The Polymer Program serves as the sole center in the State of Connecticut for graduate research and education programs focusing on polymer science and engineering. Established in 1965, the Polymer Program is a nationally and internationally recognized center of excellence for interdisciplinary research and education in the fields of polymer science and engineering. The Program is dedicated to meeting the educational needs of its graduate and professional students; to providing lifelong learning opportunities in the study of polymeric materials; to assisting Connecticut industry in developing polymer technology; and to developing the knowledge base regarding polymeric materials and in disseminating this knowledge on a global basis.
Polymer Program faculty pursue intellectual excellence in an environment that integrates teaching, research, and service and is renowned for its expertise in the synthesis, characterization, engineering, and molecular design of polymeric materials systems. The Program is a leader in polymer research and educational programs. As such, it attracts an intellectually rich and culturally diverse community of students and scholars.
The Polymer Program is approved as an interdisciplinary field of study by the Graduate School; this special status allows students and faculty to collaborate across departmental boundaries. Students are encouraged to take courses in subjects related to their interests, in whichever department they might be offered. Faculty members work together to explore special areas of research, such as nanomaterials, biomaterials, sensors, electronic and photonic polymers, polymers for energy generation and storage, coatings, nanocomposites, molecular simulations, DNA, structure and function of polymers, and polymer blends.
The Polymer Program includes 20 faculty from 7 departments:
- Biomedical Engr.
- Chemistry
- Chemical & Biomolecular Engr.
- Civil & Environmental Engr.
- Mechanical Engr.
- Materials Science & Engr.
- Physics
Opened in 2023, the Science 1 Research Center is a 198,000 square foot, state-of-the art research facility. Core Research Facilities include:
- Chromatography (e.g. GPC, GC, HPLC)
- Electrical Insulation Research Center
- High Field Characterization
- Spectroscopy (e.g. UV, Raman, FTIR, MS)
- Mechanical Testing and Rheology
- Microscopy (e.g. AFM, SEM, TEM)
- Nano-Measurements
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
- Polymer Processing Facilities
- Spectroscopy (e.g. UV, Raman, FTIR, MS)
- Surface Analysis
- Thermal Analysis