Syllabus Application
MAT 302
Polymer Chemistry
Faculty
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Semester
Spring 2025-2026
Course
MAT 302 -
Polymer Chemistry
Time/Place
Time
Week Day
Place
Date
09:40-10:30
Wed
FENS-L035
Feb 16-May 22, 2026
11:40-13:30
Thu
FENS-L027
Feb 16-May 22, 2026
Level of course
Undergraduate
Course Credits
SU Credit:4, ECTS:7, Basic:5, Engineering:2
Prerequisites
-
Corequisites
MAT 302L
Course Type
Lecture
Instructor(s) Information
Serkan Ünal
- Email: serkanunal@sabanciuniv.edu
Course Information
Catalog Course Description
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of macromolecule synthesis, growth quantification, and the translation of synthetic strategies into functional materials. Students explore all major polymerization methods; step-growth, free-radical (bulk, solution, suspension, emulsion, controlled/living), ionic, coordination, ring-opening, and copolymerization; while applying kinetic and thermodynamic models (Carothers, radical rate laws, Mayo–Lewis, gelation theory) to predict conversion, molecular weight distribution, and architecture. Structure–property relationships including glass-transition behavior, crystallinity, crosslink density, and network formation are integrated throughout reaction design discussions. The course emphasizes converting mechanistic insights into practical process conditions that achieve targeted thermal, mechanical, or functional performance. Students develop hands-on expertise through integrated laboratory and analysis modules, synthesizing representative polymers, monitoring real-time reactions, and characterizing products using modern analytical techniques. Upon completion participants can formulate synthetic pathways, manipulate reaction variables to control macromolecular architecture, and connect chemical structure to end-use properties, essential skills for advanced materials science and nano-engineering research.
Course Learning Outcomes:
| 1. | Define and contextualise key polymer concepts, including monomer, repeat unit, degree of polymerisation, and dispersity. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Classify polymers by backbone chemistry, architecture, and application, providing representative examples for each class. |
| 3. | Analyse how molecular weight, chain architecture, and thermal transitions influence the physical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal behavior of polymeric materials. |
| 4. | Compare and select appropriate synthesis and characterisation techniques for a given polymer target or research question. |
| 5. | Design reaction schemes that achieve specified polymer properties by adjusting kinetic and thermodynamic variables. |
| 6. | Execute and document laboratory syntheses of radical chain-growth, step-growth, and copolymer systems, and characterize the resulting polymers |
Course Objective
*Introduce you fundamental principles of polymer chemistry
*Familiarize you with the polymerization reactions, kinetics and thermodynamics.
*Utilization of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the synthesis of different types of polymer structures, and the process conditions will be evaluated.
*A basic understanding of the reaction parameters for controlling polymerization rates, molecular weights, structural features and mechanical properties will be given.
*A working knowledge of polymer chemistry and physics will be provided by laboratory experiments
-
*Familiarize you with the polymerization reactions, kinetics and thermodynamics.
*Utilization of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the synthesis of different types of polymer structures, and the process conditions will be evaluated.
*A basic understanding of the reaction parameters for controlling polymerization rates, molecular weights, structural features and mechanical properties will be given.
*A working knowledge of polymer chemistry and physics will be provided by laboratory experiments
Laboratory Sessions: Monday 09:40 - 13:30 FENS G049/G050
The schedule of laboratory experiments is tentative, and the order of experiments may be subject to change.
Course Materials
Resources:
Textbook:
Principles of Polymerization, by Odian, Wiley-Interscience (ISBN: 0471610208)
Additional Resources:
Introduction to Polymers, by Robert J. Young and Peter A. Lovell, CRC Press Boca Raton 2011.
Polymer Chemistry, by Sebastian Koltzenburg, Michael Maskos, Oskar Nuyken, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017 (ISBN 978-3-662-49277-2)
Polymer Synthesis: Theory and Practice, by Dietrich Braun, Harald Cherdron Matthias Rehahn, Helmut Ritter, Brigitte Voit - Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg (ISBN 978-3-642-28979-8)
Principles of Polymer Chemistry , by A. Ravve Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg (ISBN 978-1-4614-2211-2)
Principles of Polymerization, by Odian, Wiley-Interscience (ISBN: 0471610208)
Additional Resources:
Introduction to Polymers, by Robert J. Young and Peter A. Lovell, CRC Press Boca Raton 2011.
Polymer Chemistry, by Sebastian Koltzenburg, Michael Maskos, Oskar Nuyken, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017 (ISBN 978-3-662-49277-2)
Polymer Synthesis: Theory and Practice, by Dietrich Braun, Harald Cherdron Matthias Rehahn, Helmut Ritter, Brigitte Voit - Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg (ISBN 978-3-642-28979-8)
Principles of Polymer Chemistry , by A. Ravve Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg (ISBN 978-1-4614-2211-2)
Technology Requirements:
Top Hat