Key words
chemistry, plastics, polymers, amorphous state, crystalline state, modification of polymers
Objectives
This course demonstrates that a lot of mechanical, physical and chemical properties of plastics has a structural background by which the behaviour of the material can be predicted, in most cases.
In a second part it is indicated that plastics remain sensitive to physical and chemical changes and attack, forced by man or by nature, as well in solution, in the melt, as in the solid phase, with chain breakage or chain modification as result.
Finally they are made familiar with a number of important concepts and principles of plastics technology and plastics characterization with the prospect of a possible thesis on plastics.
Topics
Part 1: relation between structure and properties:
States of aggregation, chain flexibility; characteristics of the different states and state transitions of amorphous and crystalline polymers; time dependent phenomenon’s; characteristics of copolymers and blends; environmental effects.
Part 2: chemical modification of plastics:
Modification of structure; polymer degradation, recycling, behaviour in solution.
Part 3: introduction to plastics technology:
Short survey of additives and conversion methods for plastics.
Prerequisites
The students must have a sufficient knowledge of the different branches in chemistry as from the general materials science.
Final Objectives
Core competence 1
To be able to have a thorough control over general chemical knowledge and to apply elemental chemical reaction mechanisms (SC1 and SC2).
The students must, a.o.
- have a thorough control over the structure and the properties of polymers and plastic materials to understand their behaviour;
- apply their knowledge about reaction mechanisms to discuss the possibilities of polymer modification.
Core competence 2
To be able to acquire chemical technological knowledge e.g. at the discussion of the behaviour of plastics and at the introduction to the plastics converting processes (uses of additives, processing techniques) (SC5).
General competence 1
To be able to think and to reason permanently in a critical, creative and scientific way about the matter in question (AC1);
General competence 2
To be able to implement scientific-disciplinary insights on scientific and/or engineering problems, independently (AIC1); he /she must be able to deal with plastics, environmentally aware (e.g. recycling processes) (AC6).
Materials used
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Teacher’s course.
Additional notes and background information, given during the lectures, belong also to the examination subject.
Textbooks for optional background information:
* “Polymers: Chemistry & Physics of Modern Materials”, J. Cowie; Blackie, 1991.
* “Saechtling Int. Plastics Handbook”, W. Woebcken; Hanser Publishers, 1995.
* Journals on polymers and plastics.
See also the references in the course.
Study costs
About € 2,50 to buy the course material.
Study guidance
Students, individually or in group, have the possibility to make an appointment for additional explanation.
Teaching Methods
Lectures.
Assessment
100% theory: written examination with oral explanation (open questions concerning the course and the additional notes).
Lecturer(s)
Vanhee Paul
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