This course will provide an introduction to the design and physics of soft matter with a focus on polymer networks and hydrogels. The course will integrate fundamental aspects of polymer physics, engineering of soft materials, mechanics of viscoelastic materials, applications of networks and gels in biomedical applications including tissue engineering, 3D printing, and drug delivery.
Lernziel
The main learning objectives of this course are: 1. Identify the key characteristics of soft matter and the properties of ideal and non-ideal macromolecules. 2. Calculate the physical properties of polymers in solution. 3. Predict macroscale properties of polymer networks and gels based on constituent chemical structure and topology. 4. Design networks and gels for industrial and biomedical applications. 5. Read and evaluate research papers on recent research on networks and gels and communicate the content orally to a multidisciplinary audience.
Skript
Class notes and handouts.
Literatur
Polymer Physics by M. Rubinstein and R.H. Colby; samplings from other texts.