MTE2545 - Polymers and ceramics 1 - 2018

Introduction to common ceramics: industrial ceramics: ceramic crystal structures, clay based industrial ceramics, alumina, mullite; their general compositions, microstructures, processing and properties; understanding the characteristics of these materials from phase diagrams. Introduction to polymers: Polymer coil; molecular weight and molecular weight distribution; chain and step-growth polymers; tacticity; random, block and graft copolymers; solution properties; thermal properties and Tg; thermoplastics and crosslinked polymers; polymer blends.

At the successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Discern the properties of commonly used industrial ceramics
2. Describe the structural basis of the common industrial ceramics
3. Discern the structure and synthesis of commonly used engineering polymers
4. Appreciate the link between polymer structure and morphology and polymer thermal and mechanical properties
5. Conducts experiments investigating the properties of ceramics and polymers

Assignments: 30%

Laboratory: 20%

Examination (2 hours): 50%

3 hours lectures, 3 hours of laboratory and 6 hours of private study per week.

See also Unit timetable information

Materials science