Fundamentals of Polymer Science with Lab

The fundamental learning objective of this course is to provide Students with a clear picture of the basic concepts of polymer chemistry required to be able to attend advanced courses in polymer science. For this reason, in the initial phase of the course, emphasis will be placed on the definitions of the science of polymers useful for addressing the study of these materials.
Students will learn about the polymerization mechanisms that are used in the industrial synthesis of polymers, including the mechanism of step-wise polymerization, polymerizations with radical and ionic chain mechanisms and stereospecific polymerization mechanisms.
Students will learn the characteristics of the amorphous and crystalline solid state of polymers, the definitions of the transition temperatures typical of these phases and their dependence on the structural parameters of polymers.
Finally, Students will learn the classical methods of determining molecular weights.
The aim of the laboratory course will be to put into practice the topics covered in the theoretical section of the course by individually carrying out polymer synthesis tests using different types of mechanisms, including step-wise, radical and anionic mechanism. Students will also learn the basic procedures for the purification of polymers, for their structural analysis and for the determination of their molecular weights.

At the end of the course, the Student will be able to:
1. Define the basic concepts and terms essential for the study of polymer science.
2. Identify the classes of polymerizable monomers with the synthetic mechanisms described.
3. Describe the fundamental mechanisms used for the industrial synthesis of polymers, including, in particular, step-wise polymerization, chain polymerizations with radical, ionic and coordinated insertion mechanisms.
4. Predict the conversion dependence of the average degree of polymerization in the different polymerization processes.
5. Know the industrial processes used for the synthesis of polymers by radical mechanism.
6. Understand the different characteristics of the amorphous and crystalline solid state of polymers and the influence of the transition temperatures typical of these states on the physical properties and workability of the polymers.
7. Predict the glass transition temperature of polymers by knowing their structural features.
8. Know the basic techniques of purification and structural characterization of polymers.
9. Know how to experimentally determine the molecular weights of polymers using SEC chromatography.