Instructor: Prof. Connie B. Roth
Email: cbroth @ emory.edu
Office hours by appointment

Course Outline  [download]     Text: Hiemenz & Lodge, Polymer Chemistry, 2nd ed, 2007.
Lectures MWF 10:40-11:30 am, MSC N302

Important Dates:
Midterm - Friday, October 24, 2008, 10:30 am-12:00 pm in MSC N215
Presentations on Historical Papers - Friday, November 14th, 2008 (in class)
Presentations on Current Research Topics - Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 and Friday, December 5th, 2008 (in class)
Reports on Current Research Topics - due Monday, December 8th, 2008
Final Exam - Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 (4:30pm - 7:00pm in MSC N302)

Homework:

Assignment #1 due Monday, September 29, 2008     (MW distributions and polymerization)
Assignment #2 due Wednesday, October 15, 2008     (Polymer conformations)
Assignment #3 due Monday, October 20, 2008     (Thermodaynamics of Mixing)
Assignment #4 due Wednesday, November 26, 2008     (Viscoelasticity)
 

Review and Presentation of Historical Paper:     Selection of Historical Papers

Each student will choose an important historical / landmark paper in polymers. They must do a literature search and write a short review placing the work into context.
The review should address the following questions:
   - What was the major finding of the paper?
   - How did it advance the field?
   - How has the paper been cited?
   - Who are the authors and where was the work carried out?
   - Is work in that area still ongoing or has it been resolved?
Written reviews - no more than 2 pages double-spaced
Presentations - 5 minute presentations reviewing paper, in class on Friday, November 14th, 2008. (maximum of 3 Powerpoint slides to illustrate key ideas or figures)
 

Report and Presentation on Current Research Topic:

Each student will select a current area of research in polymers and report / present on the following:
   - Why are people studying this area? Emphasize motivation.
   - What is the relevance to technological applications or society?
   - What are the scientific issues? What are the outstanding questions people are trying to address?
   - Historical timeline? How long have people been researching this topic? What have been the major breakthroughs?
   - Explain the relevant science.
   - What do you anticipate the future of this field to be?
Written report - no more than 5 pages double-spaced text, not including abstract, references, or figures.
   - Cover page should include: Title, Name, Date, and Abstract (max 250 words)
   - References: minimum of 7, with at least something current within the past 3 years
   - Figures: Should be discussed within the body of the text, not just added into parentheses within the text.
Presentations - 10 minute presentations highlighting report to the class. Presentations will be in class on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 and Friday, December 5th, 2008.
   Please hand-in a copy of your presentation slides (a “handout” of 6 slides/page is sufficient).

Possible Suggestions for Current Research Topics:
   - polymers for fuel cell applications
   - polymers in solar cells -- selected by Dandan Chen
   - polymers for organic light emitting diodes -- selected by Ana West
   - polymers for solid electrolyte batteries -- selected by Justin Pye
   - polymer recycling
   - green chemistry (e.g., super-critical CO2 processing) -- selected by Samantha Adkins
   - bio-based composites -- selected by Annika Kriisa
   - polymer nanocomposites -- selected by Gary Hunter
   - polymer blend compatibility
   - polymers in microelectronics -- selected by Elizabeth Baker
   - controlled polymerization techniques
   - polymers as organic semiconductors -- selected by Kazem Edmond
   - ...
(Students are free to choose any current area of polymers that interests them provided it meets the instructor’s approval.)
 

Format for all written reviews and reports::
- 8.5" x 11" paper with 1" margins all around
- 12 point serif font (e.g., Times New Roman)
- true double spaced text (24 pt spacing, equivalent to 27 lines per page)
- Reference format:
    Siatkowski, R. E.; Dunn, D. A.; Botto, R. E. Fundamental Geochemical Properties of Materials Relevant to Petroleum Research. Journal of Obscure Chemistry 2006, 16, 200-215.