The core courses contribute to the training of experts in the fields of:
i. design and preparation/manufacturing of new materials with predetermined properties, following low environmental impact approaches;
ii. modeling and simulation of the chemical–physical properties of both functional and structural materials;
iii. characterization of the chemical–physical and mechanical properties of materials using state-of-the-art techniques such as, for example, X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, spectroelectrochemistry, and scanning probe microscopies;
iv. energy storage, with investigations into the mechanisms governing it and the associated characterization techniques;
v. introduction to the use of energy storage systems in engineering applications.
The optional courses allow students to personalize their study program by acquiring skills in the design and preparation/manufacturing of materials for specific applications in various fields, for example:
a) energy;
b) electrochemical;
c) recycling and disposal of materials for energy storage;
d) creation and exploitation of intellectual property, including in the industrial sector;
e) best practices for materials used in industrial applications.
An integral part of the coursework consists of hands-on laboratory activities, including computer-based simulations.
To complete the program, students must carry out an experimental activity in preparation for the final examination; this activity may be carried out within the Department of Chemistry, either within or outside the University (in the latter case as an internship), or also abroad. During the curricular internship, the preparation of the final examination, or the internship for the final examination, students acquire the knowledge required to critically analyze research results and to undertake the experimental study of a topic related to materials science that will be discussed in the final examination.
In particular, students are able to:
(i) carry out literature searches, including those related to intellectual property;
(ii) manage instrumental hardware and software;
(iii) place topics within broader contexts, including recycling and disposal, intellectual property, and industrial impact;
(iv) make operational proposals and intervene, both experimentally and computationally, to increase knowledge of the topic under study.
Upon completion of the required credits, in addition to having acquired the aforementioned skills, students are able to work in a research laboratory with a good degree of autonomy and critical thinking, and to produce, under the supervision of an advisor, an original dissertation on a topic consistent with the objectives of the degree program.
