Polymer engineering
5 points * 26 lectures plus tutorials * Clayton * Prerequisites: MTE3504, MTE3509
Part 1: Multiphase polymer materials. Structure and properties of polymer blends and foamed polymers. Production and properties of structural (integral) foams. Causes and effects of polymer orientation. Polymer composite structures and their manufacture. Orthotropic elasticity, orientation dependence of strength, failure criteria, fracture of composites. Part 2: Designing with polymer materials. Properties important in design: mechanical, optical, chemical (inc. weathering), electrical and friction/wear properties of engineering polymers. Design principles for thermoset and thermoplastic polymer materials. Composite geometry, use of laminar analysis in design. Overview and future directions of polymer materials. Polymers and society, recycling, packaging.