Course program
Structures of solid state systems
Order and symmetry in solid state systems. Physical properties of crystals. Structures of monoatomic crystals and systems with more than one element. Cases of poly-sulphonitrile and poly-metallo-phthalocyanines with axial ligands.
Vibrational properties of solids
Elastic forces and vibrations of atoms in crystals. Amplitude and frequency of the atomic oscillations in crystals. Vibrational energy of a solid at zero point state and correlations with thermodynamic functions. Costant of Gruneisen. State equation for solids. IR absorption of characteristic groups in polymeric organometallic solids.
Ionic crystals
Structures of ionic crystals and ionic radii. Madelung's constant. Potential energy of electrostatic nature in ionic crystals. Total internal energy in an ionic crystal. Free energy of Helmholtz and Hildebrand's equation. Defects in ionic crystals: thermodynamic analysis of their formation. Example of Frenkel type defects. Experimental determination of defects in ionic crystals. F, V and H colour centers in NaCl. Smakula's equation.
Electrical conductivity in solid state materials
General features. Electrical conductivity in solid state materials with isotropic and anisotropic structures. Doping. Identification of charge carriers in various types of solids. Conductivity in polymers. Mechanisms of electrical conduction.
Electrochemistry of solid state systems
Electrical current as reagent or product of a redox reaction. Intercalation materials as electroactive species in the solid state. Electrochemical kinetics. Examples of electroactive polymers (organic and organometallic systems).
Nanostructured materials- Carbon nanotubes
Confinement in the solid state. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT). Electronic structure. Density of states in SWCNT and analysis with scanning tunneling microscope.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of general chemistry, physical chemistry, mathematics and electromagnetism
Books
- Handbook of conducting polymers, voll. 1 and 2 (editor: Terje A. Skotheim), Wiley - First edition (1986)
- Solid state chemistry and its applications (Anthony R. West), Wiley - Second edition (2014)
- Slides of the lectures
Teaching mode
The course of Physical Chemistry of the Solid State and Nanostructured Materials is taught through the explanation of the various topics that are presented in PowerPoint slides
Frequency
The course of Pjhysical Chemistry of the Solid State and Nanostructured Materials is offered within one semester. The frequency is two lessons per week. Every lesson has a duration of two hours.
Exam mode
The student is evaluated through a written exam. The exam consists in the explanation of the concepts presented during the course and calculations based on the formulas of the course. In doing so, the student uses only pen and paper. The exam lasts 3 hours. The number of questions is three. It is strictly forbidden the use of computer, laptop, textbooks, smartphones, notes and slides of the course. The student has to indicate his/her name on each sheet of the test.
Lesson mode
The course of Physical Chemistry of the Solid State and Nanostructured Materials is taught through the explanation of the various topics that are presented in PowerPoint slides