Polymer materials have various characteristics suitable for usages in many fields such as food, clothes and housing, automobile, electronics, life science, civil engineering and construction, aerospace, and sports. This course explains various characteristics of polymers in view of polymer synthesis, structure, and properties and lets students get to know the fundamental concept of polymer science, guiding them to advanced courses on polymer science.
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Explain the concept of polymer science.
2) Explain the synthesis of polymers.
3) Explain the structures and morphologies of polymers.
4) Explain properties characteristic to polymers.
Molecular weight, Molecular weight distribution, Degree of polymerization, Stereoregularity, Repeating unit, Sequence, Branching structure, Step-growth polymerization, Chain-growth polymerization, Polymer Reaction, Cross-linking, Conformation, Higher-order structure, Physical properties
✔ Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
This course consists of lecture-type lessons. The contents are given on blackboards or slides. Students are sometimes given assignments related to the lecture.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | What are polymers ? / History of polymers (Ishizone) | Understand the concept and histories of polymers. |
Class 2 | Synthesis of polymers (Sato) | Understand the basics of polymer synthesis. |
Class 3 | Reactions of polymers (Otsuka) | Understand the basics of polymer reactions. |
Class 4 | Polymer chain statistics and polymer solutions (Nakajima) | Understand the basics of polymer chain statistics and polymer solutions. |
Class 5 | Structure and physical properties of polymer solids (Tokita) | Understand the basics of structure and physical properties of polymer solids . |
Class 6 | Functional polymers (Ando) | Understand the basics of functional polymers. |
Class 7 | Life and biorelated polymers (Serizawa) | Understand the basics of life and biorelated polymers. |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook: Hiromo Kitano et. al., "Polymer Chemistry", Sankyo Pub., 2007.
Reference: SPSJ ed. "Fundamental Polymer Science 2nd. ed.", Tokyo Kagaku Dojin Pub., 2020.
Students' course scores are evaluated on the basis of the scores of assignments and exams, as described in the course guide.
There are no requirements to take this course.