COURSE OVERVIEW

This practical and highly-interactive course
includes various practical sessions and
exercises. Theory learnt will be applied using
our state-of-the-art simulators.
Polymers and composites are widely used for a
range of applications in engineering and technology.
Selecting the correct material which is fit for purpose
is a critical decision faced by engineers and
scientists who do not necessarily have an in-depth
knowledge of the chemistry or physics of polymers.
Polymers are macromolecules built up by linking
large numbers of smaller molecules. Due to their
diverse physical properties, polymers have become
central to a number of important industries, including
plastics, rubber, adhesives, fiber, composites and
paint industries.
This course is designed to provide a good
introductory to polymer and polymerization. It
includes polymer basic definitions and concepts,
and an overview of the basis for the various
classifications of polymers. It also examines the
requirements for polymer formation from monomers
and discusses polymer structure at three levels:
primary, secondary and tertiary. The relationship
between the structure of monomers and properties
of the resulting polymer is highlighted.
Throughout the discussions, emphasis is on the structure-property relationship and
several examples are used to illustrate the concept.
The course provides a practical insight into the factors which influence the
performance of a polymer or composite allowing informed selections to be made.
The course covers polymer synthesis, polymer micro-structure and morphology,
properties of polymers, plastic materials, processing of plastics, applications of
plastics and polymer composites.