Polymerization Basics Activity

Abstract

This Polymerization Basics activity was developed for Ph.D. students studying Fiber & Polymer Science (NCSU). This is an unusual course because some students have degrees in polymer science & engineering, while others have never taken a dedicated polymer course and more than half are English language learners. The activity was designed so that upon completion students will be able to: 1) define polymer terms that were included in the activity; 2) compare and contrast step growth and chain growth polymerizations, as well as addition and condensation polymerizations; 3) compare and contrast A-A/B-B and A-B type polymerizations and identify a step growth reaction scheme as either A-A/B-B or A-B; 4) describe two or more characteristics of an excellent figure caption; and 5) reflect on their group’s communication and its effectiveness (or lack thereof) and be able to describe desirable characteristics of effective group communication.

Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Setting: Classroom
Activity Type: Application 
Discipline: Polymer Science & Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Polymer Chemistry 
Course: Advances in Polymer Science 
Keywords: polymers, polymerization, step growth, chain growth, addition, condensation, interfacial, figure captions, video model