2024 Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Undergraduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
Polymer Chemistry Basics
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Shinji Ando / Takashi Ishizone / Takeshi Serizawa / Hideyuki Otsuka / Ken Nakajima / Kotaro Satoh / Masatoshi Tokita
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Tue
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CAP.Y201
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 17, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Polymer materials have various characteristics suitable for usages in many fields such as food, clothes and housing, automobile, electronics, life science, civil engineering and construction, aerospace, and sports. This course explains various characteristics of polymers in view of polymer synthesis, structure, and properties and lets students get to know the fundamental concept of polymer science, guiding them to advanced courses on polymer science.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Explain the concept of polymer science.
2) Explain the synthesis of polymers.
3) Explain the structures and morphologies of polymers.
4) Explain properties characteristic to polymers.
Keywords
Molecular weight, Molecular weight distribution, Degree of polymerization, Stereoregularity, Repeating unit, Sequence, Branching structure, Step-growth polymerization, Chain-growth polymerization, Polymer Reaction, Cross-linking, Conformation, Higher-order structure, Physical properties
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course consists of lecture-type lessons. The contents will be given by T2Schola in advance. Students are sometimes given assignments related to the lecture. The order of lectures (lecturers) could be changed for certain reasons.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | What are polymers ? / History of polymers (Ishizone) | Understand the concept and histories of polymers. |
| Class 2 | Synthesis of polymers (Satoh) | Understand the basics of polymer synthesis. |
| Class 3 | Synthesis and reactions of polymers (Otsuka) | Understand the basics of polymer synthesis and reactions. |
| Class 4 | Structure and physical properties of polymer solids (Tokita) | Understand the basics of structure and physical properties of polymer solids. |
| Class 5 | Polymer chain statistics and polymer solutions (Nakajima) | Understand the basics of polymer chain statistics and polymer solutions. |
| Class 6 | Functional polymers (Ando) | Understand the basics of functional polymers. |
| Class 7 | Life and biorelated polymers (Serizawa) | Understand the basics of life and biorelated polymers. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 60 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterward (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Not specified (handouts will be distributed)
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Textbook: Hiromo Kitano et. al., "Polymer Chemistry", Sankyo Pub., 2007.
Reference: SPSJ ed. "Fundamental Polymer Science 2nd. ed.", Tokyo Kagaku Dojin Pub., 2020.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' course scores are evaluated on the basis of the scores of assignments and short exams.
Related courses
- CAP.H204 ： Physical Chemistry IV (Statistical Mechanics)
- CAP.Y202 ： Polymer Synthesis I (Step-Growth Polymerization)
- CAP.Y204 ： Polymer Physics I (Polymer Solutions)
- CAP.Y203 ： Polymer Synthesis II (Chain Polymerizaiton)
- CAP.Y205 ： Polymer Physics II (Solid Structures)
Prerequisites
There are no requirements to take this course.