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Oral Qualifying Exam on Macromolecular Solids

This exam covers the basic physical aspects of synthetic polymers in the solid phase and closely related topics. Processing-structure-property relationships are covered, including time dependent properties.

NON-EXHAUSTIVE TOPICAL AREAS

Characterization techniques for structure and properties:

Microscopy. Optical, scanning electron, transmission electron and scanning probe (sample preparation, resolution limitations, contrast origin, etc.)

Diffraction. Electron, x-ray and neutron. (sample limitations, resolution limits, equipment, etc)

• Wide angle diffraction — effects of defects and crystal size, comparison and interpretation of single crystal, fiber and powder patterns
• Small angle diffraction — effects of slit vs. pinhole collimation, form and interpretation of patterns from single crystal, fiber and spherulitic samples.

Properties. Static and dynamic mechanical (tension, creep and stress relaxation) and dielectric properties; methods of characterization.

Synthetic polymer structure:

• Morphology of crystallizable polymers — crystallization from solution and melt, effects of crystallization rate, pressure, orientation and annealing.

• Morphology of oriented crystalline polymers — mechanism of deformation, resulting morphology, effect of annealing, comparison with deformation of amorphous, glassy polymers.

• Morphology of amorphous polymers — block co-polymers and blends, amorphous homopolymers.

Properties:

• Model interpretation of creep and stress relaxation (static and dynamic), effects of morphology and physical aging on mechanical, dielectric and barrier properties, application of time-temperature and Boltzman superposition.

LEVEL(based on UIUC courses)

MSE 450: Intro to Poly Sc and Eng
MSE 455: Polymer Physics

STANDARD TEXTS

Young, "Introduction to Polymers"
Holmes and Blow, "The Use of X-ray Diffraction in the Study of Protein and Nucleic Acid Structure
Vainshtein, "Diffraction of X-rays by Chain Molecules"
Bassett, "Principles of Polymer Morphology"
Geil, "Polymer Single Crystals"
Geil, Class notes for MATSE 350 (Chapters VI and VIII)