MSE 498 Modern methods in materials characterization

Dates and Times: Tuesdays, Thursdays: 9:30 am to 10:50 am

Mode: In person

Location: Engineering Sciences Building, room ESB 190, 1101 West Springfield Avenue Urbana, IL 61801. Building #174. Located on the southeast corner of Springfield and Goodwin Avenue.

https://courses.illinois.edu/schedule/2024/spring/MSE/498

Instructor: Dr. Mauro Sardela, Director of Research Facilities, Materials Research Laboratory

The Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), with world class instrumentation and expertise on materials characterization, will offer a semester-long class covering some of the most important analytical techniques applied to materials research. The course will provide an understanding of the physical and mathematical fundamentals of various techniques and their applications in cutting-edge areas of technology. The inclusion of several mainstream techniques under one class offering will allow an in-depth discussion of how different techniques compare, complement each other, as well as the limitations and advantages of each technique both in general terms and applied to specific technical problems. Some of the techniques that will be covered include X-ray diffraction, scattering and photoelectron spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermo-gravimetry analysis, laser confocal profilometry, light scattering-based particle size analysis, confocal Raman and ellipsometry, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy. The focus will be on modern, emergent methods, and how the techniques are performed using state-of-the-art instruments. The concepts discussed in classroom will be augmented with live virtual experimental lab sessions which include student participation using state-of-the-art instrumentation available at the MRL core facilities.

Co-instructor: Dr. Kathy Walsh, MRL

Guest instructors:

Dr. Roddel Remy, MRL

Dr. Julio Soares, MRL

Dr. Jade Wang, MRL

Dr. Honghui Zhou, MRL

Dr. Kristen Flatt, MRL