Short Course – Polymeric Foams and Latticed Architectures – Enabling Dematerialization and Performance – September 9th – 11th, 2024

Taught by Instructors:

Course Description:

This course will provide an interdisciplinary introduction to foams, microcellular structures, lattice architectures, and metamaterials, with a thread of sustainability woven throughout the lectures.  Dematerialization represents a critical step in sustainability to reduce polymer consumption without compromise to performance; thus, the lectures will collectively address fundamental polymer science as applied to emerging directions for polymeric foams, aerogels, latticed architectures, and meta materials.

Polyurethanes, polyureas, and poly (urethane ureas) will serve as common compositional platforms for the course, although extension to other polymeric compositions will serve to demonstrate the versatility of overarching structure-property-processing relationships.  Lectures will emphasize polymer structure and design, physical properties, and advanced processing with a focus on complementary foaming and additive manufacturing processes.  Our focus will include efforts to enhance sustainability with the concept of dematerialization, nature-inspired design, and more sustainable additive manufacturing processes to complement legacy manufacturing modalities.  Course content is aimed towards a general technical audience, inviting new and experienced scientists and engineers in industrial, national laboratory, and university settings.  The lectures will be supplemented with class notes, research highlights, and dedicated time for Q&A and discussion.  Some previous exposure to polymer science and basic chemistry concepts, especially basic organic chemistry, would help provide maximum value to attendees, but no prior experience with the specific focus topics is necessary.

See web page for full details, www.GGPF.org, click on the September course event. 

Please note that regular registration ends 8 pm Aug. 26, and late registration is more expensive.

– Clayton Henderson, for the Golden Gate Polymer Forum