Academic Year 2006/2007
- Credits: 3
- SSD: CHIM/02
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Industrial Chemistry (cod. 0013)
Learning outcomes
The course has the objective of providing an overview of several
important classes of advanced materials (particularly the various
types of liquid crystals, polymers, glasses, colloids, nanoporous
materials) and to rationalize their properties, particularly those
closer to practical applications (e.g. displays, thermal sensors
etc.), in molecular terms.
We shall also examine some essential material characterization
techniques, like Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Xrays.
A brief introduction to computer modelling and simulation
techniques, to be treated more in detail in the "Lauera
Specialistica" course, will be given, mainly with the aim of
understanding the basic workings of the Monte Carlo and Molecular
Dynamics codes currently of great importance also in an Industrial
context.
Course contents
The condensed phases
of matter and the qualitative description of their structure and
properties in terms of molecular ordering.
Crystals and some of their typical optical (birefringence) and
mechanical (Young modulus) features. Liquids. Liquid crystals and
their applications as advanced materials: nematics (functioning
of Twisted Nematic, In
Plane Switching, Vertical Alignment Liquid Crystal
Displays), cholesterics (thermal sensors), smectics (displays
withmemory) , discotics (columnar phases and molecular wires).
Lyotropic phases and self-assembling systems:, micelles, liposomes,
bilayers. Nanoporous systems, artificial zeolites (e.g. MCM41):
preparation via self-assembly and templating. Colloids.
(Ehrenfest e Landau - deGennes). Supercritical solvents and their applications. Metastability and glassy state. Nanoporous systems.
X-ray diffraction and its applications. Bragg's law. Single crystal and powder spectra. X-ray of amorphous materials, polymers, glasses. SAXS.
Interactions between molecules and colloidal particles. Hard spheres, Lennard-Jones, electrostatic interactions (charge, dipole, quadrupole). Induction and dispersion forces. The effect of the interaction range on the aggregation states of condensed matter and colloids.
Relative importance of the different type of forces in solution. Interaction between colloidal particles. Elements of DLVO theory.
The relation between molecular and macroscopic properties. A brief introduction to modelling and computer simulation techniques. Problems and perspectives.
Readings/Bibliography
I. W. Hamley , Introduction to Soft Matter : Polymers, Colloids, Amphiphiles and Liquid Crystals (Wiley,
C. Zannoni, Cristalli Liquidi, Enciclopedia del Novecento, Supplemento III, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Treccani, 288-297 (2004)
Teaching methods
Front Lectures using powerpoint presentation and blackboard
Assessment methods
Oral exam
Teaching tools
The course is based on Lectures delivered with the help
video-projector and blackboard.
An handout with copy of the slides shown will be distributed before
every group of Lectures.