CHEM 351 Polymers and Materials Science
This course is an introduction to some of the important concepts in Polymer Chemistry and Materials Science. The objectives of this chemistry/engineering course is to build the foundations for understanding the basic scientific and engineering principles used in the polymer industry. Topics will include: a historical perspective into polymer science, polymer synthesis (step, chain, and ring opening), structure-property relationships, molecular weight distribution, conformation and morphology correlations, application based design, and manufacturing/processing techniques. In the lab portion of the class, the chemical, mechanical, optical, thermal, spectroscopic, and environmental properties of polymer materials will be characterized using a variety of instrumental techniques.