Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus) |
1st week: introduction, the historical development of synthetic polymers, nomenclature, types of polymers, world production of polymers, polymer applications. 2nd week: the production of monomers (from non-renewable and renewable resources). Polymerization reactions: step-growth and chain reactions. 3rd week: step-growth polymerization - characteristics, mechanism, kinetics, Carothers equation. 4th week: the average molecular weight - definition, types. Molecular weight distribution in step-growth polymerization. Step-growth copolymerization. 5th week: thermoplastic polymers of step-growth polymerization: polyesters (poly(ethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate), polyamides (aliphatic, aromatic), polyimides, polysulfones, polyurethanes. 6th week: thermoset polymers of step-growth polymerization: unsaturated polyesters, alkyd polymers, formaldehyde polymers, epoxies. 7th week: repetition, discussion, conclusions. Continuous assessment (the first colloquium). 8th week: chain polymerization - characteristics Radical polymerization - initiators, mechanism, kinetics. Radical copolymerization - types of copolymers, kinetics. 9th week: polymers of radical polymerization and copolymerization: polyethylenes and copolymers, polystyrene and copolymers, poly(vinyl chloride), acrylic polymers. 10th week: anionic polymerization - catalysts, mechanism, kinetics. Anionic ”living” polymerization. Anionic polymers: copolymers of butadiene and styrene, polysiloxanes. 11th week: cationic polymerization: catalysts, mechanism, kinetics. Cationic ”living” polymerization. Cationic polymers: polyoxymethylene, polyisobutene, poly(tetrahydrofurane) . 12th week: coordination (stereospecific) polymerization and copolymerization - catalysts, mechanism, kinetics. A coordination polymers: polypropylene, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, ethylene/propylene/diene copolymer. 13th week: the technical implementation of polymerization processes: homogeneous polymerization processes (in mass, in solution) and heterogeneous polymerization processes (in mass, in solution, in the gas phase, suspension polymerization, emulsion polymerization, interfacial polycondensation) 14th week: the industrial plants for production of commodity polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polystyrene and poly(ethylene terephthalate)) 15th week: final lecture, discussion, conclusions. Continuous assessment (the second colloquium). Laboratory exercises: Exercise 1. Synthesis of phenol-formaldehyde resin. Exercise 2. Polyesterification of adipic acid with diethylene glycol. Exercise 3. Synthesis of modified alkyd resin. Exercise 4. Suspension polymerization of styrene. Exercise 5. Emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate. Exercise 6. Preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol ) by alcoholysis of poly(vinyl acetate). Exercise 7. Synthesis of polyamide 610 by interfacial polymerization |
Grading and evaluating student work in class and at the final exam |
Continuous evaluation: The entire exam can be passed over two colloquium during the semester. Pass threshold for each colloquium is 50%. Each colloquium participates with 35% in a final grade. Laboratory exercises (50-100% success) participate with 20% in a final grade, while attending lectures in 80-100% amount is 10% of a final grade. Final evaluation: One passed colloquium (previous activity) is recognized as 10% of a final grade. The remaining part is taken on written and oral exam at prescribed examination terms. Written exam accounts for 30%, oral exam for 40%, while laboratory exercises account for 20% of a final grade, respectively. Students who did not take or pass colloquiums take written and oral exam at prescribed examination terms. Passing threshold is 50%. Written exam accounts for 40%, oral exam for 40%, while laboratory exercises account for 20% of a final grade, respectively. Grades definitions and percentages: sufficient (50-61%), good (62-74%), very good (75-87%), excellent (88-100%). |
Required literature (available in the library and via other media) |
Title |
Number of copies in the library |
Availability via other media |
Z. Janović, Polimerizacije i polimeri, Hrvatsko društvo kemijskih inženjera i tehnologa, Zagreb, 1997. |
2 |
Web stranice KTF-a |
R. O. Ebewele, Polymer Science and Technology, CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, 2000. |
1 |
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H. Ulrich, Introduction to Industrial Polymers, Hanser, Munich, 1992. |
1 |
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Optional literature (at the time of submission of study programme proposal) |
S. R. Stanley, W. Karo, J. Bonesteel, E. M. Pearce, Polymer Synthesis and Characterization: A Laboratory Manual, Academic Press, San Diego, 1998.
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