Polymer Materials Processing

Overview

What you will study

KTH Royal Institute of Technology's Polymer Materials Processing course provides an overview of polymer categories and their processing abundance in the society. 

Melt processing of the thermoplastics is described in terms of mechanical and physical behaviors as related to processing parameters, including: melting, rheology and viscosity, molecular orientation, crystal formation/growth and the relevance of post processing methods. The techniques are exemplified by laboratory exercises, including extrusion and injection molding of some of the most common thermoplastics. 

Thermosetting polymer composite fiber laminates reviewed and different fiber impregnation techniques are discussed (for epoxies, polyesters and vinyl esters) as well as high and low-temperature curing conditions.

A part of the course consists of student projects and demands that the student identifies the polymer processing techniques for a known product, identifies its constituent materials, and in group/individually discuss possible improvements in a presentation. The aim is that the student should be able to critically analyze and motivate the best selection of materials as related to its demands and production cost, with possible improvements. The overall learning goal with the course is that the students have acquired a general knowledge of the utilization of engineering thermoplastics, thermosets and rubber-like materials used in the diverse polymer processing industry. Each lecture is accompanied with 8-12 more specific learning goals to facilitate repetition of the lectured course content.

After completing the course the student should be able to:

• Be able to describe different processing strategies of polymers with different characteristics, related to the possibility to use them in continuous or intermittent polymer processing. 

• Be able to relate the processing conditions to specific processing equipment, extruders, injection molding machines, calendaring equipment, etc. used to produce commonly encountered polymer products in the society. 

• Be able to carry out the basics in processing of thermosets, thermoplastics and elastomeric materials in a processing laboratory.

• Be able to make use of polymer crystals in thermoplastics and describe to which extent crystallization can be used to improve the performance of the polymer products.