Inorganic Materials Chemistry

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Analyse a synthetic strategy to determine how it will affect the structure and properties of the material produced.
• Describe the properties and applications of materials containing f-block elements based on a fundamental understanding of their electronic structure.
• Use Russell-Saunders terms, microstates, correlation diagrams and a general understanding of absorption and emission processes to solve problems in spectroscopy of inorganic materials
• Develop characterisation strategies for inorganic materials, combining structural, imaging and spectroscopic methods in a manner that is appropriate to the material.

To achieve the aims of the module the syllabus is subdivided into three sections.

Section 1 covers characterisation tools to study the electronic and structural properties of inorganic materials. Topics covered in this section involve: (i) defining the electronic states of inorganic systems through a knowledge of microstates, Term symbols, and the effect of a crystal field on these states, (ii) how these properties can be studied with different absorption (e.g. XAS and UV/Vis) and emission (e.g. XRF and XPS) spectroscopies. The background to the spectroscopic techniques will be introduced and their role in understanding the properties of modern advanced functional materials will be illustrated with exemplar case studies.

Section 2 describes synthetic approaches to preparing inorganic materials through solid-state, solution phase (e.g. sol-gel preparation and solvothermal synthesis), and gas phase (e.g. chemical vapour deposition) routes. These preparation methods will be used to demonstrate important classes of inorganic materials, e.g. zeolites, composite materials, and thin films. This will be followed with illustrative examples of their applications (e.g. catalysis and photovoltaics). Finally, as many properties depend on surface processes there will be an introduction to electron microscopy and coupled surface analysis tools.

Section 3 extend the scope of this discussion to f-block elements. This involves: (i) describing the properties of f orbitals and their role in determining the periodic trends of the lanthanoids, (ii) an introduction to the magnetic and electronic properties on lanthanoids, (iii) extending the study of f block chemistry to the actinoids, and (iv) describing the solid-state properties of lanthanoids and actinoids and their modern day applications.

Lectures, online resources, workshops, problem sessions

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.