WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
PROPOSAL FOR NEW COURSES
Department: Engineering Date: February 20, 2006
Refer to Regulation 3-4, Policy for Changing the Curriculum, for complete information on submitting proposals for curricular changes.
Course No. ENGR 394 Course Name: Polymer Science and Characterization Credits 3
This proposal is for a(n) ___X___ Undergraduate Course ______Graduate Course
Applies to: ___X___ Major ______Minor ______University Studies*
__X_ Required _____ Required ______Not for USP
_____ Elective _____ Elective
Prerequisites: CHEM 340 (Organic Chemistry Survey), and ENGR 285 (Properties of Materials).
Grading method ___X___ Grade only ______P/NC only ______Grade and P/NC Option
Frequency of offering: Once every year
*For University Studies Program course approval, the form Proposal for University Studies Courses must also be completed and submitted according to the instructions on that form.
Provide the following information:
A. Course Description (see attached)
1. Catalogue description.
2. Course outline of the major topics and subtopics (minimum of two-level outline).
3. Instructional methods utilized. Please indicate the contributions of lectures, laboratories, web-based materials, internships, and other instructional methods to this course.
4. Course requirements (papers, lab work, projects, etc.) and means of evaluation.
5. Course materials (textbook(s), articles, etc.).
6. List of references.
B. Rationale (see attached)
1. Statement of the major focus and objectives of the course.
2. Specify how this new course contributes to the departmental curriculum.
3. Indicate any course(s) which may be dropped if this course is approved.
C. Impact of this Course on other Departments, Programs, Majors, or Minors
1. Does this course increase or decrease the total credits required by a major or minor of any other department? If so, which department(s)?
2. List the department(s), if any, which have been consulted about this proposal.
Attach a Financial and Staffing Data Sheet.
Attach an Approval Form with appropriate signatures.
Department Contact Person for this Proposal:
Name (please print): Saeed Ziaee Phone: 457-2984 e-mail address:
A. Course Description (see attached)
1. Catalog description.
ENGR 394: Polymer Science and Characterization 3 – S.H.
A lecture-laboratory course. Investigate and determine thermal and physical properties of thermoplastics, thermosets, and their blends to get insight into their thermodynamic state and morphology. Correlate kinetics of cure to macroscopic behavior of thermosets. Theories discussed in the course include group contribution technique, polymer miscibility, and phase separation. Technical Writing is an integral part of this course. Prerequisite: CHEM 340 (Organic Chemistry), and ENGR 285 (Properties of Materials). Grade only.
2. Course outline of the major topics and subtopics (minimum of two-level outline).
1 / Overview of thermoplastics, thermosets, and their structure-property relationship:a. modulus, strength, strain
b. toughness
2 / Thermophysical properties of neat polymers and composites
a. glass transition temperature
b. melting point
c. coefficient of thermal expansion
3 / Thermal analysis: DSC, DMA, TGA, TMA
DSC: a. heat of reaction and glass transition temperature
b. degree of crystallinity
DMA: a. effect of temperature on dynamic mechanical properties
TGA: a. degradation temperature and solid content
TMA: a. glass transition temperature and coefficient of thermal expansion
4 / Polymer miscibility:
a. heat of mixing
b. phase separation
c. morphology in polymer blends
5 / Spectroscopic technique: FT-IR
FT-IR: a. identification of neat polymers
b. monitor of cure kinetics
6 / Kinetics of cure and correlation to morphology
7 / Separation technique: Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)
GPC: a. separation and concentration measurement of thermoplastics
b. molecular weight determination
3. Instructional methods utilized. Please indicate the contributions of lectures, laboratories, web-based materials, internships, and other instructional methods to this course.
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Laboratory: 2 hours per week
4. Course requirements (papers, lab work, projects, etc.) and means of evaluation.
Homework (grade)
In-class exams (grade)
Laboratory work (knowledge of instrument operation, ability to analyze data, ability to write lab report)
Projects (proficiency in data analysis and interpretation, lab report)
5. Course materials (textbook(s), articles, etc.).
Physical Chemistry of Polymers, James Mark, American Chemical Society short course, 1986.
6. List of references.
Textbook of Polymer Science, Fred W. Billmeyer, Jr., 3rd Edition, 1984, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Polymer Science Dictionary, Mark S. M. Alger, 1st Edition, 1989, Elsevier Applied Science.
Properties of Polymers, D. W. van Krevelen, 3rd completely revised edition, 1990, Elsevier
Thermal Analysis of Polymers, M. P. Sepe, Rapra Review Reports, Vol. 8, no. 11, 1997, Rapra Technology Limited
B. Rationale
1. Statement of the major focus and objectives of the course.
a. To use conventional thermal analysis techniques and to analyze data obtained from the instruments.
b. To obtain thermophysical properties of polymers and polymer blends to: identify them, determine their degree of miscibility, and get insight into their mechanical properties.
c. To use spectroscopic technique to: identify polymers, monitor their rate of polymerization, and get insight into their morphology and mechanical properties.
d. To use chromatography technique to separate polymers based on their size and molecular weight.
e. To write technical report.
2. Specify how this new course contributes to the departmental curriculum.
The learning outcomes covered in this course are: fundamentals, problem solving, tools, communication, and teamwork. There is no instruction in the teamwork and problem solving outcomes in this course, they are only practiced. In this course, students learn about fundamentals of thermal analysis and polymer blends, learn to operate instruments they have not used before, and learn to write laboratory reports.
3. Indicate any course(s) which may be dropped if this course is approved.
This course replaces ENGR 465 Composite Characterization Techniques.
C. Impact of this Course on other Departments, Programs, Majors, or Minors
1. Does this course increase or decrease the total credits required by a major or minor of any other department? If so, which department(s)?
No it does not.
2. List the department(s), if any, which have been consulted about this proposal.
The Department of Chemistry has been consulted about the content of this course to make sure that the topics discussed in this class are not repeated in Polymer Chemistry (CHEM 410).
D. Describe impacts of this proposal on the University Studies Program.
The University Studies Content (Writing Flag) of the proposed course remains consistent with that of the ENGR 465 (Composite Characterization Techniques) course it replaces. A University Studies proposal for this course was also submitted.
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
FINANCIAL AND STAFFING DATA SHEET
Course or Program: ENGR 394 Polymer Science and Characterization
Include a Financial and Staffing Data Sheet with any proposal for a new course, new program, or revised program.
Please answer the following questions completely. Provide supporting data.
1. Would this course or program be taught with existing staff or with new or additional staff? If this course would be taught by adjunct faculty, include a rationale.
Course will be taught by existing faculty.
2. What impact would approval of this course/program have on current course offerings? Please discuss number of sections of current offerings, dropping of courses, etc.
No impact.
3. What effect would approval of this course/program have on the department supplies? Include data to support expenditures for staffing, equipment, supplies, instructional resources, etc.
No Impact.
Approval/Disapproval Recommendations
Department Recommendation: Approved_____ Disapproved____ Date:______
Chairperson Signature______Date______
Dean's Recommendation: Approved_____ Disapproved ____* Date:______
Dean's Signature______Date______
*In the case of a Dean's recommendation to disapprove a proposal a written rationale for the recommendation to disapprove shall be provided to USS
USS Recommendation: Approved_____ Disapproved____ Date:______
University Studies Director's Signature______Date______
A2C2 Recommendation: Approved_____ Disapproved_____ Date:______
A2C2 Chairperson Signature______Date______
Faculty Senate Recommendation: Approved_____ Disapproved____ Date:______
FA President's Signature______Date______
Academic Vice President's Recommendation: Approved_____ Disapproved____ Date:______
VP's Signature______Date______
President's Decision: Approved_____ Disapproved____ Date:______
President's Signature______Date______