To provide detailed education and training in aspects of highly specialised materials analysis and characterisation To provide education and training in aspects of software packages related to materials stability (thermodynamics) and materials structure (modelling). This module will be taken by students on the Science and Engineering structured Ph.D. programmes, and will be provided to students of the national structured Ph.D. programme in nanoscience and nanotechnology, MSc Advanced Engineering Materials, MSc Applied Physics, and MSc Biomedical Device Materials.

Magic Angle Spinning - Nuclear Magnetitic Resonance spectroscopy {MAS-NMR}. Detailed X-ray analysis: e.g. analysis of mesoporous materials, order/disorder, crystallite size, small angle scattering, preferred orientation, residual stress / strain, prediction of X-ray diffraction data using atomistic modelling software, Detailed backscattered electron diffraction analysis, electron and FIB tomography. Fine structure analysis: high energy diffraction (radial distribution function {RDF}), Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure {EXAFS} and variants), nanoindentation, profilometry. Materials modelling: understanding of HSC Chemistry, Factsage, Calphad, MTDATA and Dictra packages, molecular dynamics methods, prediction of material properties and FTIR / Raman spectra.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to: 1) Develop detailed knowledge of highly specialised materials characterisation and analysis techniques across a range of length scales. 2) Develop detailed knowledge of materials modelling tools and methods. 3) Calculate / compute domains of materials phase stability. 4) Develop the capability to use available software to predict materials crystallography, structure and selected properties. 5) Discuss the analysis techniques to probe the crystalline and amorphous states of solid matter. 6) Integrate materials modelling and analytical techniques to optimize analysis and characterisation. 7) Perform computer analysis of materials characterisation techniques for x-ray diffraction.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to: 1) Appreciate the relative merits of materials characterisation techniques to obtain structural or chemical analysis, and phase transitions 2) Justify usage of different techniques to analyse the structure and function of materials 3) Acknowledge the relationships between molecular structure / crystallography, orientation and selected properties.

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The module will be taught through a mixture of lectures, laboratory / computer exercises and written work designed to enable the development of highly knowledgeable individuals who work via a responsible, proactive and inquisitive approach. Use of analytical case studies from Faculty research activities will be utilised to incorporate recent developments in research. Lectures Tutorials/evaluations will be delivered by subject experts from both Science & Engineering and Instrument suppliers. Attention will thus be drawn to relevant research at the Bernal Institute at UL (e.g. materials and surface modelling, XRD pattern prediction, crystallographic analysis of nanowire defects). Laboratory reports and exercises will develop numeracy and articulation, and group laboratory work will foster collaboration and facilitate team work. Accordingly, thinking and communication skills as well as teamwork capability will be developed to the advanced level consistent with that required by senior analytical scientists and engineers.  Students will also be able to articulate what types of information they want from the techniques when interacting with technique specialists as well as communicate to non-experts the value the techniques can bring to resolving a research question.