Chemistry of Materials

Recommended Prerequisites

Completed first degree.

Teaching Methods

The material of this course will be presented by the academic staff in modules , and will have a strong involvement of the students. Part of the course will involve an individual project linked to the topics under study, and will include a presentation by the students at the end of the semester.

Learning Outcomes

The objective of this curricular unit is to prepare students  in an interdisciplinary area which strongly interacts with all areas of  Chemistry. In recent years, new techniques and tools have allowed the detailed investigation of the properties of materials at the micro- and nanoscale. In a doctoral programme in Chemistry it is vital that students have an introduction to advanced materials that are currently the focus of intensive reseatch.

1. Knowledge and the capacity for understanding

2. Application of the knowledge and understanding

3. Decision making: knowing how to interpret data and present orally and in writing the appropriate decisions

4. Communication: understanding and knowing how to use information sources. Capacity to search and use the literature; knowing how to transmitthe knowledge obtained, even to a non-specilaised audience

5. Competences for self learingin; capacity for independent life-long learning.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Relationship between physical properties and application of materials. Crystallinity. Band theory: conductors, semicondctors and insulators.  Defects in crystalline solids. Amorphous, poros and polycrystalline materials. Doping and semiconductors. Structure, morphology and surrfaces of materials. Properties of interfaces. Metals and alloys. Corrosionm: inhibition and minimisation of corrosion. Nanotechnology and nanocorrision. Crystalline structures and processing of ceramics. The sol-gel process. Superconductivity. The glass transition. Natural and synthetic polymers: homopolymer s and copolymers. Types of polymerisation. Rheology and viscoelesticity. Crosslinking. Conducting and conjugated polymers. Molercularly imprinted polymers. Nanoparticles and nanotubes. Mesophases and liquid crystals. Solid state sesnsors; polymeric membranes Gas and mass sensors. Green chemistry; environmental problems. Atomic economy.

Head Lecturer(s)

Christopher Michael Ashton Brett

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Frequency: 25.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 25.0%
Project: 50.0%

Bibliography

J.L. Gersten, F.W. Smith, “The Physics and Chemistry of Materials”, Wiley,Weinheim, 2001.

S. Yang, P. Sheng, “Physics and Chemistry of Nanostructured Materials”, Taylor and Francis, 2005.

B.D. Fahlman, “Materials Chemistry”, Springer, Berlin, 2008.

A. Noniailhat, “An Introduction to Nanosciences and Nanotechnonoly”, Wiley, Weinheim, 2008.

C.M.A. Brett and A.M. Oliveira Brett, “Electrochemistry. Principles, Methods and Applications”, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1993.

D. Walton, P. Lorimer, “Polymers”, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001.

J. Seixas de Melo et al. (eds.), “Química de Polímeros”, Imprensa da Univ. Coimbra, Coimbra, 2005