Postgraduate Course: Polymer Science and Engineering (MSc) (PGEE11152)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course gives an introduction to polymer science and engineering, covering the properties of polymers, polymer reactions, polymer forming and production processes and polymer characterisation. |
| Course description |
1. Introduction to polymers: Overview of applications
2. Polymer classification and terminology
3. Viscoelastic behaviour
4. Glass transition
5. Rubber Elasticity
6. Solution and phase behavior
7. Polymer crystallinity
8. Polymer structure vs thermal, rheological and physical properties
9. Making polymers - polymerisation mechanisms, free radical chain reactions, ionic polymerisation, condensation polymerisation, cooridination polymerisation
10. Copolymerisation
11. Polymer characterisation
12. Polymerisation in reactors - plug flow, CSTR, fluidised bed, batch reactor
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
75 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
2 hour written examination.
This course is assessed by means of a single two-hour written examination, comprising three compulsory questions. The first two, worth 30 marks each, are intended to test competence in the subject and may be similar to worked examples in the lectures. The third question, on the reactors section of the course and worth 40 marks, is intended to test mastery of the subject matter and will therefore be more challenging. |
| Feedback |
Feedback will be provided orally both in the briefing sessions for the reaction engineering component and within the surgery hours on completed attempts at the questions set. Class-wide feedback will also be provided on the final examination. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- CS: Explain the relationship between polymer properties (thermal, rheological, mechanical), and polymer microstructure and molecular weight; Relate polymer properties to their processing and uses; Explain methods for determining the microstructure and molecular weight of polymers and describe the significance of polymer solubility, melting point and glass transition temperature.
- K&U: Describe different types of polymerisation process, and the significance in each of: initiation, propagation, termination, branching; and, for copolymerisation, reactivity ratios and monomer ratio.
- Practice: Calculate average molecular weights of polymers knowing the conversion and/or other reaction conditions; Calculate the ratio of monomer types in copolymerisation and predict the type of sequence obtained; Determine the data required for the design of polymerisation reactors of a variety of types: batch, plug-flow, CSTR, heterogeneous (emulsion, fluidised bed), and predict the mean residence time and size of reactor for simplified cases.
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Reading List
1. McCrum, Buckley, Bucknall, "Principles of Polymer Engineering", Oxford Science, 2nd edition 1997 (Recommended reading)
2. Osswald and Menges, "Materials Science of Polymers for Engineers", Hanser, 2nd edition 2003 (Recommended reading)
3. Powell & Jan Ingen Housz, "Engineering with Polymers", Stanley Thornes, 2nd edition 1998 (Recommended reading)
4. Fried, "Polymer Science and Technology", Prentice-Hall, 2nd edition 2003 (Background reading)
5. Birley Haworth, Batchelor, "Physics of Plastics: Processing, Properties and Materials Engineering", Hanser, 1992 (Recommended reading)
6. Ebewele, "Polymer Science and Technology", CRC Press, 2000 (Background reading)
7. Painter & Coleman, "Fundamentals of Polymer Science", Technomic, 2nd edition 1997 (Recommended reading)
8. Ehrenstein, "Polymeric Materials", Hanser, 2001 (Recommended reading)
9. Rudin, "The Elements of Polymer Science and Engineering", Academic Press, 2nd edition, 1998 (Recommended reading)
10. Billmeyer, "Textbook of Polymer Science", Wiley, 3rd edition, 1984 (Recommended reading) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Polymer Science,Reactors,Properties,Polymer processing,Characterisation |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Cher Hon Lau
Tel: (0131 6)50 7813
Email: Cherhon.Lau@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Shona Barnet
Tel: (0131 6)51 7715
Email: Shona.Barnet@ed.ac.uk |
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