Introductory description

N/A.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Here follows an illustrative syllabus for each section of the module.
Part 1. Polymers (16 lectures + 4 workshops)
BLOCK 1: Polymer Physics
LECTURE 1: Introduction to the fascinating material features of polymers in the liquid state. Polymer solutions and polymer melts. Introduce the concept of viscosity (and visco-elasticity: the latter by means of a movie to watch as homework).
LECTURE 2: Understand the conformation of a polymer chain in the liquid state. The concepts of end-to-end distance, radius of gyration. A recap of molar mass distributions and the introduction of size exclusion chromatography.
LECTURE 3: Understand the structure of polymers in the solid state. Amorphous and crystalline states. The solid-liquid phase transition. The concept of a glass transition, the concept of crystalline polymers. Note that elastomers/gels/rubbers will only be addressed briefly.
LECTURE 4: Concepts and details of Tg, crystallinity, XRay (SAXS and WAXS), DSC, DMA
WORKSHOP 1
BLOCK 2: Step-growth/Condensation Polymerization
LECTURE 5: The underlying chemistry: polyesters, polyamides and polyaramids, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, etc.
LECTURE 6: Conducting polymers and polymers for OPV applications
LECTURE 7: Polymers from renewable sources, problems associated with replacing oil based chemistry, use of carbon dioxide
LECTURE 8: Hyperbranched polymers, dendrimers and gels
WORKSHOP 2
BLOCK 3: Chain-growth/Addition Polymers I
LECTURE 9: The concept of chain-growth/addition polymerization. Free radical, or ionic. Number degree of polymerization. Molar mass distributions in chain-growth polymerizations. The concept of tacticity, NMR.
LECTURE 10: The mechanism of free radical polymerization: initiation (radical generation and first monomer addition), propagation, bimolecular termination, and chain-transfer. Kinetic chain-length. Mayo-Equation
LECTURE 11: Case study: A closer look at a commercially important addition polymer.
LECTURE 12: Free radical copolymerisation
WORKSHOP 3
BLOCK 4: Living Polymerization
LECTURE 13: The concept of living polymerization: control of chain-growth. Its effect on the molar mass distribution and ability to control monomer sequence. Living ionic polymerization.
LECTURE 14: Living ionic ring opening polymerization of ethylene oxide, caprolactone, caprolactam. Group transfer polymerization
LECTURE 15: Case study: a closer look at a commercially important polymer made via living polymerization.
LECTURE 16: Biodegradable polymers for ring opening polymerisation and from fermentation including polymers from lactides, glycolides, etc
WORKSHOP 4

Part 2: Inorganic Materials and Structure Determination (12 lectures + 2 workshops)

Block 5:

Lecture 1: Introduction to Inorganic Materials
Classification of extended structures: ionic, covalent, molecular, polymeric.
Structure-property relationships (examples): nanomaterials, energy, biomaterials, electronics.
Revision of simple ionic structures (from CH160): packing of spheres and radius ratios

Lecture 2: Transition-metal oxides and polymorphism
Binary and ternary oxides: rutiles, perovskites and spinels.
Prediction of structure type: tolerance factor and CFSE
Polymorphism and crystal structure: introduction to phase transitions

Lecture 3: Synthesis of Oxide Materials
Solid-state, sol-gel hydrothermal and topochemical methods
Nanostructured metal oxides

Lecture 4: Crystallography
The unit cell and Bravais Lattice: crystallographic notation
Basic crystal symmetry
Miller planes and distances between planes

Lecture 5: Diffraction
Basic diffraction theory and the Bragg equation
Measurement of a diffraction pattern and indexing
Systematic absences and introduction to the structure factor

Lecture 6: Experimental aspects of diffraction
Powder vs single crystal
Neutrons vs X-rays
Synchrotron vs laboratory X-rays

Workshop 1: Analysis of powder X-ray diffraction
Worked examples (provided in advance) of indexing, determination of unit cell parameter of cubic materials and calculation of distances within a unit cell.

Lecture 7: Advanced scattering theory
Scattering vectors, momentum transfer, periodicity and phase.
The reciprocal relationship between object and scattered image
Miller indices, scattering vectors and reciprocal space

Lecture 8: A visual introduction to the mathematics of scattering theory
Sampling of periodic structures – another way to understand the Bragg equation
Fourier transforms explained visually.
Mathematics behind FTs.
Properties of periodic waves: amplitude, frequency and phase

Lecture 9: Structure factors - a special case of Fourier transforms
Fourier transforms and Fourier synthesis
The phase problem
Lensing and reconstructing the diffracted image.
Understanding systematic absences

Lecture 10: Small Angle Scattering
Scattering from non-periodic systems
Analysing small angle scattering patterns, determining particle size and shape.
Applications to polymer and soft matter science.

Lecture 11: Electronic Properties of Transition-Metal Oxides
Revision of band structure
Examples of semiconductors, metals and insulators

Lecture 12: Magnetic Properties of Transition-Metal Oxides
Classification of cooperative magnetic behaviour
Examples of ferromagnetic, antiferromagnets and ferrimagnets

Workshop 2: Applications of Fourier transforms to scattering theory
Worked examples that will allow students to explore the relationship between an object and its scattering pattern.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Students should have a conceptual understanding of and be familiar with fundamental principles and approaches to solid-state materials, characterisation methods, and polymer chemistry, as laid out in the syllabus.

Indicative reading list

1. Polymer Chemistry, 2nd Edition by Paul C. Hiemenz and Timothy P. Lodge
2. Polymer Chemistry: An introduction by Malcolm P. Stevens
3. Principles of Polymerization, 4th Edition by George Odian
4. Polymer Physics by Michael Rubinstein and Ralph H. Colby
5. From Polymers to Plastics by A. K. van der Vegt
6. Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford University Press, Sixth Edition: Chapter 24
7. Weller, Inorganic Materials Chemistry
8. Solid State Chemistry: An Introduction, Fourth Edition, Smart and Moore, CRC Press

Interdisciplinary

e.g. co taught with another department or with an industry perspective, bridges two or more disciplinary concepts, ideas, etc.

International

e.g. includes mobility opportunities, explores concepts and ideas in a global context, fosters a global mindset and awareness of diversity, etc.

Subject specific skills

Numeracy
Problem solving
Critical thinking
Teamwork

Transferable skills

Numeracy
Problem solving
Critical thinking
Teamwork