CHEM 780 : Advanced Materials Chemistry

Science

2021 Semester Two (1215) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A selection of topics on the chemistry of advanced materials, including novel polymeric materials and materials characterisation and analysis. No formal prerequisite, but knowledge of materials chemistry at the level covered in CHEM 380 will be assumed.

Course Overview

The CHEM780 is the advanced course on the basis of CHEM380 and it is the only material chemistry focused course offered by School of Chemical Sciences at postgraduate level.   This course connects (builds the bridge) of individual molecular chemical structure and its bulk collective property of materials.   After taking this course, you will gain deep knowledge of the structural-property relationship (mapping), and ultimately, come up with better molecular design and synthesis of materials with improved desirable physical properties.  A selection of topics on the chemistry of advanced solid state materials, including the optical, magnetic properties of inorganic crystalline materials, electrically conducting polymeric materials for sensing and actuation, and thin-film technologies for molecular separation and energy related membrane applications.  This course is good preparation for anyone wanting to do postgraduate study in the fields of material science and engineering and the skills developed in this course are particularly useful for those wishing to have a career involving high value manufacturing industry or related research organizations.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and explain Basic definitions in the solid: Lattice, Bravais lattices, symmetry operations, point groups, space groups .Pauling rules, lattice energy, Madelung constant, electrostatic valence principle . (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  2. Understand and explain Elementary band theory of solids: The nearly-free electron model, particle in a one and three-dimensional box • Electronic absorption spectra of solids. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  3. Understand and explain Hückel approximation for molecules. The Fermi level. • The reciprocal lattice, the Brillouin zone. Orbitals and bands in 1D solids, 2D and 3D structures, lattice distortions. • Electronic conductivity in solids, Krogman’s salt: a quasi one-dimensional material. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  4. Describe the application of intelligent polymeric materials in plastic electronics and conducting polymer-based materials and devices. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)
  5. Describe conducting polymer synthesis procedures, electrical conduction mechanisms and structural characterisation using spectroscopic techniques. The electrochemical properties of conducting polymers in the polypyrrole, polythiophene and polyaniline families. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)
  6. Describe A range of prospective applications including energy conversion, biosensing, electroluminescence and microactuators. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)
  7. Understand and critically evaluate gas separation membrane technologies, their theoretic principle, membrane materials synthesis and characterization. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)
  8. Understand and apply Hydrogen fuel cell membrane technologies, their theoretic principle, membrane materials synthesis and characterization. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Coursework 30% Individual Coursework
Presentation 20% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Coursework
Presentation
Final Exam

Key Topics

This course consists mainly of 3 modules (1) Advanced Inorganic Materials - Structure and Bonding, (2)Polymer Electronics for sensing and actuation and (3) Polymer thin film membrane technologies for molecular separation and battery separator.

Special Requirements

There is no special requirements.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 24 hours of lectures, 6 hours of tutorial, 30 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 60 hours of work on assignments, oral presentation and test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures/tutorials/presentation to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

The course material will be the handouts and literature papers provided by individual lecturers.  There is no course book.

Student Feedback

During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.

Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Level 1: Delivered normally as live lectures in person. 
Level 2: You will not be required to attend in person. All teaching and assessment will have a remote option. Lectures and tutorials will be delivered through zoom.  Three assignments will be submitted electronically through canvas.  Each student will give a 10 mins presentation  through zoom.  
Level 3 / 4: All teaching activities and assessments are delivered remotely.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 21/08/2021 09:03 p.m.