• 096242 - STRUCTURAL CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS

• The first objective of the course is to review fundamental chemistry (and physics) concepts: bonding, molecular structure and reactivity.

• A second objective is to complement the study of some areas of chemistry such as main group inorganic and transition metal chemistry.

• A third objective of the course is to highlight the basic concepts necessary to correlate structure and properties of materials.
• The fourth objective is to outline the relevance of these topics to materials science and engineering.

After attending the course and after the final examination, the student will: 

know and understand fundamentals in chemistry (including inorganic and organic chemistry main concepts)

know, understand and apply chemical bonding models and concepts

know and understand molecular symmetry concepts including the applications to molecular material properties

know and understand the structure and symmetry of crystalline materials.

know and understand intermolecular forces and the structure of molecular materials

know and understand coordination complexes structure and properties

know and understand basic concepts to correlate structure and properties of materials

These learning outcomes are expected to provide the student with the needed knowledge tools necessary for successfully performing their future activities in an industrial environment.

The course has the following program:

1) Review of fundamentals in Chemistry. Knowledge of these topics represents a prerequisite for successfully attending the course.

2) Summary of atomic structure and periodic properties of the elements. Chemical bonding: revision of Lewis structures, VSEPR model and valence bond theory. Elements of molecular orbital theory.

3) Fundamentals in Organic Chemistry: introduction to main functional groups and reactivity; introduction to principle of the main instrumental measurements (partially flipped classes).

4) Molecular symmetry: point groups, irreducible representations and character tables. Applications of symmetry concepts to molecular orbitals.

5) Introduction to structure and symmetry of crystalline solids. Description and rationalization of representative inorganic crystal structures (metals, ionic and covalent solids).

6) Intermolecular forces and the structure of molecular materials.

7) Introduction to the chemistry of transition metals. Structure and thermodynamics of coordination complexes. Crystal field and ligand field theories.

Computer practicals

Classroom exercises illustrating the use of scientific software for: (a) molecular orbital calculations (b) visualization of crystal structures.

Course slides and material

Slides and additional material for the course will be available through the BEEP web site: https://beep.metid.polimi.it/

A background in mathematics, chemistry and physics is needed

The examination will be a written test about all the course topics, chosen by the examiner. The test will consist in 9/10 questions (both open theory questions and numerical exercises): 4 questions concerning basic chemistry problems and 5/6 questions in more advanced concepts. The students may take an optional oral exam, for written evaluations starting from 15/30 (maximum change ±3 points).

The final score of the Advanced Chemistry for Materials Engineering course (10 CFU) will be averaged with the results of the module  of Principles of Polymer Chemistry. The Advanced Chemistry for Materials Engineering (10 CFU) exam is passed and registered when the mark is at least 16/30 in both modules. The two modules may be taken separately (i.e. in two different exam sessions), but both modules must be passed during the same academic year (i.e. within the February session of the following year).

The student is required to be able to write clearly and critically discuss the proposed topics, highlighting hypotheses, assumptions, critical points, the physical meaning and its consequences, including a correct mathematical approach where needed.