Advanced Materials Characterisation

This course focuses on the characterization of materials using X-ray and neutron scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray absorption techniques. During the course, a wide range of experimental techniques will be presented that are relevant for chemists and chemical engineers, such as X-ray/neutron diffraction, reflectometry and small-angle scattering to determine the structure of materials at length scales from the Angstrom (atoms) to the micrometer length scales (aggregates, colloids, etc.) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine, amongst others, the presence and chemical environment of atoms in a material. The measurement techniques will be presented from an application point of view, focusing on the basic principle behind the measurement technique, the information that can be derived from the measurement technique, and how a typical experiment would look like and can be performed. All measurement techniques will be illustrated with a broad range of examples applicable to chemical engineers and chemists (e.g. applications in soft matter, battery materials, solar cell materials, perovskites, thin films, etc.).

An experimental project in which students can apply one technique and a tour along the facilities of the Reactor Institute Delft will be part of the course.