Polymer materials : physical properties and innovations

Functional materials, for construction or design, polymer materials also have the possibility of being recycled. Understanding their physical properties as well as better control of their implementation (by 3D printing for example) and their recyclability is the subject of much research. The physico-chemical and mechanical properties are approached in this course, which also presents concrete cases of innovation in this field. Emphasis will be placed on the life cycle of materials, from implementation to sorting and then recycling. Societal impact of polymers on the environment will be achieved through group work and the production of a poster.

General presentation of polymers, Synthesis of polymers, Characterization and properties of the polymer chain, Review of major classes of polymers (thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers) Physical properties of polymers, The glass transition temperature and other characteristic temperatures, Flow and rheology of polymers, Shaping and recycling, Natural polymer materials and major fields of application, Wood and natural fibers, starch, Proteins Recent innovations in polymers