Physical Chemistry of Surfaces

Code:

EQ0029

Acronym:

QFS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Engineering Sciences

Instance: 2007/2008 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Chemical Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LEQ	0	Plano de estudos de transição para 2006/07	3	6	6	-
MIEQ	84	Syllabus since 2006/2007	3	-	6	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

1. The students should acquire advanced knowledge on surfaces, interfaces and colloidal systems, as well as the bases to interpret related physico-chemical phenomena and for the textural characterization of porous materials.
2. Holistic and interdisciplinar approach to problem solving.
3. Development of critical and creative thinking.

Program

1- Physical-chemistry of surfaces
Surface tension and contact angle. Equations of Laplace, Kelvin and Young. Cohesion, adhesion and spreading. Methods for measuring surface tension and contact angle. Porosimetry.
Formation of insoluble monolayers. Langmuir-Blodgett films. Adsorption from solution: Gibbs equation. Wetting, detergency and flotation. Applications of surfactant films.
Colloidal systems. Colloidal dispersions and association colloids. Self-assembly. Micelles, emulsions and microemulsions.
2- Adsorption at the gas-solid interface and textural characterization of porous materials.
Physical and chemical adsorption. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms.Porous solids; mechanisms of retention of vapours. Analysis of adsorption isotherms: method of B.E.T. Standard isotherms. Analysis of adsorption isotherms by the -t and -ALFA methods. Capillary condensation. Application of the Kelvin equation. Adsorption in microporous solids. Characterization of porous materials (adsorbents and catalysts). Activated carbons and molecular sieves.
3. Electrical phenomena at interfaces.
The electrical double layer.

Teaching methods and learning activities

The discipline includes 2 horas per week of theoretical teaching and 1,5 hours per week of problem-solving tutorials. The main topics of the programme are presented during the theoretical sessions, together with practical examples. Selected problems are discussed and solved in the tutorials.
Part of the teaching materials is provided in English.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Eligibility for exams

To obtain frequency, the students must attend the classes regularly, and cannot exceed the maximum number of absences.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final classification (CF) will be the highest according to the following expressions:
CF = 0,1 (ID) + 0,9 CEF
CF = CEF
where
ID is the mark given by the teachers, according to the student's performance in class;
CEF is the classification obtained in the final exam.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The students under special evaluation, and those that have obtained frequency in the previous year, are exempt from attending the tutorial sessions. In such cases, the final classification (CF) will be the same as that obtained in the final exam (CEF).

Classification improvement

An exam to improve the classification will be allowed, in the same conditions as those of the final exam.
The student will finally get the best of the marks from CF (obtained in the normal evaluation period); or CEM (obtained in the improvement exam).

Observations

Main Textbooks:
Principles of Colloid and Surface Chemistry, 3rd ed., PC Hiemenz, R Rajagopalan, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1997
Catálise Heterogénea, 2nd ed., JL Figueiredo, F Ramôa Ribeiro, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa, 2007
Complementary Reading:
Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 5th Ed., A. W. Adamson, John Wiley, New York, 1990
Adsorption, Surface Area and Porosity, 2nd Ed., S. J. Gregg, K.S.W. Sing, Academic Press, London, 1982