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M.Sc. in MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
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MEMY-450
Polymer Physics

Course Type
Elective
Semester
Second
ECTS Credits
7

Syllabus

Polymer Physics

Macromolecules and macromolecular sizes
Macromolecular time and length scale. Glass, crystal, rubber, melt.
Chain statistics and elasticity
Polymer chain statistics, chain elasticity. Solutions and solvent quality.
Phase behaviour
Phase diagrams, polymeric mixtures. Networks and gels.
Macromolecular motion
Coarse graining. Viscoelasticity and diffusion. Molecular models: short chains: dumbbell, Rouse, Zimm. Flow and diffusion predictions. Dynamic structure factor. Dynamic light scattering. Mechanical spectroscopy and time-temperature superposition. Long chains – entanglements. Reptation and model of deGennes–Doi–Edwards. Solutions: dilute, semi-dilute, dense.
Special topics
Selected special topics in polymer physics.

Learning Outcomes

The students are expected to become familiar with basic concepts of polymer physics and the relation between molecular structure and properties. They are also expected to solve problems related to properties of polymers (size, structure, characteristic times, phase diagrams).

Suggested Bibliography

  1. M. Rubinstein, R. H. Colby, Polymer Physics, Oxford, 2003.

Related academic journals

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