Polymers and Soft Materials

Enrollment Requirements: Undergraduate Prerequisite: CASPY 410 or ENGBE 424; Graduate Prerequisite: Graduate Standing An introduction to soft matter for students with background in materials science, chemistry and physics. This graduate-level course covers general aspects of structure, interactions, and functions of polymers and soft materials (including colloidal suspensions). Specifically, students will learn key fundamentals behind the unique viscoelastic behavior of polymers and colloids, which an emphasis on understanding conceptual, structure/function, and mathematical roots. Topics include chain behavior and self-avoiding walks, Flory- Huggins theory, and development of DLVO theory for zetapotential measurements. On a practical level, students will leave the class with an understanding of why rubber bands are stretchy, why people can run on cornstarch in water, why mixing polymers is challenging, and why Kevlar is bendable yet bulletproof! Meets with ENG ME and MS 504; students may not receive credit for both.