WINONASTATEUNIVERSITY

PROPOSALFORUNIVERSITY STUDIES COURSES

Department ____Engineering______Date ______02/15/06______

___ENGR 394______Polymer Science and Characterization______3_____

Course No.Course NameCredits

This proposal is for a(n)___X__ Undergraduate Course

Applies to:__X___ Major______Minor

__X_ Required_____ Required

_____ Elective_____ Elective

University Studies (A course may be approved to satisfy only one set of outcomes.):

Course Requirements:

Basic Skills:Arts & Science Core:Unity and Diversity:

_____ 1. College Reading and Writing_____ 1. Humanities_____ 1. Critical Analysis

_____ 2. Oral Communication_____ 2. Natural Science _____ 2. Science and Social Policy

_____ 3. Mathematics_____ 3. Social Science_____ 3. a. Global Perspectives

_____ 4. Physical Development & Wellness_____ 4. Fine & Performing Arts_____ b. Multicultural Perspectives

_____ 4. a. Contemporary Citizenship

_____ b. Democratic Institutions

Flagged Courses:__X__ 1. Writing

_____ 2. Oral Communication

_____ 3. a. Mathematics/Statistics

_____ b. Critical Analysis

Prerequisites __CHEM 340, ENGR 285______

Provide the following information (attach materials to this proposal):

Please see “Directions for the Department” on previous page for material to be submitted.

Attach a University Studies Approval Form.

Department Contact Person for this Proposal:

____Saeed ____

Name (please print)Phonee-mail address

[Revised 9-05]

University Studies Course Approval

Department or Program: Engineering

Course Number: ENGR 394

Course Title: Polymer Science and Characterization

Number of Credits: 3

Catalog Description: (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 Survey), and ENGR 285 (Properties of Materials). Grade only.

This is an existing course that has previously been approved by A2C2 No .

OR

This is a new course proposal Yes . (If this is a new course proposal, the WSU Curriculum Approval Form must also be completed as in the process prescribed by WSU Regulation 3-4.)

Department Contact Person for this course: Saeed Ziaee

Email:

The proposed course is designed to satisfy the requirements in (select one area only):

Course Requirements

A. Basic Skills: B. Arts & Sciences Core:

______1. College Reading and Writing______1. Humanities

______2. Oral Communication ______2. Natural Science

______3. Mathematics ______3. Social Science

______4. Physical Development and Wellness ______4. Fine & Performing Arts

C. Unity and Diversity: D. Flagged Courses:

1. Critical Analysis___X_ 1. Writing

______2. Science and Social Policy______2. Oral

______3. a. Global Perspectives ______3. a. Mathematics/ Statistics

______b. Multicultural Perspectives______b. Critical Analysis

____ 4. a. Contemporary Citizenship

______b. Democratic Institutions

Course Syllabus

DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING

ENGR 394: Polymer Science and Characterization

Spring 2007

Instructor:Dr. Saeed Ziaee

Office: 203D ST

Tel:(507) 457- 2984

E-mail:

Office Hours: will be posted by the office and on Desire to Learn (D2L).

Teaching Assistant:TBD

OBJECTIVE:

This course is designed to teach students to operate thermal analysis instruments and to analyze their data in order to: identify polymers, determine their thermo-physical properties, investigate miscibility of polymer blends, and gain insight into morphology of polymeric systems. A major part of the course is also geared toward writing laboratory reports. This course is designed to satisfy the requirements in Writing Flag.

NO TEXTBOOB IS REQUIRED. An audio book will be posted on D2L for this class. The book is an American Chemical Society short course on physical chemistry of polymers. Other than this book, any introductory book to polymer science and engineering is helpful for this class. Good authors include Leslie HowardSperling, C.B. Bucknall, David W. Eisele, and Fred W. Billmeyer but there are many other books. The content of this course is not polymer chemistry. It is polymer physics or physical chemistry. Here are some good reference books that can give you definitions and data quickly:

1 – Physical Chemistry of Polymers, James Mark, American Chemical Society short course, 1986.

2 – Textbook of Polymer Science, Fred W. Billmeyer, Jr., 3rd Edition, 1984, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

3 – Polymer Science Dictionary, Mark S.M. Alger, 1st Edition, 1989, Elsevier Applied Science.

4 – Properties of Polymers, D. W. van Krevelen, 3rd completely revised edition, 1990, Elsevier.

5 – Thermal Analysis of Polymers, M. P. Sepe, Rapra Review Reports, Vol. 8, no. 11, 1997, Rapra Technology Limited.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND EVALUATION:

1.TEST(3 tests and final): Each has 10% of your final grade. Your midterm will be given during the lab hours so you have enough time to work on it. The final has to be held at its scheduled date and time. Tests are closed book and notes however, I will either allow you to bring or provide the handout of data that you might need. Materials in the exams can be from any part of the course except instruction/operation of laboratory instruments. (40% Total)

2.QUIZ: You will have oral and/or written quizzes,during the lab, on the operation of the instruments you learn in this course. Quizzes are taken individually. (10% Total)

3.LABORATORY REPORT: You have 7 laboratory experiments. Each lab report makes up 5% of your final grade. You work in groups for these labs. Follow the format and guidelines that will be given for your report. This will save you time and help you to write and read technical papers. You will do experiments in groups; each group member should know all aspects of performing experiments, analyzing data, and writing reports. Grades will be normalized based on peer review of team members. (35% Total)

  1. PROJECT: One project will be assigned for the semester and it is 15% of your total grade. This is a group project. You will use the instruments that you learned about in the course to complete the project. You will write a report also. Your final grade has contribution from your data, data analyses, deduction and reasoning, and writing the report. The breakdown of the grade for each of these parts will be decided later according to the complexity of each project. An oral quiz will determine the contribution of each group member to the completion of the project.

Total Score = 100GRADE SCALE: 100 - 90% A, 90 - 80% B, 80 - 70% C, 70 - 60 % D

POLICIES

1 – Come to class and lab on time. Otherwise you may miss the quiz. Keep quiet in class and lab, especially when we are learning the operation of an instrument.

2 – If you have to miss a HW, a lab, or an exam, you should consult with me prior to being absent or immediately after you return to class. Otherwise, it is understood that you will get a grade of zero for that assignment or exam.

3 – All information used in your homework, laboratory reports, or projects that have sources other than your notes, should be properly referenced.

4 – You are required to wear safety glasses in the laboratory when working with chemicals. If a student fails to wear safety glasses, he/she will be dismissed for the day and will receive a failing grade for that lab. Those of you who wear contact lenses should be very careful around chemicals since the vapor of some solvents and curing agents may cause your lenses to swell. Do not bring any food or drink into the labs. This is for your own safety. Many of the chemicals we use do not evaporate easily so items contaminated with those chemicals can stay around for a long time. Ingestion of these chemicals can cause serious problems to your health.

5 – Points will be taken off if I or the grader cannot read your handwriting. Show calculations completely and answer questions as thoroughly as you can. If I cannot follow your reasoning, I cannot give you credit. You are proving to me that you know the answer.

6 – I do not agree with memorizing definitions word by word (especially someone else’s words such as mine, textbook’s, or other students’); however, you must be able to express definitions in your own words/terms. Do not worry if your definition is not as concise as that in the books or notes at first. The point is that in the process of rewording the definitions, in your terms, you understand and remember the meaning of it for a longer period of time. This practice also shows the hidden subjects/assumptions/conditions associated with a definition that you and I might have ignored. Eventually you become more thorough and concise with your answers.

TOPICS

These are the topics we will go over in class. More topics might be added or some of the following topics might be replaced by others as the project in class may require.

1.Introduction: Tg, Tm, Free Volume, Additivity Rule of Mixture, Stoichiometry, Physical Interactions, Molecular Weight and MW Distribution, Cross-link Density, structure-property relationship

2.Thermal Analysis

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)

Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA)

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)

Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA)

Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA)

3.Polymer Blends

Calorimetry, Heat of Mixing

Group Contribution Method

Binary Interaction Model

Phase Separation

4.Molecular Spectroscopy

Infrared Spectroscopy

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

  1. Separation and molecular weight determination: Gel Permeation Chromatography &

Light Scattering

EXPERIMENTS

  1. TGA: degradation temperature and solid content
  2. TMA: glass transition temperature and coefficient of thermal expansion
  3. DSC: heat of reaction, glass transition temperature, degree of crystallinity
  4. DMA: effect of temperature on dynamic mechanical properties
  5. FT-IR: identification of neat polymers
  6. FT-IR: monitor of cure kinetics
  7. GPC: separation and concentration measurement of thermoplastics, molecular

weight determination

Contribution of Course to Writing Flag Requirements:

Topic / Outcome
Course 4/4. Polymer Science and Characterization / Creating & completing successful writing / Understand features of uses of writing in engineering / Adapt writing to expectations in engineering / Use of technology in research and writing / Conventions of evidence, format, usage, & documentation in engineering
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) / X / X / X
Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) / X / X / X
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) / X / X / X
Differential Scanning Calorimetry(DSC) / X / X / X
Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) / X / X / X
Gel Permeation Chromatography / X / X / X

1.Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to practice the processes and procedures for creating and completing successful writing in their fields.

In this course, students are required to write report for their laboratory experiments and their project. They are taught to write technical reports. The reports are based on experimental data collected by the students in the lab. Students learn about various sections of a technical report and the type of information that fits into each section. This activity leads to creating a preliminary outline for a report. The outline of every report is graded and given back before the students proceed to write the full report. In writing the full report, students learn the order in which each section of the report should be written to produce a coherent and cohesive report. The reports are graded mainly based on the logical order of presentation of information and sufficient details, in addition to data analysis and interpretation. A sample outline and report are provided for the students.

2.Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to understand the main features and uses of writing in their fields.

3.Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to adapt their writing to the general expectations of readers in their fields.

4.Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to make use of the technologies commonly used for research and writing in their fields.

State-of-the-art instruments are used in this course. Students are divided into groups and are required to run the instruments and analyze their data for the subsequent report. Each group is trained on operation and data analysis of each instrument. Detailed written instruction and visual tapes are provided for future references as well. There are two major activities in the lab period. For about the first half of the semester, students learn the operation of instruments using standard samples/materials. Lectures complement the theory behind the phenomena that these tests/instruments exhibit. In the second half of the course, students complete a project, in which they use all the instruments they learned to prove a technical point. They experience a research-type activity. To write reports, students use Microsoft Word, Excel, and Kaleidagraph. Kaleidagraph is a plotting software and has fitting capabilities as well.

5.Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to learn the conventions of evidence, format, usage, and documentation in their fields.

In all laboratory reports, students are required to properly reference sources they used to complete the report. However, this activity is more relevant to the project.

WINONASTATEUNIVERSITY

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______