2024 Faculty Courses School of Life Science and Technology Undergraduate major in Life Science and Technology
Polymer Science (LST)
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Life Science and Technology
- Instructor(s)
- Atsushi Maruyama / Takafumi Ueno / Yutaka Miura / Kazushi Kinbara
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Tue / 1-2 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LST.A348
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Polymers play pivotal roles in living systems as well as our daily life. In this course, students learn concept, structures, syntheses and properties of polymers.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) describe history and concepts of polymers.
2) explain chemical synthesis of polymers.
3) explain structure and properties of polymers in solid and solution
Keywords
polymer, polymerization, molecular weight, copolymer, block polymer, graft polymer, radical polymerization, ionic polymerization, polycondensation, glass transition, viscoelasticity, phase separation
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Classes are principally composed of lectures and exercises.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | History and concepts of polymers | Explain history and concept of polymers |
| Class 2 | Molecular strictures of polymers(1) | Explain primary structure of polymers |
| Class 3 | Molecular strictures of polymers(2): Chain polymerization | Understand averaged molecular weights and their determination |
| Class 4 | Polymer syntheses(1)：Chain polymerization | Explain chain polymerizations |
| Class 5 | Polymer syntheses(2): Chain polymerization | Explain chain polymerizations |
| Class 6 | Polymer syntheses(3): Step-growth polymerization | Explain step-wise polymerizations |
| Class 7 | Summary and midterm exam of class #1-#6 | Test level of understanding of the first part of the course |
| Class 8 | Polymer reactions | Understand polymer reactions |
| Class 9 | Living polymerization | Explain living polymerizations |
| Class 10 | Control of molecular structure | Understand structural control of polymers in molecular level |
| Class 11 | Highly ordered structures of polymers（1） | Explain highly ordered structures of polymers |
| Class 12 | Highly ordered structures of polymers（2） | Explain highly ordered structures of polymers |
| Class 13 | Solid properties of polymers | Understand solid properties of polymers |
| Class 14 | Summary and final exam of class #8-#13 | Test level of understanding of the second half of the course |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Polymer Science, Kodan-sha
ISBN:978-4-06-156810-5
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Polymer Synthesis (Vol. 1 &2), Koudan-sha, 、ISBN978-4-06-154361-4, ISBN978-4-06-154362-1
Kiso Kobunshi Kagaku, Tokyo Kagaku Dojin, ISBN978-4-8079-0635-2
Evaluation methods and criteria
Exercises 20%, Midterm exam 40%, Final exam 40%
Related courses
- Organic chemistry
Prerequisites
Students have basic knowledges of organic chemistry and physicochemistry.