MS4650: Functional Nanostructured Materials

Academic Units3
Semester2
Pre-requisite(s)Nil
Co-requisite(s)MS4014

Course Instructors

Associate Professor Xue Can

Course AIMS

The purpose of this course is to provide the students some detailed knowledge of functional nanostructured materials, such as self-assembled nanoparticles and their applications, nanoporous materials and their production, and nano-sized biomaterials and their functions.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you (as a student) would be able to:

  1. Identify common interactions between molecules and nanoparticles;
  2. Describe general synthesis and fabrication techniques for functional nanomaterial systems covered in the course
  3. Describe structures of the nanomaterial systems and identify suitable techniques for structural characterization
  4. Explain the relationship between the structures and properties
  5. Give applications of these functional nanostructured materials with examples
  6. Define micelles and describe the building blocks of micelles
  7. Explain how micelles are formed through micellization thermodynamics
  8. Describe the formation of bilayers and contrast them from micelles
  9. Define liposomes and illustrate the synthesis process of liposomes
  10. Describe the principles of self-assembly at interfaces of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) Film and Self-Assembled Monolayer (SAM)
  11. Discuss major applications of nanostructured materials in cosmetics and medicine

Course Content

General introduction of nanostructured materials. Case studies of nanomaterial systems in term of the synthesis, structures, characterization and applications; for example, synthesis and characterization of nanoporous materials for separation and purification applications; self-assembly of various nanostructured materials such as micelles, bilayers and liposomes and their use for medical and cosmetic applications.

Reading and References

  1. Cao Guozhong, Nanostructures and Nanomaterials -Synthesis, Properties and Applications, Imperial College Press,2004
  2. Yoon, S. Lee, Self-Assembly and Nanotechnology: A Force Balance Approach,Wiley,2008