2023 Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Department of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate major in Materials Science and Engineering
Soft Materials
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Materials Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Yuta Nabae / Shinsuke Inagi / Ken Nakajima
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - at Tsinghua Univ.
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- MAT.P483
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2023
- Offered quarter
- 3-4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course is for students in Tokyo Tech-Tsinghua University joint graduate program. The course is held at Tsinghua University in Beijing (or possibly via Zoom) and mainly deals with the fundamental concepts of soft materials. Since the instructors and the topics change every year, the course contents will be revised every year. This year, the course will be divided into two: the former half will deal with electrochemistry of polymers (characteristics, synthesis, and applications) and the latter half will be catalytic chemistry utilizing soft materials.
Course description and aims
At the end of the course, students will acquire the following abilities:
1) Students will understand and explain the electron transfer behavior of conducting polymers and electrochemical applications based on it..
2) Students will understand the concept of the soft materials for catalysis.
Keywords
Conducting polymers, electropolymerization, electrochromism, redox-active polymers, Hyperbranched polymer, fuel cells, non-precious-metal, heterogenous catalysts
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course will proceed in the following order: (1) electrochemistry of conducting polymers, (2) the concept of the soft materials for catalysis.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Fundamentals of Conjugated Polymers |
Explain types, synthetic methods, and characteristics of conjugated polymers |
| Class 2 | Organic Electrochemistry |
Explain electrochemical measurements and electrolytic reactions of organic compounds |
| Class 3 | Electropolymerization |
Explain the synthesis of conducting polymers by electropolymerization |
| Class 4 | Electrochemistry of conducting polymers |
Explain doping and electrochemical applications of conducting polymers |
| Class 5 | Applications of redox-active polymers |
Explain electrochemical applications of redox-active polymers |
| Class 6 | Electrochemical polymer reactions |
Explain electrochemical functionalization of conductive polymers |
| Class 7 | Bipolar electrochemistry |
Explain the principles of bipolar electrochemistry and its application to the fabrication of polymeric materials |
| Class 8 | Introduction to catalysis |
Explain the concept of catalysis. |
| Class 9 | Aromatic hyperbranched polymers for catalysis |
Explain the concept of the hyperbranched polymers for catalysis. |
| Class 10 | Carbon materials for catalysis |
Explain catalytic reactions using carbon materials |
| Class 11 | Catalysts for fuel cells |
Explain catalytic materials use in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. |
| Class 12 | Non-precious-metal fuel cell catalysts prepared from polyimide nano-particles |
Explain the synthesis of polyimide nano-particles and their application in fuel cells. |
| Class 13 | Synthesis of fourteen-membered macrocyclic complexes for catalysis |
Explain the concept of fourteen-membered macrocyclic complexes |
| Class 14 | Mesoporous materials for catalysis |
Explain the electrocatalysis using mesoporous carbon. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Non required.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Materials used in class can be found on T2SCHORA.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Practice problems and interpretation for confirming the level of understanding (90%), level of class participation (10%) (The level of class participation will be evaluated by discussion, brief examination in the lecture.)
Related courses
- CAP.P494 ： Advanced Nano Science
- MAT.M421 ： Advanced Course of Quantum Chemistry
- CAP.I427 ： Introduction to Polymer Chemistry
- ENR.H415 ： Introduction to Organic Electrochemistry
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are necessary, but enrollment in the related courses is desirable.