Biopolymers - the basic materials of the living world construction
0600-OG-EN-BBMLWC
The lecture covers the following topics:
1. Polymers in nature.
2. Natural polymers classification.
3. Polysaccharides.
4. Cellulose, starch, chitin, and chitosan: structure, sources, applications.
5. Paper industry: cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose.
6. Proteins.
7. Collagen, gelatin, elastin, keratin, silc fibroin: chemical structure, function, applications.
8. Nucleic acids - structure and functions.
9. Biopolymeric materials in medicine and human life.
The laboratory covers the following topics:
1. How to make a jelly? - magic potato starch.
2. Gelatin gelling, swelling, and texture modeling.
3. How to make milk-based plastic?
4. How to make a juice-based caviar and juice balloons?
5. The art of hand-made paper making
6. Biopolymers for beauty
Total student workload
Contact hours with teacher:
- participation in lectures 14 hrs
- laboratory and practical classes 16 hrs
- consultation
Self-study hours: 45
- reading literature – 15 hrs
- preparation for lab and data analysis- 20 hrs
- preparation for examination- 10 hrs
Altogether: 75 hrs (3 ECTS)
Learning outcomes - knowledge
K1 Student knows the polymers present in nature – K_W01
K2 Student can distinguish natural polymers from synthetic once - K_W02
K3 Student knows the sources of different biopolymers and its properties - K_W02
K4 Student knows the areas of biopolymers application - K_W02
K5 Student can find a relation between a chemical composition, properties, and applications of natural polymers – K_W01, K_W05
K6 The student knows how to plan a proper experiment and can verify the obtained results – K_W09
Learning outcomes - skills
S1 Student can use the essential chemical names and concepts of general and polymer chemistry - K_U01
S2 Student can define the structure and function of polymers occurring in living organisms – K_U03
S3 Student is able to plan simple physical and chemical experiments, conduct the experiments according to a recipe, analyze their results, and explain the occurring phenomena – K_U08, K_U11
Learning outcomes - social competencies
Sc1 Student can organize work in a laboratory efficiently
K-K03, K_K04
Sc2 Student can find the problem and solve it – K_K05
Sc3 Thought creatively to improve existing or create new solutions - K_K02
Sc4 Student can draw conclusions based on the laboratory experiments -K_K07
Sc5 Student can cooperate with other members of the group - K_K02
Sc6 Student can independently and effectively work with a large amount of information, notice relationships, and correctly make conclusions using principles of logic – K_K01
Teaching methods
Lecture with the use of multimedia presentation and elements of discussion.
Students perform experiments in the laboratory according to the instructions, teacher's suggestions, and tips. Consultations and discussion on the purposefulness of the activities performed.
Expository teaching methods
- informative (conventional) lecture
- participatory lecture
Exploratory teaching methods
- laboratory
Prerequisites
At the start of this course, the student should have acquired an active knowledge of English and all basic knowledge of general chemistry (high school level). The student should also be familiar with the basic knowledge about using different materials, including polymeric materials, in human life.
Course coordinators
Assessment criteria
The lecture and the laboratory will be assessed separately.
Assessment methods:
- quiz online (lecture): K1-K6
- activity + lab worksheet (laboratory): S1-S3, Sc1-Sc6
Assessment criteria:
fail - below 50%
satisfactory - 50-60%
satisfactory plus - 61-65%
good – 66-75%
good plus- 76-80%
very good- 881-100%
Practical placement
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors,
localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: