Module manager: Michaele Hardie
Email: M.Hardie@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
Completion of level 1 of a Chemistry or Materials Science programme similar to that at Leeds, or equivalent.
| CHEM2372 | Fundamental Chemistry for Materials Science |
CHEM2111
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module addresses inorganic solid-state materials, their structures, synthesis and how they are characterised, including structure determination techniques. The module will include reference to frontier techniques and facilities, and give contextual examples of structure-property relationships in technologically-important materials. Meeting learning objectives of this module will allow students to continue with more advanced studies of solid-state properties in level 3
For students to gain a knowledge of inorganic solid state lattice structures, methods for synthesis and the structural, morphological and compositional characterisation of such solids, and to be able to apply this knowledge to problems in structural analysis, thermodynamics and characterisation of materials. For students to gain an introduction to structure-property relationships and the applications of solid-state materials.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes:
1- Describe what is meant by a crystal lattice, and be able to assess crystal lattices in terms of unit cells, planes, directions and inter-planar separations, including calculation of key descriptors.
2- Identify how close-packed arrays of atoms/ ions can be used to generate more complex crystal structures, and to be familiar with a range of key crystal structures.
3- Be able to rationalise the formation of different crystal structures using ideas including radius ratio rules, the polarisability of ions, lattice energies and crystal field stabilisation energies.
4- Describe and assess synthetic methods for solid state materials.
5- Describe and interpret symmetry and disorder in crystal structures.
6- Describe different characterisation techniques and know what information can be gained from them.
7- Use diffraction data to establish structural parameters.
8- Assess the appropriateness of different techniques for the characterisation of solid-state materials, and propose/justify choice of technique to address specific problems.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills :
a. Manage time and plan work to meet deadlines.
b. Use the principles of inorganic solid-state chemistry to solve unseen problems.
1- Crystals, Bravais lattices, lattice planes and Miller indices. Important simple close-packed and non-close packed structures, and more complicated structure types such as rutile, perovskites and spinel. Rationalising structural chemistry of ionic solids: radius ratio rules; thermodynamics.
2- Solid state synthesis methods: ceramic, sol gel, hydrothermal, chemical vapour deposition and other methods. Bottom-up synthesis.
3- Crystallography: symmetry in crystals; disorder in crystal structures; X-rays and diffraction; basics of single crystal crystallography; powder diffraction and indexing; neutron diffraction.
4- Characterisation techniques and examples: electron and scanning probe microscopies; X-ray emission and absorption spectroscopies; photoelectron spectroscopy and other relevant spectroscopic techniques; thermal techniques.
Methods of assessment
The assessment details for this module will be provided at the start of the academic year
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 22 | 1 | 22 |
| Seminar | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Private study hours | 76 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 24 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
There will be the opportunity for students to submit written work prior to two tutorials. The tutor will mark and return the feedback.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team