This course is divided into two parts, the first is designed to strengthen some foundations in physical chemistry including thermodynamics and kinetics with relevant examples drawn from environmental, chemical and biological systems. The significance of these concepts in understanding soft matter materials will be emphasised in the course.  The second part of the course is designed to develop an understanding of the structure and functionality of materials. Topics to be covered include solid state, sol-gel and thin film synthesis, crystal chemistry, crystallography, ceramic processing and the relation between structure and function. The properties of some technologically important functional materials will be highlighted as part of this course. 

Honours pathway option (HPO):

Entry to this option is subject to the approval of the course convener.  Students who take this option will undertake 6-8 lectures at a more advanced level in place of 6-8 hours of tutorials/lab.  It is expected that all students in the PhB (Hons) or direct entry Honours degree programs enrolled in this course will complete the HPO.

Proposed Assessment Honours Pathway Option: The standard course will count 90% towards the final grade and the HPO 10%.

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Understand the basic elements of chemical thermodynamics and be able to apply the principles to common physico-chemical systems such as electrochemistry and free energy. 
2. Understand the transport properties of simple fluids and liquid solutions.
3. Be able to apply simple kinetic models to common systems such as catalysis, polymerization and chain reactions.
4. Describe elementary intermolecular forces and how they affect the properties of materials.
5. Describe basic crystallographic and crystal chemical concepts such as unit cells, Bravais lattices, fractional co-ordinates, Miller indices, close packing, phase diagrams etc. as well as how to describe simple inorganic crystal structure types
6. Describe concepts such as real and reciprocal space and how structure factor calculations and diffraction techniques can be used to determine atomic arrangements in crystals
7. Explain how to synthesize crystalline materials via solid state reaction as well as the reaction dynamics of sol-gel and hydrothermal reaction processes and how to use such procedures to synthesize functional nanomaterials and thin films
8. Explain the physical properties of a range of functional materials including conductors, semi-conductors, insulators; dielectric, ferroelectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, electro-optic materials etc

Assessment will be based on:

• Mid-semester exam (37.5%; LO 1-3)
• Assignments/lab reports (25%; LO 1-7)
• Final exam (37.5%; LO 4-7)

65 hours of lectures, tutorials and laboratory classes and a further 65 hours of independent learning.

CHEM1101 & CHEM12011 or the equivalent of first year university chemistry

Prerequisites:  CHEM1101 & CHEM1201.

Incompatible with CHEM2206.

Physical Chemistry by Atkins and de Paula