Plastics and Polymers - A Material Class Shaping the World

Whether you're a professional, student, educator, or simply curious about plastics and polymers, this course is designed for you! Dive into the fascinating world of polymer science and explore their diverse applications.

We'll start with the fundamentals, defining polymers and highlighting what makes them unique. You'll gain a comprehensive understanding of their properties and various analysis methods. We'll cover the characteristics of common polymer reaction types and how they influence the final product.

This course goes beyond textbook explanations. We focus on applying your knowledge to understand the bigger picture and develop practical skills. Here's a detailed look at the curriculum:

• Definitions and History: Begin your journey by understanding the building blocks of polymers and how they differ from smaller molecules.
• Properties and Analysis: Explore key physical parameters such as crystallinity, molecular weight, viscosity, and mechanical properties. Learn how these are measured and analyzed.
• Radical Polymerization: Gain a detailed understanding of radical polymerization, including its mechanistic and kinetic background, and its crucial role in industrial processes.
• Ionic Polymerization: Discover how ionic polymerization allows for precise control over polymer structure and, consequently, polymer properties.
• Polyinsertion: Get a concise overview of large-scale production processes for common polymers like PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene).
• Polycondensation and Polyaddition: Learn about step-growth reactions and how they are used to create a wide range of polymers with tailored properties, illustrated with everyday examples.
• Focus Lectures: Delve deeper into the kinetic background of specific polymerization reactions with optional, specialized lectures.
• Quizzes: Reinforce your learning with chapter-end quizzes to track your progress and identify areas for improvement.

Upon completion, you'll be able to explain how common polymers are manufactured, how their properties can be customized, and understand their structure at a molecular level. You'll also gain a technical understanding of how reaction parameters impact the final polymer product.