Basic concepts – classification, nomenclature, molecular weights, molecular weight distribution, glass transition, degree of crystallinity, morphology, and viscosity-molecular weight, mechanical property – molecular weight relationships.

Molecular weights and Methods of determination, molecular weight distribution, size and shape of macromolecules. Intrinsic viscosity, Mark-Houwink relationship.

Chain structure and configuration, conformation, size of an ideal chain (freely jointed chain and other models), Real chains, Flory theory.

Thermodynamics of polymer solutions.

Molecular motion (self-diffusion, hydrodynamic radius, Rouse Model, Zimm Model, entangled polymer dynamics and de Gennes reptation model).

Glass transition temperature – elementary theories and methods of determination.

Variation of glass transition with structure.

Rubber elasticity – concepts, thermodynamic equation of state. Elementary theories of viscoelasticity (Maxwell, Voight).

Mechanisms and Methods of Polymerization – Step (condensation) polymerization – Description – Reactivity Functional Groups – Kinetic and thermodynamic considerations – Molecular weight distribution. Chain polymerization, controlled radical polymerizations (INIFERTER, ATRP, RAFT, SET). Living Polymerizations. Ziegler-Natta and metathesis polymerizations.

Selected Applications

Text Books:

1. J. Young and P. A. Lovell, Introduction to Polymers, 2^nd Edition, Chapman and Hall, 2002.
2. W. Billmeyer, Textbook of Polymer Science, 3rd Edition, John Wiley, 1994.
3. R. Gowariker, N. V. Viswanathan, Jayadev Sreedhar, New Age International (P) Ltd, 2005.
4. Odian, Principles of Polymerization, Fourth edition, Wiley-Interscience, 2004.
5. H. Sperling, Introduction to Physical Polymer Science, Wiley- Interscience, 1986.
6. Rubinstein and R. A. Colby, Polymer Physics, Oxford University Press, 2003.