Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module will provide students with the necessary knowledge of, and skills in, key areas of chemistry required for chemical engineering.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus will cover key areas of chemistry required for chemical engineering:
•       Reaction Equilibrium: relation between equilibrium and thermodynamics, Gibbs Free Energy and equilibrium constants, system response to equilibrium changes, determination of equilibrium points, acid-base equilibrium, titrations, solubility equilibrium, electrochemistry.
•       Reaction Kinetics: rate laws, experimental methods, Arrhenius law, reaction mechanisms.
•       Atomic structure and quantum mechanics: atomic structure, classic mechanics limitations, wave-particle duality, photoelectric effect, quantisation of energy and atomic spectra, atomic orbitals, hydrogen atoms, structures for many electron atoms, periodic trends in atomic properties.
•       Bonding and molecular structure: covalent bonds, Lewis structures, ionic bonds, polar covalent bonds, valence shell electron pair repulsion theory, valence bond theory and molecular orbital theory.
•       Intermolecular forces and structure: binding in solids, permanent and induced dipoles, total interaction models, fluids, crystals, applications to gas chromatography.
•       Spectroscopy: introduction to spectroscopy, experimental methods, rotational and vibrational spectroscopy, Raman and IR, electronic transitions and UV-vis spectroscopy, NMR.
•       Surface chemistry: active site theory, physisorption and chemisorption, adsorption isotherms, thermodynamics of adsorption, adsorption-reaction mechanisms.
•       Organic chemistry: hydrocarbons, cyclic hydrocarbons, aromaticity, functional groups, structural and stereoisomers, chirality and enantiomers, conformations, elimination and substitution mechanisms, biochemical molecules.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this module, students are expected to be able to:
•       Establish qualitative and quantitative relationships between thermodynamics and reversible reactions equilibria, to explain system behaviour and calculate equilibrium parameters, including in acid-base, solubility and electrochemical systems (AHEP4 C1-4);
•       Explain how reactions occur, and derive rate laws from experimental or theoretical information to describe the reaction mechanism and kinetics (AHEP4 C1-4);
•       Contrast classic and quantic approaches to the description of atomic and molecular structure (AHEP4 C1-3);
•       Apply the concepts of atomic and molecular orbitals (amongst other bonding theories) to describe atomic and molecular structures, periodic trends, bonding, energy quantisation and spectral behaviour, and reactivity (AHEP4 C1-3);
•       Differentiate between types of intermolecular forces and material structures, and generalise how these influence chemical species behaviour, including in separation and analytical applications (AHEP4 C1-4);
•       Select appropriate spectroscopy techniques to probe the relevant atomic and molecular structures and interactions, and interpret the spectral data in line and/or to derive atomic and molecular structure information (AHEP4 C1-4,12).
•       Explain molecular interaction with solid surfaces, and formulate adsorption and reaction equilibrium and rate laws to describe adsorbent and catalytic systems (AHEP4 C1-3);
•       Apply principles of organic chemistry to define structure, nomenclature, isomerism, and reaction mechanisms in organic and biochemical molecules (AHEP4 C1-4).

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of this module, students are expected to be able to:
•       Apply mathematical and scientific principles (namely in chemistry, and to a lesser extent materials science) to analyse, and support applications of, key chemical engineering principles and processes (AHEP4 C1-4, 13).
•       Interpret information and data from analytical chemistry techniques, to solve complex problems, recognising and explaining limitations (AHEP4 C1-4,12).
•       Apply, with engineering judgement, information from technical literature and other sources, to solve complex problems, recognising and explaining limitations (AHEP4 C3-4).

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Knowledge of mathematical and scientific principles, principles of equilibrium and kinetics, analytical techniques, and technical literature etc (i.e. all areas of the curriculum), and their relationship to chemical engineering, will be communicated in the lectures. Time is afforded to review lecture material.

Tutorials will provide students with experience of applying such knowledge to solve complex problems, also reinforcing the lecture material in the context of chemical engineering. Time is afforded to prepare for, and review tutorial materials.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The exam will assess student knowledge and understanding of (i.e., ability to define and discuss) the mathematical and scientific principles, analytical techniques, and technical literature etc (i.e. across all areas of the curriculum), and their ability to apply these, and interpret information and data, to solve complex (unseen) problems in the context of chemical engineering principles and processes.

The computer assessment will give students an opportunity to review their progress at a suitable point in the semester and reduce the stakes of the end of semester exam.

The formative online Canvas quizzes throughout the module will provide students will ample feedback and skills practice.

General Notes

N/A