151-0619-00L Introduction to Nanoscale Engineering
| Semester | Autumn Semester 2017 |
| Lecturers | R. Büchel, V. Mavrantzas, A. Teleki Sotiriou |
| Periodicity | yearly recurring course |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Comment | This class is strictly only for BSc MAVT student. |
Courses
| Number | Title | Hours | Lecturers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151-0619-00 V | Introduction to Nanoscale Engineering | 2 hrs |
| V. Mavrantzas, A. Teleki Sotiriou | |||
| 151-0619-00 P | Introduction to Nanoscale Engineering | 3 hrs |
| R. Büchel |
Catalogue data
| Abstract | Nano is the new scale in science & engineering as micro was ~150 years ago. This BSc course demands substantial effort! It gives a flavor of nanotechnology with hands-on student projects on gas-phase synthesis of nanoparticles & applications in catalysis, gas sensing and biomedical engineering. Projects are conducted individually under the close supervision of MSc, PhD or post-doctoral students. |
| Objective | This course aims to familiarize BSc students with some of the basic phenomena of nanoscale, thereby illustrating the links between physics, chemistry, materials science and/or biology through hands-on experience. Furthermore it aims to give an overview of the field with motivating lectures from industry and academia, including the development of technologies and processes based on or involving nanoscale phenomena. Most importantly, this course aims to develop the creativity and sharpen the communication skills of the students through their individual projects, a PERFECT preparation for the BSc thesis (e.g. efficient & critical literature search, effective oral/written project presentations), the future profession itself and even life, in general, as the abc questions (in the Content below) are always there! |
| Content | This is strictly a BSc course. Its objectives are met primarily through the individual student project which may involve experiments, simulations or critical & quantitative reviews of the literature. Therein, a 2-page proposal (15% of the grade) is submitted within the first two semester weeks addressing explicitly, at least, 10 well-selected research articles and thoughtful meetings with the project supervisor. The proposal address 3 basic questions: a) how important is the project; b) what has been done already in that field and c) what will be done by the student. Detailed feedback on each proposal is given by the supervisor, assistant and professor two weeks later. Towards the end of the semester, a 10-minute oral presentation is given by the student followed 10 minutes Q&A (30% of the grade). A 10-page final report is submitted by noon of the last day of the semester (55% of the grade). The project supervisor will provide guidance throughout the course especially when called for by the student. Detailed feedback on each proposal, presentation and final report is given by the supervisor, assistant and professor. Course lectures will include some, if not all, of the following: - Overview of Nanotechnology & Project Presentation - Control of nanoparticle size & structure in the gas-phase - Multi-scale design of nanomaterial synthesis - Characterization of nanostructured materials - Encapsulation technologies for active food ingredients - Aerosol manufacture of nanoparticles - Physical Chemistry of Nanoparticles (structure, molecular forces, statistical thermodynamics) - Thermodynamics of nanoparticles (the basics, thermal stability, nanophases, melting temperature) - Transport properties of nanoparticles (diffusivity, mobility, settling, adsorption) - Computer simulations of nanoparticles (from atoms, to primary particles, to agglomerates) - Thin film coatings - Cluster beam deposition - Coaching for proposal & report writing as well as oral presentations |
| Prerequisites / Notice | 5th semester student standing in D-MAVT. Students attending this course are expected to allocate sufficient additional time within their weekly lecture schedule in order to successfully conduct the project work. As exceptional effort will be required, having seen "Chasing Mavericks" (2012) by Apted & Henson, "Unbroken" (2014) by Angelina Jolie and, in particular, "The Salt of the Earth" (2014) by Wim Wenders might be helpful and even motivating. These movies show how methodic effort can bring superior and truly unexpected results (e.g. stay under water for 5 minutes to overcome the fear of riding huge waves or merciless Olympic athlete training that help him survive 45 days on a raft in Pacific Ocean followed by 2 years in a Japanese POW camp during WWII). |
Performance assessment
| Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again) | |
Performance assessment as a semester course | |
| ECTS credits | 5 credits |
| Examiners | V. Mavrantzas, R. Büchel, A. Teleki Sotiriou |
| Type | graded semester performance |
| Language of examination | English |
| Repetition | Repetition only possible after re-enrolling for the course unit. |
| Additional information on mode of examination | Exam and grading: Expected work is 15 hours/week consisting of a 2-page proposal (15 points) on literature, laboratory or theoretical project within the first two weeks, an oral presentation (10 minutes talk & 10 min Q&A (30 points)) and a Final 10-page report (55 points). |
Learning materials
| No public learning materials available. | |
| Only public learning materials are listed. |
Groups
| No information on groups available. |
Restrictions
| Priority | Registration for the course unit is only possible for the primary target group |
| Primary target group | Mechanical Engineering BSc (152000) |
Offered in
| Programme | Section | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering Bachelor | Microsystems and Nanoscale Engineering | W |  |
| Mechanical Engineering Bachelor | Biomedical Engineering | W | |