This course will introduce and discuss the basic principles of polymer chemistry. Specifically, it will stress upon the fundamentals of important polymerization reactions (emphasis on step polymerization and radical polymerization) and the principles that govern the structure of the resulting polymers. Synthesis and structure-property relation of several industrially important polymers will be discussed illustrating the applications of these principles. The course will also contain an introduction to basic chemical reactor design principles.
INTENDED AUDIENCE:
Chemistry
MTech
CORE/ELECTIVE:Core
UG/PG :PG
INDUSTRY SUPPORT :
All industries where
polymer and polymer products are being designed, developed and used
475 students have enrolled already!!
COURSE INSTRUCTOR
Rajat K. Das is an
Assistant Professor at Materials Science Centre, IIT Kharagpur. His research
interests include smart stimuli responsive polymeric materials and multiple
network hydrogels. He is taking the course ‘Manufacture of Industrial Polymers’
for 1st year MTech students of the centre.
COURSE LAYOUT :
Week 1:Historical
development of polymer science (since the early 20th century),
classification of polymers (based upon the structure of polymers/based upon
mechanism of polymerization), concept of average molecular weight of polymers,
how to determine different averages for molecular weight (specific methods such
as gel permeation chromatography, vapour pressure osmometry, viscosity
measurement, membrane osmometry etc. will be discussed in some detail).
Week 2:Step polymerization: Control
of molecular weight (stoichiometric excess or monofunctional impurity),number
fraction and weight fraction distribution functions, side reactions in step
polymerization (cyclization vs linear polymerization, the effect of ring
stability and kinetic factor), interfacial polymerization (general principle
along with specific examples, applicability).
Week 3:Chain polymerization:
general discussion of radical vs ionic polymerization; types of initiators;
rate expression for radical chain polymerization, initiator efficiency; different
modes of termination (coupling and disproportionation), chain transfer
reactions and molecular weight control, autoacceleration, ceiling temperature.
Week 4:Chain polymerization
(contd..): Effect of temperature on rate of radical chain polymerization and on
molecular weight of polymers, dead end polymerization; Chain copolymerization:
terminal model and derivation of instantaneous copolymer composition, concept
of reactivity ratio, ideal copolymerization, alternating and azeotropic
copolymerization, copolymer composition drift with conversion, experimental
determination of reactivity ratio, microstructure of copolymers; Living polymerization
methods such as ATRP, NMD, and RAFT.
Discussion of examples from research papers that utilize some of these
strategies to obtain specific properties.
Week 5:Design of Chemical
Reactors: Different kinds of reactors (batch, CSTR, PFR, PBR etc.), basic mole
balance equations and concept of reactor design with respect to the desired
outcome of a chemical reaction (sizing of CSTR and PFR with respect to a
targeted conversion in steady state), PFRs in series vs CSTRs in series.
Week 6:Design of Chemical
Reactors (contd..): Effect of the reactor on the molecular weight distribution
in polymerization (radical vs step growth), Selectivity in chemical reaction vs
choice of reactor, basic energy balance equation, multiplicity of steady states
in CSTR, ignition and extinction temperature, application of these concepts in
polymerization.
Week 7: Industrial synthesis
and structure-property relation of important engineering step polymers and
specialty polymers (week 7 + week 8)
Week 8:Industrial synthesis
and structure-property relation of important engineering step polymers and
specialty polymers (week 7 + week 8:
polyesters, polycarbonates, epoxy resins, aliphatic and aromatic
polyamides, polyurethanes, polyimides etc.); different fiber spinning processes
REFERENCES:
1. Principles of
Polymerization, by G. Odian, Wiley-Interscience
2. Industrial Polymers,
Specilty Polymers, and their applications, by M. Chandra and S. K. Roy, CRC
Press
CERTIFICATION EXAM:
The exam is optional for a fee.
·
Date and Time of Exams: April 28 (Saturday) and April 29 (Sunday) :
Morning session 9am to 12noon.
Exam for this course will be available in one session on both 28 and 29 April.
Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.
The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published.
CERTIFICATE:
Final score will be calculated as : 25% assignment score + 75% final exam score
25% assignment score is calculated as 25% of average of 08 weeks course: Best 6 out of 8 assignments
E-Certificate will be given to those who register and write the exam and score greater than or equal to 40%
final score. Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup. It
will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Kharagpur. It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.
