Natural Polymers and Materials

(3 Credits)

The course introduces natural and biomimetic polymers. It is taught with an interdisciplinary view of biology, chemistry and macromolecular science. Topics covered include natural building blocks and methods by which nature carries out polymer synthesis and modification reactions, DNA, structural proteins, plant proteins, polysaccharides, polyesters, biosurfactants, polymers built from natural monomers and a wide variety of renewable resources, uses of these polymers as fibers, films, rheological modifiers, flocculants, foams, adhesives and membranes, and special applications of natural polymers in medicine and as biodegradable plastics. | Co-listed as CM-GY 7923. Prerequisite: CM-UY 1004 and BMS-UY 1004.