Chapter Contents

CHAPTER 1: Introduction to Polymer Materials

• Origins: Early History of Synthetic Polymers

• Definitions

CHAPTER 2: Microstructure and Molecular Weight

• Polymer Chain Microstructures

• Molecular Weight – Definitions

CHAPTER 3: Polymer Synthesis

• Background and Classification

• Step-Growth Polymerizations

• Non-catalyzed Chain or Addition Polymerizations

• Catalytic Chain Polymerizations

• Relationship of Monomer Type to Polymerization Method

• Polymerization Processes

CHAPTER 4: Polymerization Kinetics

• Chemical Kinetics

• Reactivity of Chain Molecules

• Kinetics of Step-Growth Polymerizations

• Kinetics of Chain Polymerizations

CHAPTER 5: Probability and Statistics of Polymerization

• Introduction to Probabilities

• Statistics of Linear polycondensation

• Statistics of Chain Polymerizations

• Branching and Gelation

CHAPTER 6: Copolymerization

• Introduction

• Kinetics of Chain Growth Copolymerization

• Copolymer Sequence Distributions

CHAPTER 7: Spectroscopy and Chain Microstructure

• Introduction

• Molecular Spectroscopy of Polymers

• Characterization of Microstructure

CHAPTER 8: Structure and Morphology

• Introduction

• Conformations

• Order and Morphology

CHAPTER 9: Natural Polymers

• Introduction and Background

• Microstructure of Polypeptides and Proteins

• Conformations and Structure of Polypeptides and Fibrous Proteins

• Polysaccharides

• Poly(Nucleic Acids)

CHAPTER 10: Structure of Polymer Matrix Composites

Introduction

• Classification

• Reinforcing Materials – Particles

• Reinforcing Materials – Fibers

• Polymer Matrix Materials

• The Interface and Interphase

• Structural Composites

• Examples of Polymer Composites

CHAPTER 11: Thermal Transitions

• Introduction

• Thermal Transitions in Polymers

• Crystallization

• The Crystalline Melting Temperature

• The Glass Transition Temperature

CHAPTER 12: Polymer Solutions and Blends

• Introduction

• Entropy of Mixing

• Enthalpy of Mixing

• Phase Behavior

• Dilute Solutions

CHAPTER 13: Solution Properties, Molecular Weight and Branching

• Introduction

• Osmotic Pressure

• Light Scattering

• Viscosity

• Size-Exclusion Chromatography

• Long Chain Branching

CHAPTER 14: Mechanical and Rheological Properties. I. Elastic Properties, Plastic Deformation and Failure

• Introduction

• Mechanical Properties – Basics

• Strength, Stiffness and Toughness of Polymer Materials

• Fracture and Failure in Non-Elastomeric Polymers

• Rubber Elasticity

• Mechanical Properties of Polymer Matrix Composites

CHAPTER 15: Mechanical and Rheological Properties. II Polymer Melt Rheology and Viscoelasticity

• Polymer Melt Rheology

• Viscoelasticity

CHAPTER 16: Processing

• Introduction

• Extrusion

• Basic Injection Molding

• Injection Molding Variations

• Blow Molding

• Compression Molding

• Thermoforming

• Rotational Molding

CHAPTER 17: Appendix: Brief Review of Thermodynamics