Standard syllabus
Surface & colloid chemistry · Graduate · Chemistry
Topics
Surface thermodynamics and structure
- Gibbs adsorption isotherm and surface excess
- Surface tension temperature dependence and Eötvös rule
- Contact angle hysteresis and Cassie–Baxter states
- Surface energy components: dispersive and polar contributions
- Solid surface topography and roughness effects
- Surface reconstruction and relaxation at atomic scale
- Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and RHEED
- Scanning probe microscopy: STM and AFM principles
- Surface X-ray diffraction and reflectivity
- Defects and active sites on surfaces
Adsorption and catalysis
- Langmuir, Freundlich, and BET isotherms: theoretical basis
- Adsorption kinetics and activation energy of desorption
- Calorimetry of adsorption: microcalorimetry, TPD
- Heterogeneous catalysis: Langmuir–Hinshelwood and Eley–Rideal
- Sabatier principle and volcano plots
- Single-atom catalysis on supports
- Operando spectroscopy of catalyst surfaces
- Adsorption on porous materials: zeolites, MOFs, carbons
- Molecular adsorption on single-crystal surfaces (UHV studies)
- Spillover and bifunctional catalysis
Colloid science
- DLVO theory: quantitative treatment
- Zeta potential measurement and interpretation
- Colloid stability maps and critical coagulation concentration
- Emulsion and foam thermodynamics and stability
- Surfactant phase behavior: micelles, vesicles, lyotropic phases
- Microemulsions and Winsor phases
- Polymer-stabilized colloids and steric stabilization
- Colloidal crystals and photonic structures
- Rheology of colloidal dispersions
- Nanoparticle synthesis in colloidal media
Thin films and surface modification
- Self-assembled monolayers: alkanethiols, silanes
- Langmuir–Blodgett films and layer-by-layer assembly
- Atomic layer deposition mechanisms and applications
- Surface grafting of polymers: ATRP, RAFT from surfaces
- Biomolecular immobilization on surfaces
- Surface plasmon resonance and localized SPR
- Superhydrophobic and superoleophobic surfaces
- Antifouling and antimicrobial surface coatings
- Surface functionalization for sensing applications
- Characterization: XPS, ToF-SIMS, contact angle goniometry
Pricing
Graduate-level rates are set on consultation. See the pricing page for K–12 and undergraduate rates.