Master degree in Materials Science

Solid state chemistry: from the macro to the nano

Solid state chemistry: from the macro to the nano

Academic year 2022/2023

Sommario del corso

• Course objectives
• Results of learning outcomes
• Course delivery
• Learning assessment methods
• Support activities
• Program
• Suggested textbooks and readings
• Teaching tools

Course objectives

The course aims to present in an exhaustive and in-depth way the problems inherent to the structure and reactivity of inorganic materials and their macroscopic, photoelectrochemical and photophysical properties. In particular, it will be highlighted how it is crucial to know how to identify and interpret the role of various bulk and surface defects in the structure of a material. The possible effects on the structure and reactivity in low-dimensional materials will be highlighted in view of a better knowledge of the macroscopic properties of materials themselves.

Results of learning outcomes

Students are supposed to:

- become familiar with the relationship between structure and chemical bond;

- be able to predict a structure according to the kind of chemical bond (ionic, covalent) that is formed;

- understand the role of defects in an inorganic material;

- understand the photoelectrochemical and photophysical processes that can lead to photocatalytic activity and solar energy harvesting.

Course delivery

64 hours lessons
32 hours lab

Attendance to the lessons is non compulsory. Attendance to the laboratory is always compulsory. Each student should be present at least at the 70% of  lab lessons.

The lessons will be held in presence.

Learning assessment methods

Exam with evaluation. The students will be invited to prepare a power point presentation on the basis of papers selected by the teachers according to the materials prepared during the laboratory activities. After this presentation a short discussion will follow. The subjects discussed in the lessons will be checked during this discussion.

Eventually on line exams will be held in traditional form, via oral interview with questions on the subjects treated during the classes and during the lab.

Support activities

After the lab, meeting with each group will be organized to discuss together with the teachers the experimental results obtained by means of the different techniques, in order to clarify doubts.

Program

1. Crystalline structures of inorganic solids 1.1 Structures of inorganic solids 1.2 Relationship between ionic radius and crystalline structures

2. Synthesis of solid state inorganic materials (single crystal and polycrystalline materials)

3. Low-dimensional solids

4. Materials for catalysis and photocatalysis 4.1 Examples of heterogeneous catalysis (Hydrogenation catalysis - Ammonia synthesis - Asymmetric catalysis - Acid-base catalysis - Oxidation catalysis) 4.3 Materials for catalysis (Oxides - Sulphides - Supported metals)

5. Bond in inorganic solids 5.2 Theory of the crystalline field (Outline)

6. Oxides of transition metals 6.1 The band model 6.2 Hubbard's model 6.3 Insulating oxides 6.5 Impurities of transition metals 6.6 Magnetic Insulators (Magnetic Sorting of Localized Electrons) 6.7 Metal oxides (Metal / non-metal transition)

7. Defects and non-stoichiometry 7.1 Defects in oxides 7.2 Non-stoichiometric compounds

8.Photocatalysis and Photocatalysts
8.1 Basic concepts of photochemistry
8.2 Photoelectrochemistry of semiconductor oxides
8.3 Molecular and Semiconductor Photocatalysis
8.4 Application (water and air remediation, green chemistry, solar fuels generation, superhydrophilicity)

9. Bioactive materials (biomaterials)
9.1 Historical background on biomaterials
9.2 First, second and third generation of biomaterials
9.3 Synthesis methods
9.4 Characterisation methods (non specifically linked only to biomaterials)
9.5 Applications

1. Callister - Fundamental of materials science and engeneering: an introduction, Wiley
2. Cotton, Wilkinson- Inorganic chemistry; Huheey -; Inorganic chemistry
3. Cox- Transition metal oxides, Oxford
4. West -; Basic solid state chemistry, Wiley
5. H. Kisch - Semiconductor Photocatalysis, Wiley
6. L. Hench & J. Jones - Biomaterials, Artificial Organs and Tissue Engineering (1st Edition), Woodhead Publishing
   
    

Class schedule

• Teaching materials
• Exams and finals
• Go to Moodle
• Visit the forums