Syllabus Application
MAT 511
Polymer Chemistry
Faculty
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Semester
Fall 2026-2027
Course
MAT 511 -
Polymer Chemistry
Time/Place
Time
Week Day
Place
Date
08:40-09:30
Mon
FENS-L065
Sep 28-Dec 31, 2026
11:40-13:30
Wed
FENS-L029
Sep 28-Dec 31, 2026
Level of course
Masters
Course Credits
SU Credit:4, ECTS:10
Prerequisites
-
Corequisites
MAT 511L
Course Type
Lecture
Instructor(s) Information
Yusuf Ziya Menceloğlu
- Email: yusufm@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.
Learning Outcomes:
| 1. | Define and contextualize key polymer concepts, including monomer, repeat unit, degree of polymerization, and dispersity. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Classify polymers by backbone chemistry, architecture, and application, providing representative examples for each class. |
| 3. | Analyze 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 characterization 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
To introduce Materials Science and Engineering graduate students to the basic concepts of polymer chemistry and physics, and to provide sufficient background to students to understand polymeric materials.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Related to This Course:
| Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure |
Course Materials
Resources:
Principles of Polymerization, by Odian, Wiley-Interscience (ISBN: 0471610208)
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)
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)