Summary Course Description
Chapters 1-4
Discussion of basic types of polymer synthesis, chain-growth (also called polyaddition) and step-growth (mostly consisting of polycondensations) plus ring-opening examples that involve heteroatoms.
Chapters 5-7
Chapters here devoted to kinetics of each of the three main types with details of monomer effects on polymerizations and structures; some discussion of how molecular structures impact polymer properties.
Chapters 8-10
Will discuss copolymer syntheses, transition metal catalyzed polymerizations and novel architectures such as star polymers. Examples will include how designed molecular architectures effect basic properties differently than linear analogs.
Move Forward With Polymer Education
You need to know about polymers as a K-12 student, teacher or parent; as a scientist or engineer working with polymers; as a professionl dealing with legal, medical, dental and pharmaceutical issues.
Polymers are part of almost every aspect of everyday life. You use polymers, you wear polymers and most important, you ARE polymers. To find out more about how you rely on polymers, visit our sister site, the Polymer Science Learning Center where you'll find information about polymers presented at all levels of learning and areas of interest. For now, though, continue on with lessons in this introductory course by clicking on the chapter topics in the upper left panel.And if you'd just like to test your knowledge of polymers at various levels, take a quiz or two, or as many as you like. You'll get instant feedback on what you do and don't know. Just click on the links below the chapter topics under "Test Your Knowledge." Have fun and learn lots!