ChE/Ch 148 Home | back to Course List | Caltech Course Catalog

ChECh 148 Polymer Physics
9 units (3-0-6); third term

Prerequisites: Ch/ChE 147 or instructor's permission. An introduction to the physics that govern polymer structure and dynamics in liquid and solid states, and to the physical basis of characterization methods used in polymer science. The course emphasizes the scaling aspects of the various physical properties. Topics include conformation of a single polymer chain under different solvent conditions; dilute and semi-dilute solutions; thermodynamics of polymer blends and block copolymers; rubber elasticity; polymer gels; linear viscoelasticity of polymer solutions and melts; glass transition and crystallization. Instructor: Wang. Given in alternate years; not offered 2007–08.