Materials Science World Congress

Polymer Science & Technology describes one of the most vibrant areas of science specializing in large groups of materials spontaneously with monomer units which are simple and small in structure. Polymers may be broadly categorized as synthetic polymers, including plastics and elastomers, and natural polymers, including proteins and cellulose. Knowing the properties and behaviors of these new materials is essential for the design of new products and applications in various sectors such as packaging, automobile, health, and electronics.

The properties of these polymers depend on the chemical composition, molecular size, and percentage crystallinity. These defining characteristics define their physico-mechanical nature – tension, flexibility, high-temperature performance, and chemical inertness. Scientists in the field of polymer science conduct efforts to create novel polymers with characteristics desired for certain uses.

In this context, polymer processing methods are instrumental in remodeling the raw polymer materials for use. There are four major techniques used including extrusion, injection molding, blow molding plus thermosetting. These new material processing techniques including microfabrication and three-dimensional printing have opened up new vistas of application of polymer since the shapes and structures produced are intricate.

A combination of nanotechnology with polymer science has precipitated the formation of nanocomposites, an association of nanoparticles with polymer matrices for improved properties such as strength, thermal conductivity char, and barrier performance. Also, new biodegradable polymers play against the traditional plastic materials’ negative impact on the environment and enhance the sustainability of degradable materials.

There are almost innumerable uses for polymer science and technology applications with everything from simple packaging to high-tech materials used in medical equipment and aviation available on the market. Continued investigation is directed towards the discovery of new polymer systems and improvement of the known systems for continued innovation and responding to issues of sustainability in the material world along with its performance.