Intended
Audience: Seniors/graduate students who are enthusiastic
about understanding the physics of polymers. Only a basic
working knowledge of calculus, chemistry and physics is assumed.
Aim: To develop the fundamental concepts
required to understand polymers melts, solutions and gels in terms of both structure
and dynamics.
Instructor: Canan Atýlgan – office: 2058;
phone: 9523; e-mail: canan@sabanciuniv.edu
Assistant: TBA
– office: TBA; phone: TBA; e-mail: ???@sabanciuniv.edu
Hours:
Lecture – Tue. 8:40 – 10:30 (L035), Wed. 12:40 – 13:30 (L035); Discussion – Wed.
16:40 – 17:30; Office – see schedule on my door
Textbook: Rubinstein
& Colby, Polymer Physics (2003). ISBN: 0-19-852059-X
Evaluation
will be based two term exams (25 % each), final (30 %), assignments (10 %) and
participation (10 %).
COURSE OUTLINE:
Week 1: Introduction: Definition,
structure, phases and weight of polymers.
Week 2: Determination of
molecular weight (to be moderated by Özge Malay).
Week 3: Ideal chains: Definition
of chain conformation; chain dimensions and their distributions. Free energy of an ideal chain.
Week 4: Real chains: Excluded
volume and self-avoiding walks. Deformation of chains.
Temperature effects.
Week 5: Thermodynamics of mixing:
Energy – entropy of mixing. Phase diagrams. Dilute solutions.
Week 6: Polymer solutions: Type of solvents. Osmotic pressure.
Week 7: Midterm I (Mar.
30) Definition of polymer networks.
Week 8: Random branching and gelation: Percolation. Branching with and without gelation. Mean-field
and scaling models of gelation.
Week 9: Networks and gels: Rubber
elasticity. Swelling.
____________________________________________________Spring
break
Week 10: Viscoelasticity.
Weeks 11: Introduction to dynamics.
Definition of relaxation phenomena.
Week 12: Midterm
II (May 11)
Week 13: Dynamics of unentangled polymers: Rouse and Zimm
models.
Week 14: Dynamics of entangled polymers.
Reptation
in melts and semi-dilute solutions.
Course Organization:
o
Weekly problem
assignments.
o
Occasionally,
usage of simulations to reinforce the concepts.
o
Possible
quizzes during discussion/recitation hours