KJM3121 – Inorganic Materials Chemistry
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
Many major global challenges can only be solved by implementing novel materials with tailored properties. To be able to develop such material technology, we need to understand advanced materials chemistry and its interplay with functionality.
The course provides an introduction to key topics in advanced inorganic chemistry, particularly inorganic materials chemistry. The course builds upon fundamental inorganic chemistry and provides a broad foundation for students aiming for further specialization in inorganic-, materials-, and nanochemistry. It covers the atomic arrangement of solids and how defects affect this arrangement. Furthermore, we study non-stoichiometry and phase diagrams, and how conventional bonding theories can be used to understand electronic structure and chemical bonds in crystals.
Learning outcome
After completing the course, you will be able to:
- Explain the atomic arrangement of periodic solid compounds by describing Bravais lattices, as well as point- and space symmetry.
- Discuss how packing of spheres and filling of interstitial spaces between them give rise to descriptions of important crystal structures.
- Visualize the structure of solid compounds using well-documented software.
- Explain defect formation and compare different types of defects based on Kröger-Vink notation.
- Apply defect chemical principles to account for non-stoichiometry in oxides, and describe the transport of point defects in them.
- Assess phase diagrams (two-/three-component) and discuss structural phase transitions in light of these and symmetry considerations.
- Explain chemical bonds in solid compounds, with particular focus on molecular orbital (MO) theory and the path from MOs to periodic structures.
- Explain how electronic band structure arises for simple model systems, and describe real two- and three-dimensional band structures.
- Compare ligand and crystal field theories and how these models explain d-d electron transitions, as well as being able to describe simple absorption spectra based on this.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
Special admission requirements
In addition to fulfilling the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:
- Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2) + R2
And in addition one of these:
- Physics (1+2)
- Chemistry (1+2)
- Biology (1+2)
- Information technology (1+2)
- Geosciences (1+2)
- Technology and theories of research (1+2)
The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies (in Norwegian).
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Before you can attend the mandatory laboratory courses, you have to have passed the following courses:
Recommended previous knowledge
KJM1121 – Inorganic Chemistry and either KJM1101 – Generell kjemi or MENA1001 – Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with KJM4121 – Inorganic Materials Chemistry.
- 6 credits overlap with KJM3120 – Inorganic Materials Chemistry (discontinued).
- 6 credits overlap with KJM4120 – Inorganic Materials Chemistry (discontinued).
- 6 credits overlap with KJM-MENA3120 – Inorgnaic Chemistry II - Materials and Applications (discontinued).
- 5 credits overlap with MENA3000 – Functional materials (discontinued).
- 5 credits overlap with MENA4000 – Functional materials (discontinued).
Teaching
The teaching extends over a full semester, and consists of:
- 56 hours of lectures
- 28 hours colloquia
- 2 mandatory assignments - in the form of written and/or oral presentations.
For students who have previously completed MENA2000 (students in Fornybar energi og nanoteknologi (bachelor)), lectures in course weeks 2 and 3 are replaced with laboratory exercises.
Completed and approved laboratory courses and/or mandatory assignments are valid for six (6) semesters beyond the semester in which they were approved. After this period, you must retake the laboratory course and/or mandatory assignments in order to be eligible to sit for the exam.
It is mandatory to attend the first lecture (including students on the waiting list). If you are unable to attend the first lecture, you must notify the Department of Chemistry before the start of the lecture, otherwise, your course registration will be canceled.
Attendance at the laboratory course is mandatory. If you are prevented from meeting, you have to show documentation that you were legally absent (medical note from a doctor or similar).
You have to be able to show documentation that you have passed the HSE courses on the first laboratory exercise.
As the teaching involves laboratory and/or field work, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance. Read about your insurance cover as a student.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
- Final written exam (4 hours) which counts 100 % towards the final grade.
This course has two mandatory exercises that must be approved before you can sit the final exam.
Students at Fornybar energi og nanoteknologi (bachelor) must in addition have an approved laboratory course before the final exam.
It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: KJM4121 – Inorganic Materials Chemistry
Examination support material
- A calculator that must fulfill the requirements specified by The Department of Mathematics (only in Norwegian).
Language of examination
Subjects taught in English will offer the exam paper in English. You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.