NKEB13015U Materials Chemistry (MatKem)

Volume 2019/2020
Content

Materials chemistry lies at the heart of many significant scientific advances from recent decades, for example the development of Li-ion batteries and solar cells. The course focuses on understanding the relation between atomic structure and material properties in solid state compounds, and how we through knowledge of atomic structure can develop the materials of the future.

Topics include:

  • The structure of solid state materials: Important crystal structures of metals, ionic compounds, and molecular network compounds. Defects in crystal structures and their influence on material properties
  • Bonding in solids
  • Characterization of solid state materials: X-ray and neutron scattering, powder diffraction with Rietveld refinement, X-ray spectroscopy, electron microscopy
  • Ionic diffusion in materials; structure/property relations in materials for in Li- and Na- ion batteries, fuel cells, and other electrochemical devices
  • Electrical properties of materials: Conductivity, superconductivity, piezo- and ferroelectric materials
  • Magnetic materials, their structure and properties
  • Optical properties of solid state materials
  • Synthesis of solid state materials
Learning Outcome

Following the course, the student will be able to

Competences

  • Explain structure/property relations in important functional materials
  • Compare different methods of analysis and explain their use in a given situation
  • Explain the principles and physical background of the most important characterization techniques in solid state chemistry
  • Critically read research papers in materials chemistry

 

Skills

  • Use structural databases and visualizations software to describe the structure of important functional materials
  • Perform Rietveld refinements of PXRD data.
  • Extract structural information from data from various characterization methods

 

Knowledge

  • Describe the structure of important crystal structures
  • Describe the bonding in solids, and relate to material properties
  • Describe the importance and influence of defects in crystal structures
  • Describes important material synthesis methods
  • Describe ionic diffusion in materials
  • Describe cooperative magnetic and electrical properties of materials

See Absalon for a list of course literature”. 
 

It is expected that the students are familiar with the content of the courses MatIntro, KemiO, KemiU1, KemiU2, KemiBin or similar.
Lectures, exercises and written assignments, student presentations, and written project work
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Preparation
  • 65
  • Project work
  • 80
  • Theory exercises
  • 32
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment, 14 days
Oral examination, 30 min (no preperation time)
The exam consists of two parts:
A) A written report including an introduction, discussion and assessment of 1-5 recent research papers. The assignment will also include questions on the topics addressed in the course. The research papers are chosen by the course responsible.

B) An oral examination which consists of a presentation of the report, followed by a discussion of the report and its relation to the course material.

The written report and the oral exam carry equal weight in the assessment.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Re-exam

Similar to the ordinary exam. The oral re-examination requires that the written report has been handed in 2 weeks before the re-examination.

Criteria for exam assesment

See learning outcome.