This module will focus broadly on several advanced areas relating to physical chemistry and its applications.

Advanced applications of thermodynamics:

  • Expanding and extending student knowledge of the laws of thermodynamics
  • Mass and energy transfer
  • Chemical thermodynamics: Equations of state and phase equilibria for pure fluids, phase equilibria in fluid mixtures, reaction equilibria

Applied Electrochemistry: 

  • Expanding on fundamental electrochemical concepts and processes: rates and characterisation.
  • Applications of electrochemistry to sustainable energy conversion and storage concepts: Fuel cells, batteries and energy storage, flow batteries electrolysis.
  • Application of electrochemistry and other chemical processes to gas/water cleaning and pollution monitoring.

Interfacial Chemistry

  • Colloids: the colloidal state (definition, preparation and classification), micelles, kinetic properties of colloidal systems, and charge and stability in colloidal systems
  • Interfacial phenomena, surface energy, synthetic routes and coating deposition processes 
  • Polymers, their effect in solution, and on colloidal stability.

Students will be introduced to solid state or materials chemistry and given a general overview of the chemistry and physical properties of the f-block elements. Both of these topics have great significance in modern technology so applications of the theory and materials covered in this module in areas including electronics and medicine will also be explored.

This module aims to equip students with foundational and advanced knowledge in the principles and processes of drug discovery and design. Emphasising a chemical perspective, students will explore key concepts in lead discovery and modification, target identification, drug synthesis, pharmacokinetics, and computational modeling. The module prepares students to critically analyse drug design strategies and to utilize computational tools in rational drug development.

This module introduces into qualitative and quantitative aspects of sustainable chemistry and demonstrates how these apply in chemical synthesis. It further explores the principles and mechanistic aspects of catalysis and introduces into relevant industrial applications.