Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description

CODE MME3003

 
TITLE Introduction to Polymer Engineering

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL Not Applicable

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Metallurgy and Materials Engineering

 
DESCRIPTION Objectives

To introduce an understanding of terminology and technology of polymers and main methods used in the manufacture of polymeric products. The stiffness, strength and fracture of nominally isotropic polymers. To describes the thermal and flow properties of polymers relevant to the main melt processing methods are reviewed.

Syllabus

- Introduction: Engineering with polymers, predictive product performance, extruded plastic pipes, extrusion of pipes through a die, melt flow in an injection mould.

- Aspects of polymer Chemistry and Physics: Polymer materials, synthesis methods, structure and composition, phase state and transition.

- Polymer Processing Methods: Mixing, extrusion, moulding process, contact moulding techniques.-

- Stiffness of Polymer Products: Stiffness of plastics, stiffness of rubber, rubber springs.

- Strength of Polymer Products: The traditional approach, the fracture mechanics approach.

- Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Melt Processing: One directional isothermal Newtonian flow, shear viscosity of polymer melts, elasticity of polymer melts, heat transfer in polymer melts.

- Some interactions between processing and properties: Thermal effects, flow effects and some combined thermal and flow effects.

Laboratory Work

Effect of processing parameters on mechanical properties of injection moulded products
a) Barrel and mould temperature
b) Injection pressure
c) Curing time

Reference Textbooks

- Powell P.C., Engineering with Polymers, Chapman & Hall.
- Morton Hones D.H., Polymer Processing, Chapman & Hall.

 
RULES/CONDITIONS Before TAKING THIS UNIT YOU MUST TAKE MME2001

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment No 10%
Examination (2 Hours) Yes 90%

 
LECTURER/S Stephen Abela

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/courses/studyunit/index.php