Overview

This unit is a third year University Level Chemistry unit, designed for students who have completed two years of chemistry. The standard of chemistry is suited for students intending to major in the chemical sciences. The unit is designed to further develop knowledge of analytical chemistry with an emphasis on methods of sample preparation, the understanding and application of NMR, Mass Spectroscopy, Electrochemistry and Surface Analytical Techniques. Recent developments in Chromatographic methods will also be reviewed.

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Select the best method of sample preparation required for a particular analytical technique
  • Apply NMR and Mass Spectroscopy to identify molecular structures from their spectra
  • Develop detailed knowledge of Electrochemistry and its various technical applications
  • Recognise recent developments in Chromatographic methods
  • Develop detailed knowledge of surface analytical techniques such as X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, and apply these techniques for measuring the outer few nanometres of a material’s surface

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Lecture
2.00 12 weeks 24
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Science Laboratory
2.00 12 weeks 24
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning
8.50 12 weeks 102
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentIndividual 5 - 10% 
ExaminationIndividual 40 - 60% 1,2,4,5 
Mid-Semester TestIndividual 10 - 20% 
Practical AssignmentIndividual 20 - 30% 1,2,4 

Hurdle

As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:

(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and(ii) at least 40% in the final exam, and(iii) completion of a minimum of 80% of laboratory work based on the criteria for successful completion as explained in the lab handout(s).Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirements (ii) and (iii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.

Content

Electrochemistry:

  • Ionic solutions
  • Redox chemistry
  • Electrochemical cells
  • Electrode processes
  • Electrochemical methods
  • Energy Storage

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectroscopy (MS):

  • Principles of NMR
  • PMR chemical shifts, areas and first order splitting patterns
  • Analysis of PMR spectra
  • Complications in PMR spectra
  • FT instrumentation (IR and NMR)
  • Analysis of CMR spectra
  • Principles of MS
  • MS instrumentation
  • Interpretation of mass spectra

Sample Preparation and Advanced Chromatographic Techniques:

  • Digestion Techniques
  • Solid Phase Extraction
  • UPLC
  • 2D-Chromatography
  • Convergent Chromatography

Surface Analytical Techniques:

  • X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)
  • Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS)
  • Applications of surface analytical techniques

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.