Physical Chemistry of Polymers

Potential energy and conformational energy of molecules Staggered and eclipsed states ‐ conformations and configurations, isomeric states and isomerism in polymers ‐ Tacticity, stereoisomerism, geometric isomerism ‐ Unperturbed and Gaussian chains ‐ Random coils and average end to end distance ‐ Freely jointed and freely rotating chain models – Random flight analysis.

Thermodynamics First and second law of Thermodynamics, Carnot cycle ‐ Entropy and enthalpy ‐ Energy driven and entropy driven elasticity ‐ Thermoelasticity – Thermodynamic treatment of rubbers ‐ entropic and energetic contributions to the elastic force in rubbers ‐ Statistical mechanical theory.

Amorphous State Transition temperatures ‐ Glass transition temperature ‐ Free volume, kinetic, and thermodynamic views of glass transition ‐ Factors influencing glass transition temperature.

Crystalline State Crystal systems, unit cells, primitive cell, Bravais lattices, polymorphism ‐ Polymer single crystals, lamellae, spherulites, supermolecular structures, fringed micelle model ‐ Degree of crystallinity, factors affecting crystallinity ‐ X‐ray diffraction.

Chain orientation Concept of chain orientation ‐ orientation in amorphous and crystaline polymers ‐ Uniaxial and biaxial orientation practical significance ‐ Orientation processes ‐ fibre spinning, blown film extrusion, solid state extrusion, profile extrusion ‐ Properties of oriented polymers ‐ Birefringence.