2024 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): Chie Kojima / Takane Imaoka / 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: 2024
Offered quarter: 3-4Q
Syllabus updated: Mar 14, 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 the former half will deal with polymer biomaterials and the latter half will be synthesis of dendritic polymers and their properties and catalytic applications.

Course description and aims

At the end of the course, students will acquire the following abilities:
1) Students will understand and explain biocompatible polymers and their biomedical applications.
2) Students will understand and explain the synthesis of dendritic polymer dendrimers and their structure-based properties.

Keywords

Biocompatible polymers, nanomedicne, medical devices, cell scaffolds, dendrimers, encapsulation effect, macromolecule-metal complexes, nanoparticle and subnanoparticles

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) biocompatible polymers and their biomedical applications, (2) synthesis, characterization and application of dendritic polymers.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	Synthetic polymers vs biopolymers	Explain differences of synthetic polymers and biopolymers
Class 2	Biocompatible polymers and their hydration behaviors	Explain properties of biocompatible polymers and their hydration behaviors
Class 3	Applications to medical devices	Explain applications of biocompatible polymers to medical devices
Class 4	Applications as cell scaffolds	Explain applications of biocompatible polymers as cell scaffold
Class 5	Applications to drug delivery systems	Explain applications of biocompatible polymers to drug delivery system
Class 6	Applications to imaging and diagnosis	Explain applications of biocompatible polymers to imaging and diagnosis
Class 7	Applications to nanomedicine	Explain applications of biocompatible polymers to nanomedicine
Class 8	History of dendritic polymers	Explain types, synthetic methods, and characteristics of dendritic polymers
Class 9	Structure of dendritic polymers	Explain dendrimer topology and conformation in solution
Class 10	Coordination chemistry of dendritic polymers	Explain the distinctive coordination chemistry of dendrimers
Class 11	Electrochemistry of dendritic polymers	Explain electron transfer and redox through the dendrimer backbone
Class 12	Catalytic applications of dendritic polymers	Explain catalytic applications of dendrimers and their metal complexes
Class 13	Template synthesis of nanoparticles and clusters	Explain template synthesis of nanoparticles and clusters using dendrimers
Class 14	Structure and properties of nanoparticles and clusters	Explain the structure and catalytic properties of microscopic nanoparticles and clusters

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
MAT.C412：Polymeric Biomaterials
CAP.I426：Introduction to Polymer Science
CAP.I437：Introduction to Polymer Physical Properties

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are necessary, but enrollment in the related courses is desirable.