Course detail

Polymers

FSI-WPLAcad. year: 2025/2026

This subject deals with materials, which in many applications replace classical materials and together with technical glasses and ceramics create a new class of modern constructional materials. Attention is paid to: molecular structure and molecular weight of polymers, transition
temperatures; viscoelasticity, reological models, stress-strain behaviour, influences of strain rate, of temperature and of time on mechanical properties of polymers, time-temperature superposition, degradation and ageing; polymeric composites, anisotropy of their properties, production and applications; basic types of plastics, their properties and applications; technology of processing and principles of designing of plastic products; plastics and environment, resources of leavings, trends in waste recycling, recycling of plastics to polymers and low-molecular products, incineration of plastics.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Entry knowledge

Student has to be informed about basic types of monomers a their polymerisation reactions. He has to know relations between structure of polymers and their physico-chemical properties and also he has to be informed about testing methods of structure and properties of polymers.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Credit: The practice attendance must be 100% (absence will be solved individually); active participation on the practice program is assumed; students have to fulfil the requirements of continuous control. The activity of student in practice is evaluated and the result is given to examiner.
Examination: The first; written; part: the orientation of student in the whole taken through subject matter is checked up by means of 30 questions. Every answer has rate of 5 points in the best occasion, so it is possible to gain 150 points maximally. Acquisition of less then 75 points means the failing. Student, who gains more then 76 points, passes to the second ; oral ; part of exam with rating ;sufficient/E in case of acquirement from 76 to 90 points, ;satisfactory/D from 91 to 105 points, good/C from 106 to 120 point, very good/B from 121 to 135 points and excellent/A from 136 to 150 point. In oral part of exam the student demonstrates the quality and depth of his knowledge in areas determined by examiner. Resulting evaluation of student considers his evaluation from practice and involves results from written and oral part of exam.
Conditions of credit landing: presence in all practical lessons and fulfilment of given tasks. In the case the student does not fulfill these conditions he can receive, in reasoned cases,compensatory conditions.

Aims

The main goal of this subject is to introduce, in addition to metals and advanced ceramics, another high-quality materials; polymers and polymer composites. The aim is to meet students with structure, processing, properties and modification of advanced plastics, to enable the students to understand positives and negatives of these materials and to use this class of materials progressively.
The students gain overview about relationship between composition, processing, structure and mechanical properties of polymers and composites with polymeric matrix. Gained knowledge permits the students to choose the most suitable material for given application, to estimate influence of service conditions on behaviour of polymeric materials and to predict the durability of structural parts made of plastics. The students are familiarized with possibilities of recycling of plastic materials.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

CAHN, R. W., HAASEN, P., KRAMER, E. J. Materials science and technology: a comprehensive treatment. Volume 11/12, Structure and properties of ceramics. Structure and properties of polymers. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, 2005, 765 s. ISBN 3-527-31395-8. (EN)
Ducháček V.: Polymery - výroba, vlastnosti, zpracování, použití. 2. vyd. Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze, Praha 2006. ISBN 80-7080-617-6 (CS)
JONES, D. R. H., ASHBY, M. F. Engineering Materials 1: An Introduction to Properties, Applications and Design. 4. Elsevier Science, 2011. ISBN 0080966659. (EN)
OHRING, M. Engineering Materials Science. San Diego: Academic Press, 1995, 827 s. ISBN 0-12- 524995-0. (EN)

Recommended reading

FINK, J. K., High Performance Polymers. Elsevier Science, 2008. 760s. ISBN 978-0-81551-580-7. (EN)
MEISSNER, B., ZILVAR, V. Fyzika polymerů: Struktura a vlastnosti polymerních materiálů. Praha: Státní nakladatelství technické literatury, 1987, 306 s. (CS)
OHRING, M. Engineering Materials Science. San Diego: Academic Press, 1995, 827 s. ISBN 0-12- 524995-0. (EN)
POKLUDA, J., KROUPA, F., OBDRŽÁLEK, L. Mechanické vlastnosti a struktura pevných látek: (kovy, keramika, plasty). Brno: PC-DIR, 1994, 385 s. ISBN 80-214-0575-9 (CS)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme B-VTE-P Bachelor's 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory
  • Programme N-MTI-P Master's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1.Polymers (structure and properties)
2.Reological models of mechanical behaviour of polymers, behaviour of polymers under the tensile stress, time – temperature superposition
3.Composites with polymeric matrix: classification of fillers and polymeric matrixes
4.Basic information about particle, short-fibrous and long-fibrous composites
5.Mechanical properties of composites
6.Processing of composites
7.Overview of polymers and composites with polymeric matrix-picked thermoplastics, their principal properties and applications
8.Overview of polymers and composites with polymeric matrix-thermosets, their principal properties and applications
9.Processing of plastics (compression molding, vacuum forming, transfer molding, extrusion)
10.Processing of plastics (blow molding, injection molding)
11.Bonding of plastics
12.Degradation of plastics (degradation due to mechanical stress, radiation and contact of polymer with liquid)
13.Waste management (trends in waste recycling, recycling of plastics to polymers or to low-molecular products, incineration of plastics)

Laboratory exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1.Computational practice I
2.Computational practice II
3.Experimental determination of dynamic fracture toughness
4.Excursion to specialised firm
5.Closing practice – questions and answers, discussion.