Macromolecular Science and Engineering Courses (MACROMOL)

*For more information regarding course equivalencies please refer to the Course Equivalency section, under “How to Read a Course Description“, in the CoE Bulletin Website: https://bulletin.engin.umich.edu/courses/course-info/

400 Level Courses

MACROMOL 410 (BIOMEDE 410) (MATSCIE 410). Design and Applications of Biomaterials
Advisory Prerequisite: None. Enforced Prerequisites: (MATSCIE 220 or MATSCIE 250) or graduate standing. Minimum grade requirement of “C-” for enforced prerequisite. (3 credits)
Biomaterials and their physiological interactions.  Materials used in medicine/dentistry:  metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, resorbable, smart, natural materials.  Material response/degradation:  mechanical breakdown, corrosion, dissolution, leaching, chemical degradation, wear.  Host responses:  foreign body reactions, inflammation, wound healing, carcinogenicity, immunogenicity, cytotoxicity, infection, local/systemic effects.

MACROMOL 412 (CHE 412) (MATSCIE 412). Polymeric Materials
Advisory Prerequisite: None. Enforced Prerequisites: (MATSCIE 220 or MATSCIE 250) or graduate standing. Minimum grade requirement of “C-” for enforced prerequisite. (3 credits)
The synthesis, characterization, microstructure, rheology, and properties of polymer materials. Polymers in solution and in the liquid, liquid-crystalline, crystalline and glassy states. Engineering and design properties, including viscoelasticity, yielding and fracture. Forming and processing methods. Recycling and environmental issues.

500 Level Courses

MACROMOL 506 (CHE 506) (MATSCIE 506). Soft Robotic Matter
Advisory Prerequisite: None. Enforced Prerequisite: Senior Standing or Graduate Standing. (3 credits)
Soft robotic matter consists of active materials that can sense, move within, and alter their working environment. Fundamentals and emerging approaches will be explored in soft active matter design, actuation, power, and fabrication across length scales, with focus on engineering their properties and structures for programmable robotic functions.

MACROMOL 509 (BIOMEDE 509) (CHE 509) (MATSCIE 509). Advanced Biomaterials
Advisory Prerequisite: MATSCIE 220 or MATSCIE 250. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
Applications of biomaterials in implants, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and drug delivery systems will be covered. Principles of biomaterials incorporating contemporary research related to rational design strategies for biomaterials, their processing and fabrication, biomimetics, immunomodulation, degradation, and in vivo responses will be included.

MACROMOL 511 (CHE 511) (MATSCIE 511). Rheology of Polymeric Materials
Advisory Prerequisite: A course in fluid mechanics or permission from instructor. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
An introduction to the relationships between the chemical structure of polymer chains and their rheological behavior. The course will make frequent reference to synthesis, processing, characterization and use of polymers for high technology applications.

MACROMOL 512 (CHE 512) (MATSCIE 512). Polymer Physics
Advisory Prerequisite: Senior or Graduate standing in engineering or physical science. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
Structure and properties of polymers as related to their composition, annealing and mechanical treatments. Topics include creep, stress relaxation, dynamic mechanical properties, viscoelasticity, transitions, fracture, impact response, dielectric properties, permeation and morphology.

MACROMOL 514 (MFG 514) (MATSCIE 514). Composite Materials
Advisory Prerequisite: None. Enforced Prerequisite: MATSCIE 220 or MATSCIE 250. Minimum grade requirement of “C-” for enforced prerequisite. (3 credits)
Behavior, processing and design of composite materials, especially fiber composites. Emphasis is on the basic chemical and physical processes currently employed and expected to guide the future development of the technology.

MACROMOL 515 (MATSCIE 515). Mechanical Behavior of Solid Polymeric Materials
Advisory Prerequisite: MECHENG 211 and CHE 412 or MATSCIE 412 or MACROMOL 412 or permissions of instructor. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
The mechanical behavior of polymers from linear viscoelastic to yield and fracture are covered. Specific topics include dynamic-mechanical relaxations, creep, yielding, crazing, fatigue and fracture mechanics. The materials include toughened plastics, polymer alloys and blends and composite materials. Structured design with plastics is also considered.

MACROMOL 517 (MECHENG 517). Mechanics of Soft Materials
Advisory Prerequisite: MECHENG 511 or prior experience in continuum mechanics or permission of instructor. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
Selected topics in the mechanics of soft materials, including nonlinear elasticity, nonlinear viscoelasticity, and (visco)plasticity in amorphous and crystalline polymers. Applications include elastomers, thermoplastics, thermosets, vitrimers, hydrogels, proteins, and biological networks, cells, and tissues.

MACROMOL 518 (CHEM 518). Organometallic Chemistry
Advisory and Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
Systematic consideration of modern aspects of organometallic chemistry including main group and transition metal complexes.  The structure and bonding in organometallic compounds are covered.  Particular emphasis is placed on applications of homogeneous organometallic catalysis in polymer synthesis, industrial processes, and synthetic organic chemistry.

MACROMOL 530 (MATSCIE 517). Advanced Functional Polymers:  Molecular Design and Applications
Advisory Prerequisite: None. Enforced Prerequisite: MATSCIE 412. Minimum grade requirement of “C-” for enforced prerequisite. (3 credits)
Development of global perspective of interdisciplinary issues involved in functional polymers.  Learn how to design, synthesize, evaluate, and analyze functional polymers.

MACROMOL 535 (CHEM 535). Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules
Advisory Prerequisite: CHEM 463. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
The theory and application of useful methods for studying natural and synthetic polymers will be stressed. The methods discussed include osmotic pressure, sedimentation equilibrium, Brownian motion, diffusion, sedimentation transport, intrinsic viscosity, scattering of light and x-rays, optical and resonance spectra, flow and electric bi-refringence, depolarization of fluorescence, circular dichroism and magneto optical rotatory dispersion, electrophoresis, titration curves, kinetics of polymerization, suitable distribution functions for expressing heterogeneity, rigidity and viscosity of gels.

MACROMOL 536 (CHEM 536). Laboratory in Macromolecular Chemistry
Advisory Prerequisite: CHEM 215/CHEM 216. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (2 credits)
Experimental methods for the study of macromolecular materials in solution and in bulk state.

MACROMOL 538 (CHEM 538). Organic Chemistry of Macromolecules
Advisory Prerequisite: CHEM215/CHEM 216, and CHEM 230 or CHEM 260. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
The preparation, reactions and properties of high molecular weight polymeric materials of both natural and synthetic origin. Two lectures and reading.

MACROMOL 558 (CHE 558) (MATSCIE 558). Foundations of Nanotechnology
Advisory Prerequisite: Senior or graduate standing. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
The focus of this course is on the scientific foundations of nanotechnology.  The effects of nanoscale dimensions on optical, electrical, and mechanical properties are explained based on atomistic properties and related to applications in electronic, optics, structural materials and medicine.  Projects and discussion include startup technologies assessment and societal implications of the nanotechnology revolution.

MACROMOL 559 (CHE 559) (MATSCIE 559). Foundations of Nanotechnology II
Advisory Prerequisite: Senior or graduate standing. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits)
This course will cover the synthesis and processing of nano-sized metal, metal oxide, and semiconductor powders.  It will also include organic/inorganic and nanobiomaterials.  Emphasis will be on particle properties and their use in making nanostructured materials with novel properties.

600 Level Courses

MACROMOL 690. Macromolecular Research Rotation
Advisory Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Enforced Prerequisite: None (3 credits)
A two term research rotation in the research groups of participating faculty from different departments, and possibly industry. Students will engage in two one-semester long research rotations with different faculty members. The student will take part in the full life of the lab, including participation in group meetings, seminar, etc.


700 Level Courses

MACROMOL 751 (CHE 751) (CHEM 751) (MATSCIE 751) (PHYSICS 751). Special Topics in Macromolecular Science
Advisory Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (2 credits)
Advanced topics of current interest will be stressed. The specific topics will vary with the instructor.

MACROMOL 790. Faculty Activities Research Survey
Advisory Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (1-3 credits)
This course introduces students to the research activities of MacroSE faculty with the intent of helping a student to choose his research advisor in the first term.

800 Level Courses

MACROMOL 800. Macromolecular Seminar I, II
Advisory Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (2 credits)
Student presentation of selected seminar topics in macromolecular science and engineering.

MACROMOL 890. Introduction to Research Techniques
Advisory Prerequisite: Approval of Graduate committee. Graduate standing. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (1-8 credits)
This course is used for research carried out to earn the master’s degree.

900 Level Courses

MACROMOL 990. Dissertation Research Precandidacy
Advisory Prerequisite: Election for dissertation work by doctoral student not yet admitted as a Candidate. Graduate standing. Enforced Prerequisite: None. (1-8 credits)
This course number is used for doctoral research by students not yet admitted to candidacy. The defense of the dissertation, that is, the final oral examination, must be held under a full-term candidacy enrollment.

MACROMOL 995. Dissertation Research/Candidacy
Advisory Prerequisite: None. Enforced Prerequisite: Candidate. (4-8 credits)
This course number is used for doctoral research by students who have been admitted to candidacy. The defense of the dissertation, that is, the final oral examination, must be held under a full-term candidacy enrollment.