This laboratory consists of two of four themes including those in Laboratory I; Theme B:Phase transition of polymer materials and C: Polymer solution properties and the volume-phase transition of polymer gel.
This laboratory is a prerequisite class for students majoring polymer science to obtain necessary experimental skills. The aims are to enable the students to understand the phase separation, solution- and gel properties and fundamental electrical properties of polymers together with obtaining skills for polymer property analyses.
It is also aimed for students to learn how to summarize a research report and present the analysis results and discussion as an oral presentation.
Students will learn to do the followings
Theme B: 1) Have an understanding of pahse transition behaviors of liquid crystalline polymers,and evaluate results of
observation, DSC measurement, and X-ray diffraction.
2) Have an understanding of pahse transition of crystalline polymers.
3) Give an explanation on glass transition behavior of amorphous polymers.
4)Have an understanding of fundamentals of polarizing microscopy, and determine the optical priciple axis of optically anisotropic samples.
Theme C:1)Give a theoretical explanation for the phase speparation and the volume-phase transition on the basis of Flory-Huggins equation.
2)Give a qualitative explanation on the mechanism for the temperature-induced phase transition of thermo-sensitive polymers.
3)Give an explanation on the correlation between the intrinsic viscosity and the polymer molecular weight.
4)Give an explanation on the relation between the gel preparation by crosslinkage and the gel properties.
Phase transition, DSC measurement, Polarizing microscopic observation, X-ray
diffraction, Glass transition, liquid crystals, Gel, Volume-phase transition, Phase separation, Intrinsic viscosity
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
This laboratory course consists of three parts; 1st (Class 1 for guidance), 2nd (Class 2-8 for first theme), 3rd (Class 9-15 for second theme). Students are divided into two groups; One half is for theme B, the other is for theme C. Students who started with theme B will be grouped into theme C for the second theme, and vice versa. Reports must be submitted by the due date.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Guidances on the respective themes | Understanding the aims and the theoretical backgrounds of the respective themes. |
Class 2 | Theme B: Phase transition of polymer materials -Synthesis of liquid crystalline polyestersor or Theme C:Synthesis of linear polymer and gel samples. | Theme B:Synthesize liquid crystalline polyesters and determine phase transition temperatures by polarizing microscopic observation. Theme C: Prepare the polymer solution and gel samples by radical polymerization of NIPA in the absence and the presence of crosslinking agent. |
Class 3 | Theme B: Polarizing microscopic observation or Theme C:Measure the turbidity and the swelling ratio of solution and gel samples. | Theme B:Observe optical textures of low moleculrar liquid crystals, determine optical principal axis of the optically anisotropic sample, and observe spherulites of polymers. Theme C:Measure the turbidity and the swelling ratio of solution and gel samples. |
Class 4 | Theme B: DSC Measurement of liquid crystalline polyesters or Theme C:Estimation of the molecular weight by the viscosity measurement and determination of the original research theme | Theme B:Measure DSC thermogram of liquid crystalline polyesters synthesized. Theme C:Estimate the molecular weight by viscometry of the aq.polymer solution and determine a group-original research theme. |
Class 5 | Theme B: X-ray diffraction of liquid crystalline polyesters or Theme C: Synthesis of linear polymer or gel samples for the original research theme | Theme B:Measure X-ray diffraction pattern of liquid crystalline polyesters synthesized. Theme C: Prepare the polymer solution or gel samples depending on the group-original research theme. |
Class 6 | Theme B: Phase transition of polyethylene terephthalate or Theme C:Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. | Theme B:Perform DSC measurements, X-ray diffraction, polarizing microscopic observation of polyethylene terephthalate samples. Theme C: Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. |
Class 7 | Theme B: Glass transition of polystyrene or Theme C:Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. | Theme B:Perform DSC measurements, X-ray diffraction,polarizing microscopic observation of polystyrene samples. Theme C:Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. |
Class 8 | Theme B: Oral examination and Q&A or Theme C: Oral presentation and Q&A | Theme B:Oral examination for evaluation of students' achievement. Theme C:Oral presentation on each group-original theme and Q&A. |
Class 9 | Theme B: Phase transition of polymer materials -Synthesis of liquid crystalline polyestersor or Theme C:Synthesis of linear polymer and gel samples | Theme B:Synthesize liquid crystalline polyesters and determine phase transition temperatures by polarizing microscopic observation. Theme C: Prepare the polymer solution and gel samples by radical polymerization of NIPA in the absence and the presence of crosslinking agent. |
Class 10 | Theme B: Polarizing microscopic observation or Theme C:Measure the turbidity and the swelling ratio of solution and gel samples. | Theme B:Observe optical textures of low moleculrar liquid crystals, determine optical principal axis of the optically anisotropic sample, and observe spherulites of polymers. Theme C:Measure the turbidity and the swelling ratio of solution and gel samples. |
Class 11 | Theme B: DSC Measurement of liquid crystalline polyesters or Theme C:Estimation of the molecular weight by the viscosity measurement and determination of the original research theme. | Theme B:Measure DSC thermogram of liquid crystalline polyesters synthesized. Theme C:Estimate the molecular weight by viscometry of the aq.polymer solution and determine a group-original research theme. |
Class 12 | Theme B: X-ray diffraction of liquid crystalline polyesters or Theme C: Synthesis of linear polymer or gel samples for the original research theme. | Theme B:Measure X-ray diffraction pattern of liquid crystalline polyesters synthesized. Theme C: Prepare the polymer solution or gel samples depending on the group-original research theme. |
Class 13 | Theme B: Phase transition of polyethylene terephthalate or Theme C:Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. | Theme B:Perform DSC measurements, X-ray diffraction, polarizing microscopic observation of polyethylene terephthalate samples. Theme C: Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. |
Class 14 | Theme B: Glass transition of polystyrene or Theme C:Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. | Theme B:Perform DSC measurements, X-ray diffraction,polarizing microscopic observation of polystyrene samples. Theme C:Measure and analyze the turbidity or swelling ratio depending on the group-original research theme. |
Class 15 | Theme B: Oral examination and Q&A or Theme C: Oral presentation and Q&A | Theme B:Oral examination for evaluation of students' achievement. Theme C:Oral presentation on each group-original theme and Q&A. |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 50 minutes preparing for class and another 50 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook for Polymer Chemistry Laboratory I & II
N/A
Assessment on the reports and the oral presentations or examination.
Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry Laboratory I~III, Polymer Chemistry Laboratory I