Polymer Characterization

3 Units

The common modern techniques used to analyze and identify polymers and polymer systems will be presented and discussed. The fundaments of each technique will be described. Analysis of both structural and behavioral properties will be covered, such as molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, shape, size, morphology, crystalline content, chemical structure, functional groups, and thermal and mechanical behavior. Characterization techniques within this course include: size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) also referred to as gel permeation chromatography (GPC), mass spectrometry (MS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), spectroscopies such as infrared (transmission and attenuated total reflectance, etc.) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of different nuclei and in 1D and 2D, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). Offered as EMAC 381 and EMAC 481 , Prereq: ENGR 145 or Graduate student standing.