Upgrading knowledge of polymer materials from the aspect of materials science and their applications in engineering and other related areas, detailed knowledge of the structure and properties of polymeric materials applicable in the mechanical engineering (thermoplastic, thermosetting plastics, thermoplastics and elastomers), and elaboration (selection and constructions) of some application examples.

Student responsibilities:

Grading and evaluation of student work over the course of instruction and at a final exam:

Preliminary exams during the semester ( 2 ) Final exam

Methods of monitoring quality that ensure acquisition of exit competences:

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to (learning outcomes):

After successfully mastering the subject, the student will be able to: -relate structure and properties of the polymer on the basis of chemical and physical variations, as well as thermodynamically and kinetically controlled changes, -distinguish between immiscible and miscible polymer blends based on their thermal properties, -asses specifics of the structure of the polymer molecules in the solid state, -present mechanical properties of polymers in appropriate diagrams, -evalate data measured when testing the mechanical properties of polymers and composites, -select a specific polymeric material for a given application.

Lectures

1. Polymers - basics

2. Mechhanisms of polymerisation reactions

3. Structure

4. Liquid-solid tranistion, christylline and amorphous structure

5. Polymer mixing and phase transitions

6. Molecular order and self-assembly in polymers and polymer solutions

7. Rheologic properties

8. Viscoelastic properties

9. Mechanical properties

10. Additives

11. Chemical stability

12. Failure analysis

13. An overview of polymeric materials and their properties and application

14. Materials selection for design

15. New polymers

Exercises

1. Characterisation of polymers

2. Characterisation of polymers

3. Characterisation of polymers

4. Characterisation of polymers

5. Molecular weight - determination

6. Viscosimetric determination of molecular weight

7. Reological tests

8. Viscoelasticity - dynamic tests

9. Dynamic mechanical analysis

10. Mechanical properties

11. Mechanical properties

12. Mechanical properties

13. Failure analysis

14. Materials selection

15. Materials selection

Compulsory literature:

R.A.L. Jones - Soft Condensed Matter, Oxford University Press (2003)
M.T. Shaw i W.J. MacKnight - Introduction to Polymer Viscoelasticity, Wiley-Interscience (2005)

Recommended literature: