The Laboratory for Introductory Polymer Courses Lon J. Mathias Department of Polymer Science, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 394060076
of interrelated and complementary experiments as much as The recognition of the need for undergraduate and graduate possible. The combination which seems to he most meaningful courses in polymer science is gradually becoming more to the students involves several erouns of exoeriments in widespread. A recent survey of polymer courses and programs which the synthesis and characterTzation of a given polymer indicates significant growth in educational opportunities in are intimately related. This is also more typical of the type of polymers over the last decade ( I ) . However, this growth still bench-work the students will he involved with in their profalls far short of meeting societal needs in this field. The Nafessional careers. In real life, a chemist rarely makes something tional Research Council has published a comprehensive study just to throw it away. The synthetic effort is coupled to the of polymer science and engineering in the nation. The results application or evaluation for which the polymer is desired. The were summarized recentli(2) andseveral main points follow. laboratory should reflect this approach with one or more While a minimum of 30% (50-60% is a more reasonable estierouus of experiments. mate)~of industrial chemists and chemical ~- all ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , engineers work able 2 lists experiments involving synthesis and characwith polymersionly 8.4%of the academic chemists do so. The terization (taken from Table 3 and references (5-7)) which ACS "Directom of Graduate Research" for 1979 indicates onlv require a minimum of special equipment and student skills. 3% of chemistiy professors and 17%of chemical engineering Almost all of the synthetic experiments require only glassware professors do research in polymers (2). In fact, the report typically available in undergraduate laboratories. For examstates that two-thirds of all chemistry departments have no ple, Thiokol rubber and various nylons can readily he prefacultv workine" with uolvmers. The report makes two im. pared with only beakers and stir bars, while most of the vinyl portant recommendations: that polymer concepts he included polymers can he made with just test tubes, septa, needles, and in traditional courses in chemistrv, biochemistrv, materials a nitrogen gas source. More demanding procedures such as and engineering curricula; and more importantly, that an inionic or Zeigler-Natta polymerizations can he included for :I) r ~ l t ~ trcoductcwy course In plymers he oit'rrrd i n d ~ ~ p > ~ r t m students with better lahoratory backgrounds. In general, the these fields. Thl. A('S Pdynier I Jivi4un and the LJi\.i*ion.,I' organic core course is a sufficient prerequisite for these ex0 r g m i ~('oatiyc . and I'la,ric, ('ht.m~>trvhave ior yrors 11wn neriments. invdred in vifirts tco meet these need.; thn,ll
