Core Concepts for a Course on Materials Chemistry

Anyone who has taught materials chemistry will be aware that it is an expansive subject. Whilst this makes it exciting, it can also overwhelm students who end up lost in the detail. This book provides an antidote.

Aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate students, Core Concepts for a Course on Materials Chemistry is a distillation of the fundamental topics born out of the author’s 30 years of teaching experience. Covering many broad themes in materials chemistry, this textbook provides teachers and students with the essential concepts in a concise form. Taking a systematic approach, the book is arranged into seven chapters:

Solid State Structure Defects and Non-stoichiometry
Thermal Properties Electrical Properties
Magnetic Properties
Optical Properties Materials Synthesis and Fabrication

The author adopts a telescopic approach to each area, capturing the broader picture before detail is revealed, allowing students to readily make logical connections. The strong visual focus conveys complex ideas in a comprehensive style, supporting the physical and analytical presentation.

A note on how to effectively use the book is included for instructors, making this text easy to embed in existing or new materials chemistry courses. Students will benefit from the numerous examples that place the topics in the right context, and the exercises that test comprehension. Suitable for chemists and materials scientists, this book is ideal for self-study, as well as for the efficient teaching of a course.