Invited lectures by visiting academic and industrial scientists. Held regularly on Friday afternoons throughout the academic year. PS&E students required to register and attend. Credit, 1.
An overview of advanced polymer engineering concepts including yield and fracture, viscoelasticity and rubber elasticity, and polymer rheology/fluids. Continuation of material in POLYMER 604. Crosby, Lesser, Hoagland
Students write and defend a proposal for experimental investigation of a research problem not directly related to their thesis topic. Project selected requires approval of thesis committee, and involves primarily library research. Credit, 1.
Mechanisms, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the principal polymerization reactions. Recent special topics included liquid crystalline polmers, piezoelectric polymers, biopolymers, olefin metathesis polymerization. Prerequisite: POLYMER 607. Coughlin, McCarthy, Penelle
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, crystalline polymers forming lamellae or spherulites.
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-PS&E students.