Shared Polymer Characterization Instruments for an Extended Physical Chemistry Laboratory

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This project involves the development of a series of shared polymer laboratory experiments for an extended physical chemistry laboratory. This extended lab entails the involvement of three colleges (Wofford College, Converse College, and the University of South Carolina at Spartansburg) working together to fashion a modern physical chemistry lab based upon shared experiments and student collaboration. The goal of this work is to introduce experiments in modern methods of polymer characterization to a currently operating extended physical chemistry laboratory.This project adapts the gains from NSF supported projects on development and use of extended chemistry laboratories (NSF-DUE 9452453 and NSF-DUE 9751605) and the POLYED project (NSF-DUE 9254351). Experiments for polymer characterization involve the use of a differential scanning calorimeter and a gas pycnometer. Also included is a shared light scattering experiment. The characterization experiments have been designed with the advice of two industrial chemists. These experiments focus on the contrast between the properties of small molecules and polymers, and on the way that processing a polymer in a commercial product affects its morphology and thus, its properties. Student collaboration is accomplished by electronic mail and by publishing results on the internet. This mode of information sharing by students at different locations not only facilitates communication skills, but serves as a dissemination platform to other students, chemists, and scientists working on these materials.