This project involves the formation of an undergraduate polymer laboratory course. The instruments acquired are used in an existing undergraduate laboratory course, for additional experiments. The two instruments are: a Size Exclusion Chromatography unit to determine polymer molecular weight distribution; and a Torsional Rheometer to characterize the rheological behavior of the material. The project also involves the construction of controlled-environment glove boxes to run polymer synthesis reactions. Students are guided through the three basic stages of synthesis, characterization, and fabrication. Several groups are formed, each with the responsibility of producing and characterizing a sample of given molecular weight. The characterization involves measurement of the polymer's molecular weight distribution and its moments, study of the thermo-rheological behavior of the material, and establishment of a correlation between the two. Samples from different groups are blended to achieve predetermined characteristics and finally processed in model operations such as extrusion, molding, or spin coating. By being allowed to experiment with the above instruments, the students develop a natural feeling for cause-and-effect relations associated with material properties. The instruments have been selected to minimize operator-training times, while achieving a most favorable compromise in terms of versatility, sophistication, and cost.
