 757. |
3 credits |
790B Mechanics of Polymers and Composites |
Behavior of composite materials from both microstructural and continuum modeling perspectives. Methods of computing average properties discussed and compared with experimental data. Review of anisotropic linear elasticity and the failure criterion of anisotropic materials |
2 credits |
790B Engineering and Scientific Managment | ||
797G Excellence in Polymer Education |
Large-scale industrial processes, industrial research and development, defining a research project, ethics in science, leadership skills, teamwork, management skills, and polymers in today's society. |
1 credit |
797N Advanced NMR Spectroscopy |
Modern pulsed FT NMR spectroscopy, including two-dimensional methods and CP-MAS spectroscopy. Hands-on operation of instruments. |
3 credits |
797R Advanced Polymer Technologies |
Lecture series by visiting industrial scientists focused on the important materials and technologies of the polymer industry. Topics surveyed in the recent series were water-soluble polymers, polymers for nonlinear optics, polymers in photoimaging, engineering plastics, polymer composites, intellectual property rights, and fibers. |
3 credits |
797T Statistical Mechanics of Polymers I |
Random walks, fractals, scaling, perturbation and renormalization group theories, phase diagrams, spinodal decomposition, liquid crystallinity, gelation, and percolation. |
2 credits |
797X Advanced Polymer Engineering |
An Introduction to the fields of polymer rheology, polymer yield and fracture, and polymer viscoelasticity. Topics will be discussed equally at all relevant scales, from the molecular to the macroscopic. Desgned to provide a basic knowledge of each field for the nonspecialist polymer scientist or engineer while offering adequate background for more advance work in PSE 720, PSE 733, or PSE 757. Prerequisite: PSE 604 |
3 credits |
Other
786 Research Proposal | 1 credit | |
897W - Nanoscale Materials | ||
696 Independent Study | ||
870 Introduction to Research | ||
899 Doctoral Dissertation |
891A/891 Seminar |
Invited lectures by visiting academic and industrial scientists. Held regularly on Friday afternoons throughout the academic year. PSE students are required to register and attend. |
1 credit |
891A/891 Seminar |
Invited lectures by visiting academic and industrial scientists. Held regularly on Friday afternoons throughout the academic year. PSE students are required to register and attend. |
1 credit |
Group Meetings
797E Polymer Solutions | ||
797BB Naopatterned Polymers & Service Chemistry | ||
803 Synthetic Polymer Chemistry | ||
806 Polymer Microstructures | ||
897A Polymer Dynamics | ||
897E Sythetic Polymers and Nanostructures | ||
897F Surface & Interfacial Mechanics | ||
897G Polymer Microscopy | ||
897GG Geometry of Polymeric Assemblies | ||
897J Interfacial Polymer Assemblies | ||
897L Polymer Fracture | ||
897M Col & Macro Interface | ||
897O Engineering Approaches to Biological Problems | ||
897R - Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces | ||
897SC - Polymer Semiconductor Electronics | ||
897T - Well Defined Macromolecular Architectures |