2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Department of Chemical Science and Engineering Graduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
Advanced Polymer Structures
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Masatoshi Tokita
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon (S4-202(S422))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CAP.P522
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 5, 2026
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course focuses on the structures of solid polymers. The first two classes introduce the structures of polymer solids—including semi‑crystalline polymers and thermotropic liquid‑crystalline polymers—and provide an overview of X‑ray scattering techniques used in polymer science. The following five lectures cover the fundamentals of X‑ray scattering and its applications to the study of polymer structures. Exercises are included to review essential knowledge of polymer structures and physical properties.
This course aims to enable students to utilize X‑ray scattering measurements in their own research. Students will conduct X‑ray scattering experiments on polymer samples and analyze and interpret the resulting data, referring to examples involving semi‑crystalline polymers, thermotropic liquid‑crystalline polymers, and their film‑like and fibrous forms. These topics are addressed on the basis of a solid understanding of polymer structures and properties.
Course description and aims
To be able to measure, analyze, and consider polymer solid structures using X-ray scattering.
Keywords
solid polymers, films, fibers, thermal properties, mechanical properties, X-ray scattering, polymer structures, liquid crystals, soft matter
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The course will give contents fundamental points and useful and practical contents in experiments and measurements from the textbook. Materials will be provided as needed. Exercises and assignments will be given as needed.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction and Overview I Polymer Solid Structures |
Students can explain the structures of semi-crystalline and liquid crystalline polymers. |
| Class 2 | Introduction and Overview II Polymer Structure Studies Using X-ray Scattering |
Students can plan the experiments for their master thesis studies utilizing X-ray scattering. |
| Class 3 | A Short Course on Fourier Transform for Understanding X-ray Scattering |
Students can understand X-ray scattering based on Fourier transformation. |
| Class 4 | Scattering by Particles |
Students can evaluate the dimensions and shape of particles using X-ray scattering. |
| Class 5 | Scattering by Crystals |
Students can determine the crystalline lattice using X-ray scattering and index the reflections. |
| Class 6 | Effects of Orders in Soft Matter on X-ray Scattering |
Students are allowed to measure the degree of ordering of soft matters using X-ray scattering. |
| Class 7 | Soft Matter Studies Using X-ray Scattering |
Students can conduct soft matter studies using X-ray scattering. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Before each class, students should scan the appropriate sections of the textbook and reference books to learn the outline. After class, students must complete the assignments independently without seeing others' answers. However, they may discuss the assignments with other students taking the course.
Textbook(s)
Wim H. de Jeu, Basic X-Ray Scattering for Soft Matter, Oxford Univ. Press, 2016. (Available via e-book (Oxford Scholarship Online) in the Library)
Reference books, course materials, etc.
R. J. Young and P A. Lovell, Introduction to Polymers, 3rd Ed., CRC Press, 2011.
Lev M. Blinov, Structure and Properties of Liquid Crystals, Springer, 2011. （Available via e-book (SpringerLink) in the Library）
Ryong-Joon Roe, Methods of X-ray and Neutron Scattering in Polymer Science, Oxford Univ. Press, 2000.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Your grade in this course will be determined by your performance on assignments and in‑class exercises.
Related courses
- CAP.Y204 ： Polymer Physics I (Polymer Solutions)
- CAP.Y205 ： Polymer Physics II (Solid Structures)
- CAP.Y302 ： Polymer Rheology
- CAP.Y304 ： Polymer Physical Properties
- CAP.Y306 ： Polymer Characterization
- CAP.F304 ： Chemical Science and Engineering Laboratory Ⅳ
Prerequisites
This course is primarily for students conducting X-ray scattering experiments on polymer solids and soft matter for their thesis research.