FONDAMENTI DI SCIENZA E TECNOLOGIA DEI MATERIALI POLIMERICI

The main learning objectives are to transfer information:

• Knowledge and understanding: Basic knowledge on the relationships between the structure of polymeric materials and their mechanical properties, on the technologies of transformation of polymeric materials, on the problems related to their production and recycling
• Knowledge and understanding: Importance of polymeric materials and their composites as materials and of the interfacing of a chemist with other professionals knowing in part their language and needs. Furthermore, to acquire the knowledge of engineering derivation methods that can be exploited to complete the analytical characterization of polymeric materials.
  Applied knowledge and understanding skills: Ability to apply what has been learned during the lectures in the exercises carried out during the course.
• Autonomy of judgment: Students learn to objectively evaluate what they have learned during lessons and exercises.
• Communication skills: Students acquire communication skills that are formed both during the lessons, thanks to a continuous verbal conversation with the teacher, and during the oral exam.
• Learning skills: Learning skills are assessed through the oral exam and exercises which are an important part of the course.

The course includes lectures and ongoing tests. If course should be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Properties that guide the selection of materials in engineering and structural applications. Price and availability of materials. Mechanical properties. Tensile tests. Elastic moduli: Linear and nonlinear elasticity. Physical basis of Young's modulus; Bond stiffness. Determination of Young's modulus. Hardness tests. Yield strength, tensile strength and ductility; Dislocations and yielding in crystals; Strengthening methods and plasticity of polycrystals; Continuum aspects of plastic flow; Fast fracture and toughness; Micromechanisms of fast fracture; Fatigue failure; Mechanism of fatigue. Fatigue design; Creep and creep fracture; Mechanisms of creep. Structure-property relationships. Outline of the theory of rubber elasticity. Viscoelastic properties of polymers. Constitutive equations. Compliance. Relaxation modulus. Dynamic mechanical properties. Dynamic mechanical measurements and study the structure of polymers and transitions. Time-temperature equivalence principle. Viscoelastic models. Yield and molecular architecture. Eyring model. Failure criteria for yield. Crazing and failure criteria. Toughness. Mechanical principles of brittle fracture of polymers. Mechanical properties of the fibers. The processing technologies of polymeric materials. Elements of rheology. Viscosity. Newtonian and non-Newtonian behavior. Dependence of viscosity on shear rate. Dependence of viscosity on molecular mass. Dependence of viscosity on temperature and pressure. Phenomena of elasticity of the melt. Constitutive equations of viscoelastic polymers melted. Rheometers. Principles of operation of machinery processing of polymeric materials. Molding. Extrusion. Injection molding. Calendering. Blow molding. Thermoforming. Rotational molding. Resin transfer molding. Notes on 3D molding. Polymer composites. Fibers and matrices. Glass fibers. Carbon fibers. Aramid fibers. Size of the fibers for composites. Composite particle. Mechanical properties. Micromechanics of the lamina. Hand lay-up processes. Spray-up Molding. Vacuum bagging. Forming in an autoclave. Resin Transfer Molding. Filament winding. Pultrusion. Technologies for thermoplastic matrix composites. Nanofillers (carbon nanofibers, clay, nanosilica, carbon nanotubes, graphene) and their nanocomposites: preparation methods and performance. Recycling of polymeric materials. Materials-process-property relationships in processing of recycled polymer. Recycling of polyolefins. Re-stabilization of recycled materials and new recycling technologies.

Introduction to physical polymer science (L.H.Sperling – Wiley)

An Introduction to mechanical properties of solid polymers (I.M. Ward-J.Sweeney – Wiley)

Manufacturing processes for advanced composites (F.C. Campbell – Elsevier)