Polymers
Polymers and Plastics are an essential part of current everyday life. They are in fact the ‘Stuff of Life’ although Plastics are having ‘a tough time’ in the press, media and many people’s minds. Let’s first think about polymers. Natural Polymers form the basis of human life. The DNA polymer is the chemical messenger of both you and me. It is literally the ‘stuff of life’. Humans and animals are ‘full’ of other polymers too that are performing vital functions. Proteins, Polypeptides and other natural polymers perform crucial functions in our body that make us able to work and think in the way that we do. Without polymers we would not exist. This is also true about the beautiful natural world that surrounds us. Plants, trees and all ‘living vegetation’ are formed from polymers such as, Cellulose Polysaccharides. Without polymers, plants and trees would not exist. Plastics, which are synthetic polymers that have been shaped formed at elevated temperature, currently have a very bad press and are considered by many to be rogue materials. Yes, recycling and waste management of plastics has and is still a problem; however used properly, plastics have a vital part to play in our current life. plastics can mimic the properties of many natural materials and the understanding of synthetic polymers has and continues to help in our understanding of the function of natural polymers. We should celebrate the existence of both natural and synthetic polymers! The polymers section of the web page has been divided into specific areas where I have had first hand experience.
This first section is organised with two powerpoint presentations and then followed by my Cambridge Polymer lecture notes.
Polymer Crystallisation
Polymer crystallisation is at the heart of many polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Understanding the way in which synthetic polymers crystallise has had a huge impact on both plastics and also the understanding of biological polymer syste
Liquid Crystal Polymers
This area of polymer science was very active in the 1980s and at one point it looked as though LCPs were going to become as important as semi crystalline polymers
Find out more > Liquid Crystal Polymers (.pdf)
Polymer Lecture Notes
My polymer lecture notes were given in the 1990s and so they appear rather basic compared to more modern presentations. Also at the time I used the notes as a basis to the course and filled in certain sections and areas on the overhead projector as I went along. So, in some cases you will need to be able to read between the lines!
Find out more >polymer lecture notes
Brilliant Scientists
Finally there is a presentation on Five brilliant scientists.I gave this presentation in 2011 to I suspect a bewildered set of undergraduate students at an Engineering School in Nantes. Individuals are at the heart of science and innovation and in my opinion it is important to recognise the contributions that they have made! I have revisited this presentation in 2021 and added a few additional points (in red) including a summary conclusion.
Find out more > Five brilliant Polymer Scientist (.pdf)