Natural and Synthetic Polymer Chemistry
B.S.
Students take advanced courses in mechanisms of polymerization and polymer synthesis, physical properties and characterization of polymers, and laboratory techniques of polymer synthesis and characterization. Special topics courses in contemporary polymer and material science are available as electives. In addition, courses in carbohydrate chemistry provide a solid background for chemists planning careers in paper, plastic, high-tech, energy, membranes, and related areas. Biochemistry is an appropriate elective for students interested in the growth of biotechnologies while environmental chemistry complements this program for students interested in working on problems of biodegradation. The program offers an excellent background both for direct entry into industrial chemistry and graduate study in areas such as chemistry, biotechnology or polymer science.
Students may enter the Bachelor of Science program as first-year students or as transfer students. Students who are preparing to transfer to ESF as juniors must have earned at least 60 credits of college coursework in courses comparable to the lower-division course requirements.
Undergraduates in the Natural and Synthetic Polymer Chemistry option take advanced lecture courses in the following areas:
- reaction kinetics and mechanisms of polymerization and polymer synthesis (FCH550),
- physical properties and characterization of polymers (FCH552),
- laboratory practice in the techniques of polymer synthesis and characterization (FCH551).
Some appropriate chemistry electives are:
- Biochemistry (FCH530) is an appropriate elective for students interested in biotechnology.
- Environmental chemistry (FCH510 or FCH 511) complements the polymer program for students interested in working on problems relating to the environmental fate of polymers and compounds used in their production and processing.
- Carbohydrate/Polysaccharide Chemistry (FCH540): excellent preparation for chemists planning careers in paper, textiles, membranes, biotechnology and related areas.
- Biochemistry (FCH541): another good choice for biotechnology oriented students or premedical students,
- Computational Chemistry (FCH420): an introduction into the use of computers to model polymer and other chemical structures.
- Advanced courses in mathematics, statistics.
Research opportunities in polymer chemistry through the FCH495/498 sequence are strongly encouraged.
The program offers an excellent background both for direct entry into industrial chemistry and graduate study in areas such as chemistry, biotechnology, material or polymer science. More than 50 percent of all practicing chemists work on problems involving polymer chemistry.
Participating Faculty
- Israel Cabasso; icabasso@syr.edu
polymer chemistry and membrane science - Paul M. Caluwe; pmcaluwe@syr.edu
organic chemistry, synthetic polymer chemistry - Avik P. Chatterjee; apchatte@esf.edu
polymer chemistry, theoretical polymer and physical chemistry - Kelley J. Donaghy; kdonaghy@esf.edu
inorganic chemistry and chemical education, fuel cells - Ivan Gitsov Ivanov; igivanov@syr.edu
synthesis and characterization of dendrimers, hyperbranched, and other nanostructured polymers, polymer chemistry - Christopher T. Nomura; ctnomura@esf.edu
biochemistry, polymer chemistry, biopolymer chemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, energy, biodegradable plastics, microarray analysis - Arthur J. Stipanovic; astipano@esf.edu
polymer chemistry, biopolymers, biodegradable polymers, characterization, rheology - William T. Winter; cellulose@esf.edu
polymer structure and characterization, physical and structural biochemistry, structural polymer chemistry, NMR, diffraction, biopolymer and polysaccharide chemistry, computational chemistry