Teaching Polymer Chemistry: Revisiting the Syllabus
Loading...
Date
2012-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Scientific Research
Abstract
As anyone who has taught polymer chemistry to undergraduate students might already appreciate, we are faced with
inherent difficulties in clearly communicating the subject matter due its interdisciplinary character. This paper is thus
aimed at proposing a new educational plan to teach this fundamental course in order to overcome some inherent obstacles.
It is especially devoted to professors in charge of teaching a first course in polymer chemistry. We intend to emphasize
polymerization by beginning with the simplest chemical pathway, namely the living anionic polymerization. In
addition, some pedagogical difficulties are outlined all along this paper. This novel and distinct way to teach polymer
chemistry makes the students with a background in organic chemistry more equipped to face difficulties arising from
the introduction of new concepts.
Description
Keywords
Teaching Polymer Chemistry, Chain Polymerization, Step-Growth Polymerization, Polycondensation, Polyaddition
Citation
Open Journal of Polymer Chemistry, 2012, 2, 132-143