Introductory description

Polymer Laboratories

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Laboratories: Students will be asked to synthesize monomer, initiator, and catalyst where necessary and use these compounds for the polymerization of selected monomers. This module will allow students to combine their advanced polymer knowledge and practical hands-on polymer synthesis and characterization experience, which they should have obtained throughout the Polymer MSc programmes.
The experiments will be focused on fundamental and real world problems in polymer science. While the experiments will be well structured, an element of research at the latter stages (i.e structure property relationships, catalytic acticity/selectivity etc.) will be introduced to combine different elements of the taught material. Representative extended experiments might include:

• Free radical polymerisation
• Cationic ring opening polymerisation,
• Reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerisation
• Single electron transfer living radical polymerisation
• Bioconjugation of polymers onto proteins
• Ring opening metathesis polymerisation
• Polycondensation reaction
• Emulsion polymerisation

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Critically search literature prior to the lab work.
• Perform organic reactions for the initiator, monomer or catalyst synthesis.
• Display an advanced level of synthetic skill in handling polymerization reactions under inert atmosphere.
• Understand the advanced techniques to synthesize and characterize polymers.
• Understand how to report experimental findings in international journals.

Indicative reading list

A bibliography is provided for each stage of the practical work in each unit. Standard texts and online resources are used for safety data. Primary literature will be used as a reference.

Subject specific skills

Key Skills:
Communicate verbally and in writing
Demonstrate polymer characterization skills
Demonstrate understanding of different polymer characterization techniques
Demonstrate the ability to literature search and report experiments
Manage time effectively

Cognitive Skills:
Critically analyse data
Comprehensively assess errors in data
Test hypotheses using experimental data
Interpret results using information from literature.

Subject-Specific/Professional Skills:
Follow good and safe practice in the laboratory.
Demonstrate polymer synthesis and characterisation laboratory skills.
Produce clearly written and original scientific reports.
Research and reference relevant literature.

Transferable skills

TBC