Materials Chemistry (MatKem)

Solid state materials chemistry lies at the heart of many significant scientific advances from recent decades, for example the development of Li-ion batteries and other technologies for green and sustainable energy. The course introduces fundamental aspects of solid state chemistry and focuses on understanding the relation between atomic structure and material properties in solid state compounds.

Topics include:

• The structure of solid state materials: Important crystal structures of metals, ionic compounds, and molecular network compounds. Defects in crystal structures and their influence on material properties
• Bonding in solids
• Characterization of solid state materials: X-ray and neutron scattering, powder diffraction and Rietveld refinement, X-ray spectroscopy, electron microscopy
• Ionic diffusion in materials; structure/property relations in materials for Li- and Na-ion batteries, fuel cells, and other electrochemical devices
• Electrical properties of materials: Conductivity, superconductivity, piezo- and ferroelectric materials
• Magnetic materials, their structure and properties
• Optical properties of solid state materials
• Synthesis of solid state materials
• The use and need for materials for green and sustainable energy solutions.