Key words
Macromolecular chemistry, polymer chemistry, organic chemistry
Objectives
Synthetic macromolecules or polymers form the basis of near all plastics materials.
They are prepared from low molecular petrochemicals (monomers).
First, basic understanding of plastics is given or repeated.
Furthermore, a lot of properties of these materials have their origin in the polymerisation reactions.
So the students must have insight in the different routes for synthesis, the industrial reaction conditions, the polymerisation kinetics and statistics and in the possibility to use comonomers.
Finally they are made familiar with a number of important concepts and principles of plastics technology and plastics characterization with the prospect of a possible thesis on plastics.In the practical (theoretical) exercises the reaction mechanisms, occurring at the synthesis of monomers, polymers and additives are practised on the basis of the general principles of the synthetic organic chemistry.
Topics
Part 1: theoretical session
Basic understanding of plastics;
Discussion on the different polymerisation processes, chemically (step reactions, radical, ionic and coordination chain reactions), as well as industrial technically.
Discussion on copolymerisation.Introduction to the plastics technology and the plastics characterization.
Part 2: practical session
Exercises on the reactivity of the carbonyl group;
Exercises on the reactivity of the double bound in unsaturated systems;
Exercises on substitution reactions.
Prerequisites
The students must have a sufficient knowledge of the general and organic chemistry.
Final Objectives
General scientific competences [AWC1,AWC2,AWC3,AWC4]
The student is expected to think and to reason critically, creatively, scientifically about the course material and to apply the general insights to specific scientific problems.
He (she) must be able, in an efficient way, to communicate and report about it.
Relevant scientific and technical information concerning this course must be efficiently looked up, gathered and absorbed.
General competences [AC1]
The student must be able to discuss and to resolve problems in a team.
Specific competences [SC1, 2]
The student must be able to master general chemical knowledge and skills; he must be able to apply chemical reaction mechanisms and to perform chemical syntheses.
Materials used
Teacher’s course, most recent edition, about 130 p.
Additional notes and background information, given during the lectures, belong also to the examination subject.
Textbooks for optional background information:
* “Textbook of Polymer Science”, F.W. Billmeyer; Wiley Interscience, 1984;
* “Plastics”, Schouten en van der Vegt; Delta Press, 1992;
* “Polymers: Chemistry & Physics of Modern Materials”, J. Cowie; Blackie, 1991.
* Journals on polymers and plastics.
* Course “Advanced Organic Chemistry” HG – Dept INWE, 2nd bachelor in ind. sciences in chemistry.
* See also reference lists in cited literature.
Study costs
About € 4.00 to buy the course material.
Study guidance
Students, individually or in group, have the possibility to make an appointment for additional explanation and / or exercises.
Teaching Methods
Contacting hours: lectures (theoretical session); guided theoretical exercises (practical session);
Beyond the contacting hours: the students must elaborate, in group, the (theoretical) synthesis of an organic compound with the help of the literature.
Assessment
Part 1:
Theoretical session: written examination with oral explanation (open questions concerning the course and the additional notes) (73%).
Part 2:
Practical session (theoretical exercises): permanent evaluation and test (27%).
A weighted average is used to compute the final score for a training item. However, if a student gains a score of 7 or less on 20 on one of the different courses (parts of training items), he proves that his skill for certain subcompetences is insufficient. Consequently, one can turn from the arithmetical calculation of the final assignment of quotas of a training item and the new marks can be awarded on consensus.
Lecturer(s)
Paul Vanhee
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