Rice starch was incorporated into linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) using a Brabender Plastic-Corder internal mixer at a temperature of 140$\^{C}$ and 40 rpm. The starch loading was varied from 0 to 30% with 5 intervals. Studies on brabender torque development, mechanical properties and water absorption were investigated. The starch loading did not influence the brabender torque significantly. With respect to mechanical properties; the tensile strength and elongation at break decrease with increasing starch loading. The Young's modulus also increases with the starch filling. Mechanical properties were deteriorated as the starch absorbed moisture. The rate of water absorption was dependent on the starch filling in the composites. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis was performed for the tensile fracture surfaces and it revealed the starch agglomeration and a poor dispersion of starch in the LLDPE matrix.

The fabrication of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels involves several thermal processes such as imidization of the alignment layer (AL) and annealing of the rubbed polyimide AL. The nature of these processes on the LC alignment, especially on the pretilt angle (Θ$\_$p/) has been systematically studied, employing various types of polyimide structures. The imidization effect depends on the nature of polyimid precursors; Θ$\^$p/ increases with the degree of the imidization for the main-chain type of ALs, due to the decrease in the surface polarity, but this relation is not applicable to the alkylated ones in which the steric effect at the AL surface by the aliphatic side chains is dominant. Annealing of the rubbed polyimide AL deteriorates its rubbing-induced molecular orientation and subsequently the overlying LC alignment, resulting in the decrease in Θ$\_$p/. Especially, annealing of the LC cell affects the LC-AL interaction as well as the AL orientation and thus its effect on LC alignment depends sensitively on the nature of LC-polyimide interface; aromatic moiety in the polyimide structure gives better thermal stability of LC alignment while fluorinated polyimide ALs induce the less stable alignment.

The present study relates to a method of manufacturing 100$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick cover layer for the high density digital versatile disc system (HD-DVD), which uses a high numerical aperture of 0.85 at 405 nm wavelength. Spin coating technique was investigated as means for manufacturing the cover layer within sufficient margins of thickness variation and with good mechanical properties including small radial and tangential tilts. The influence of processing variables such as spinning speed, spinning time, and dispensing position was investigated. The effect of viscosity of UV-curable resin was also investigated.

Fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of natural rubber/ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (NR/EPDM) blend vulcanizates under dynamic tearing condition was investigated by using a fracture mechanics approach. It appeared that variation of crack growth rate with blend compositions was dependent on the level of imposed tearing energy G. At low tearing energy region, the FCG rates of the blend were lower as the EPDM content was increased, while at high tearing energy region, the trend was reversed. Over the measured range of tearing energy G, all blend compositions showed the lower crack growth rates compared to the average of properties of component elastomers. When the blends were thermally aged, the fatigue resistance of the blends was deteriorated in proportion to the concentration of EPDM phase. Fatigue crack growth behavior of the blends was supposed to be associated with the inhomogeneities of the crosslink structure of the blends arising from cure incompatibility of the EPDM and NR when they are sulphur cured.

A new soluble photosensitive poly(amide-co-imide) containing p-phenylenediacryloyl moiety was synthesized and its photoreactivity was characterized. The copolymer was synthesized fromp-phenylenediacryloyl chloride, 4,4-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride and two equivalents of bis(4-aminophenyl) ether in NMP with a subsequent chemical imidization of the resulting poly[amide$\xi$ο-(amic acid)] by acetic anhydride and pyridine. The structure and thermal properties of the polymer were characterized by spectroscopic methods and thermal analyses. The polymer was stable up to 350$\^{C}$, showed good solubility in polar aprotic solvents, and became insoluble after UV irradiation due to the[2+2] cycloaddition of phenylenediacryloyl moiety. Photoreactivity of the polymer was investigated in solution or as a film with respect to the various exposure conditions by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The photosensitivity was noticeably increased with the irradiation temperature, especially in the presense of photosensitizer. The reason for the increased sensitivity was speculated based on the flexibilization of main chain at elevated temperature. Exposure characteristic curves were obtained from the gel fraction experiments after UV irradiation. The sensitivity and contrast at 160$\^{C}$ were measured to be 293 mJ/㎠ and 1.64, respectively.

Waterborne polyurethane as a new polymer electrolyte was synthesized by using relatively hydrophilic polyols. The morphology of polyurethane was changed as it was dispersed in water. In contrast to polyurethane ionomer, waterborne polyurethane did not form an ionic cluster but produced a binary system composed of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. In the colloidal system, the former and the latter existed at outward and inward, respectively. Waterborne polyurethane was prepared from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) /poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) copolymer, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate(MDI), ethylene diamine as a chain extender, and three ionization agents, 1,3-propane sultone, sodium hydride and lithium hydroxide. PEG/PPG copolymer was used for suppressing the crystallinity of PEG and N-H bond was ionized for increasing the electrochemical stability of polyurethane. Low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene glycol dimethyl ether) (PEGDME) were used as plasticizers. DSC, FT-IR and $^1$H-NMR of the waterborne polyurethane were measured. Also, the ionic conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes based on waterborne polyurethane and various concentrations of low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) or PEGDME were measured by AC impedance.

In order to investigate the photoalignment mechanism of nematic liquid crystals on a polymer film, a new photoreactive polymer having chalcone groups as side chains was synthesized. Linearly polarized UV light causes preferential photoreactions of the chalcone unit along the polarization direction and thus induces the anisotrpy in the polymer alignment layer resulting in homogeneous LC alignment perpendicular to the polarization direction. The sequential investigations of photoalignment generated by the preferential E/Z isomerization and (2+2) cycloaddition reactions show that either photoreaction can solely induce the LC alignment in the direction perpendicular to UV polarization.