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Syllabus Polymer Morphology

Quarter: Spring, 2000 10 AM

Instructor: Prof. Greg Beaucage

Office 540 ERC, 556-3063, gbeaucag@UCEng.UC.edu

Lab 410 Rhodes, 556-5152

Textbook:

  1. G. Strobl's "The Physics of Polymers, 2'nd Ed.: Concepts for Understanding Their Structures and Behavior" 1997, Springer.
    This is available in paperback on the web at Amazon.com for about $40 and should be in the bookstore. The text will be used as a reference source and will not be covered in entirety. This text will not be covered in sequence so it is important to attend class and keep careful notes.
  2. Copies of chapters from several books and important papers in the field.
  3. Gerald Schultz’s "Polymer Materials Science"
    This is an older book which is useful.
  4. Sperling's "Physical Polymer Science"
    This is a lower level general reference book on polymers which covers many of the topics.
  5. Web Page: www.eng.uc.edu/~gbeaucag/BeaucageResearchGroup.html

Level: Graduate (Undergraduate by petition, most granted)

Synopsis of Course: Polymer Morphology will explore the details of structures commonly encountered in polymeric materials. The course will cover both well understood morphologies as well as more applied, less well understood morphologies important to industrial applications. The approach will involve exploring morphology in terms of levels of structure. Atomic level structure, is often governed by thermodynamics and chemistry. The colloidal scale, which dominates polymeric materials, depends on a combination of kinetics and thermodynamics. Macroscopic scale structures generally are dominated by kinetic effects. The relationship between these levels of structure will be used to develop a full picture of the complex morphology of polymeric materials. The course will be geared towards the graduate level and a basic understanding of thermodynamics and diffraction will be needed.

The course will be topical in nature, reflecting the broad scope of morphologies seen in polymeric systems including: semi-crystalline phases, liquid/liquid phases, and immiscible phases of organic polymers and inorganic fillers.

 

  1. Introduction.
    Basic concepts of morphology and an overview of major areas of polymer morphology.
  2. 2. Semi-Crystalline Morphology.
    (Chapter 2 (skim through/Review), Chapter 4, Chapter 8 Deformed semi-crystalline morphologies)

    1. XRD for Polymers.
    2. Structure in the amorphous state
    3. Semi-crystalline XRD
    4. Orientation in the Amorphous/Semi-Crystalline States.
    5. Chain Folding.
    6. Crystals from Dilute Solution.
    7. Lamellar Growth in Spherulitic Polymers.
    8. Spherulitic Growth and Morphology.
    9. Distorted Morphologies and Oriented Crystallites.
    10. Axialites and Low Crystallinity Morphologies
  3. Morphology of Failure in Amorphous Systems and Amorphous/Amorphous Reinforcement.
    Chapter 8
    Overview of Technical Importance of Multi-phase Morphologies.
  4. Morphology of Polymer Blends.
    (Chapter 2 (Review), Chapter 3 (Review 3.1) 3.2, Chapter 8
    1. Partial Compatibility.
    2. Immiscible Systems (Polymer/Polymer Systems).
    3. Chemically Driven Phase Separation.
    4. Interpenetrating Networks.
    5. Crystal/Crystal Phase Separation.
  5. Block Copolymers.
    Chapter 3, section 3.3
    1. Theories.
    2. Phase Diagrams.
  6. Filled Systems (Inorganic/Polymer Morphologies).
    1. General Characteristics of Filled Polymers (surface area, and surface modification).
    2. Carbon Black.
    3. Fumed Silica.
    4. In situ Filled Systems.
  7. Summary.

Course Requirements

Quizzes (75%)

8 to 10 Weekly Quizzes
Start of each Friday Class, 1 problem (usually with 5 parts)
20-30 minutes
CLOSED BOOK/Notebook

Quizzes will be given only during this class period. No make-up quizzes. If you miss a quiz you will have to take the final as described below.

Final Exam
During Finals Week. (Final is optional and can only help grade)

Final will contain three questions each of which is similar to a weekly quiz. The grade on the final question will replace up to three quiz grades if it is higher. The final questions will be different than quiz questions.

25% of the grade will be your choice of:

  1. Notebook (Described Below)
  2. Survey Paper related to Polymer Morphology
  3. A Project related to Polymer Morphology
    This could be similar to a lab report in Polymer Characterization but of your own construction, i.e. a short research paper on a topic related to morphology
  4. A report on your research or coop experience in Polymer Morphology

For the paper or report option you should have a draft of the paper completed by mid-term April 28 at 10AM. This will be graded for 1/4 of the paper grade and returned. A final version should be turned in Wednesday, May 31 at 10AM. No Late papers will be accepted.

For the Notebook Option

Class Notebook Graded Twice.
At Mid-Term (April 28 at 10AM, no late notebooks accepted) (1/4 of grade)
And Second to Last Week of Classes (May 31 at 10AM, no late notebooks accepted).

The Notebook should be carefully re-written from your class notes and from your reading of the book, handouts and other materials you have used. It should have several required features:

  1. Page Numbers
  2. A Table of Contents
  3. References as footnotes if needed
  4. Class handouts are an appendix and should be kept separate from the notebook for grading purposes. DO NOT TURN IN CLASS HANDOUTS.
  5. The notebook should demonstrate that you have gone through the material covered in class and can include further information you have obtained on your own.

Grading Scheme: Grading will be on a standard basis: A is 90 or above; B is 80 or above; C is 70 or above.

=>Back To Polymer Morphology

Download this page: =>Syllabus.pdf