Introduction: Mechanisms and kinetics of anionic polymerization, cationic polymerization, living/controlled radical polymerization (ATRP, RAFT, TEMPO), ring opening polymerization, coordination polymerization. Macromolecular Architectures: Star polymers: symmetric (multifunctional initiators, multifunctional linking agents, difunctional monomers), asymmetric (molecular weight asymmetry, topological asymmetry), star- block, miktoarm; Comb homopolymers and graft copolymers (“grafting onto”, “grafting from”, “grafting through or macromonomer strategy”) regular graft copolymers, exact graft copolymers; Cyclic polymers; Dendritic polymers; ω-Branched and α,ω-Branched polymers; Block-graft and Star-graft copolymers; Hyperbranched and Dendrigraft polymers; Complex macromolecular architectures (8-shape, θ-shape, etc.).
Concepts and definitions: monomers and monomeric units, degree of polymerization, homopolymers, copolymers, nomenclature and classification, chain structure, microstructure, conformation and flexibility, average molecular weights and polydispersity, thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, fibers, plastics; Polymerization methods: step-growth, radical, living radical, anionic, cationic, catalytic, ring opening metathesis; Methods of molecular weight determination: membrane and vapor pressure osmometry, light scattering, size exclusion chromatography, viscometry; Properties: thermal, mechanical, flow; Fundamentals of polymer processing: extrusion, injection, film blowing.