Polymer Chemistry, 5 cr

Core contents

• Introduction to polymer chemistry. Basic terminology and classification, polymer structure (incl. copolymers, tacticity), plastics, nomenclature.
  
• Polymer synthesis. Reaction mechanisms: step-growth polymerization,
  chain-growth polymerization (free-radical, ionic: anion and cation, coordination polymerization), ring-opening polymerization. Polymerization techniques: bulk, solution, suspension, emulsion, gas phase and interfacial polymerization. Polymer structure determination with computational molecular modeling.
  
• Conformation; measurement of average molecular weight (primary and secondary methods).
• Solid state properties (amorphous and semicrystalline morphologies), thermal transitions and properties, measurement techniques (DSC).
• Structure-property relationships: effect, e.g., on thermal and mechanical properties.
• Polymer degradation and the environment (thermal, oxidative, UV, chemical and hydrolytic, radiolytic degradation/stability); management of plastics in the environment and recycling methods (e.g. tertiary/chemical recycling).
• Biodegradation and biopolymers.
• Thermoplastics, elastomers, thermosets, engineering plastics, their synthesis, properties, and usage.
  

Special presentations - topic varies yearly

• Molecular dynamic simulations of solid state properties.
  
• Special topics in polymer synthesis, e.g., metathesis; green chemistry.
• Specialty polymers (e.g., liquid-crystalline and electrically conductive polymers, e.g., solar cell polymers; sensor applications).