MSE 501:
Advanced Processing of Inorganic Materials
---- Nanostructures and nanomaterials
Classroom: TBA
Class hour: TBA

General Description and Expectation of the Class:

The objective of this course is to provide students with good understanding of the fundamentals and experimental approaches of the recent advancement in fabrication and processing of nanostructures and nanomaterials. Specifically, this course will cover (1) discussion on the basic principles related to fabrication and processing of nanomaterials and nanostructures, (2) review of the established techniques and methods in the synthesis of nanomaterials and nanostructures, (3) a brief introduction of size effects on physical properties and (4) a brief summary of sample applications of nanostructures and nanomaterials.


Guozhong Cao, (2004), Nanostructures and Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Properties and Applications, Imperial College Press, London, UK.

Course Content:

1. Introduction
1. Miniaturization
2. Top-down and Bottom-up
3. Nanomaterials and Quantum Effects
2. Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces

1. Surface Energy
2. Effects of Surface Curvature
3. Stabilization of Nanomaterials
2. Nanoparticles (0-D)

1. Homogeneous Nucleation and Growth
2. Heterogeneous Nucleation and Growth
3. Spatially Confined Synthesis
4. Lithography
3. Nanorods, Nanowires and Nanotubes (1-D)

1. Spontaneous Anisotropic Growth
2. Catalyst and Impurity Induced Growth
3. Template-based Growth
4. Electrospinning
5. Lithography
4. Thin Films (2-D)

1. Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
2. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
3. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)
4. Self-Assembly and Langmuir-Blodgett Film
5. Special Nanomaterials

1. Carbon Fullerenes and Nanotubes
2. Mesoporous Materials
3. Organic-Inorganic Hybrids
4. Core-Shell Structures
6. Fabrication of Nanostructures

1. Lithography
2. Nanomanipulation and Nanofabrication
3. Soft Lithography
7. Characterization and Properties of Nanomaterials

1. Structural and Chemical Characterization
2. Properties Related to Surface Energy
3. Properties Related to Space Confinement
4. Properties Related to Ordering and Imperfection
8. Applications of Nanomaterials

1. Biomedical Applications
2. Applications Based on Peculiar Properties of Nanomaterials
3. Applications Based on Nanosizes

50% Take-home exam
50% Term paper

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