Molecular Science and Engineering – (M.Sc.)

Contents

The two-year programme (120 ECTS) consists of courses worth 90 ECTS, followed by a Degree project (30 ECTS). One mandatory course (7.5 ECTS) is included the first year. The rest of the courses are elective. The student is required to choose at least 3 courses listed as elective. The remaining courses should be selected from the courses listed as elective or recommended, with the exception of 15 ECTS that can be chosen freely. This gives the student a great opportunity to create his/her own curriculum. Guidelines and recommendations for course combinations will be given.

Mandatory courses
* Scientific theory and research methodology, 7.5 ECTS

The course provides an introduction to the theory and methodology of science and is intended for the Master's student or new PhD student. One aim is to supply the basic concepts needed for placing the techniques and knowledge acquired in the student’s other courses to the wider context of the natural sciences. Another aim is to provide the basic intellectual tools that allow for a reasoned and critical assessment of results and methods from the wide variety of disciplines that the student is likely to encounter during his or her continued career in research and/or in professional life.

The course is delivered by the Division of Philosophy at KTH. 4.5 ECTS of the course is relevant to students from any of KTH’s programmes taking the course, and 3 ECTS is specific to this programme.

Elective courses

* Advanced organic chemistry, 7.5 ECTS

This course focuses on reactivity in organic chemistry and the relationship between reactivity and elements such as structure, conformation, electronic effects and hydrogen bonds. The course considers why in some cases reactions take place and in other cases not, and how to prevent unwanted reactions. Also covered on the course are: the qualitative scale of chemical reactivity; the use of reactivity for synthetic purposes on a laboratory and industrial scale; and stereochemistry.

* Quantum chemistry, 7.5 ECTS

The course consists of two parts. The essential quantum mechanics that is required later is covered in the first part. The basic quantum mechanical principles and their applications to model systems once mentioned in the basic course are discussed in detail. Approximative methods are introduced. The interaction between electromagnetic radiation and molecules is discussed which then leads to the basic principles of various optical (such as infrared and Raman) spectroscopies.

Methods of quantum chemical calculations and their applications in chemistry and biochemistry are treated in the second part of the course. The Hartree-Fock method, its theoretical background and implementation but also post-Hartree-Fock methods and the density functional theory are described and discussed. Their application for calculating molecular properties such as energies, molecular geometries, vibrational spectra and features of chemical reactions is introduced and illustrated. This part of the course includes quantum-chemical calculation assignments where a modern quantum chemical software package is used for computing molecular properties and chemical reactions.

* Surfaces, colloids and soft matter, 7.5 ECTS

Existing course KD2070 Technical surface and colloid chemistry (6 ECTS) expanded with material from KF2090 Paper chemistry. The aim of this course is to provide a broad, fundamental basis in surface and colloid chemistry and its applications. Topics covered include surfactants, phase diagrams and the principles of self assembly. Concepts such as surface tension, wetting and adhesion are discussed in terms of simple surface thermodynamics. Colloidal stability and its dependence on adsorption, interfacial charge and the forces between surfaces is a particular focus. Finally, the importance of these concepts in practice is illustrated through concrete examples from the following applications: detergency, paint, food, minerals and, in particular, paper.

* Analytical separations, 7.5 ECTS

This course contains elements of the existing courses KD2010 Analytical chemistry and KD2020 Organic and biochemical analytical separations. The lectures in the course comprise basic separation principles and practical aspects of separation techniques commonly used in analytical, biochemical and medical laboratories, industrial product control and development and environmental monitoring among other areas. Special emphasis is put on gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. Specific instrumental details and features are also covered, as well as coupled techniques, including mass spectrometry, sample preparation, choice and optimisation of separation methods and problem solving. Some of the most important techniques are demonstrated in laboratory tutorials. Laboratory work is also performed in project form, with the projects connected to ongoing research or relevant industrial problems.

* Spectroscopic tools for chemistry, 9 ECTS

A practice oriented course to develop knowledge and understanding of the application of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and Raman spectroscopy in order to elucidate structures and kinetic problems. The course includes the following topics: principles of NMR, MS, IR and Raman techniques with special regard to their advantages and limitations; analysis of NMR, MS, IR and Raman spectra, interpretation and the relationship between the spectral paremeters and the molecular structure; strategies for the application of NMR, MS, IR and Raman techniques to solve structural problems; relationship between the information gained by the various experiments and the chemical structure; the effects of dynamic molecular processes (chemical exchange) in the spectra. Increasingly complex projects will be completed throughout the course.

Year 1

Semester 1

Elective courses:

* Advanced organic chemistry
* Molecular thermodynamics
* Surfaces, colloids and soft matter
* Spectroscopic tools for chemistry

Semester 2

* Scientific theory and research methodology

Elective course:

* Analytical separations

Courses from the elective course list

Year 2

Semester 1

* Courses from the elective course list

Semester 2

* Degree project, 30 ECTS

Degree project
The Degree project is worth 30 ECTS. The thesis topic may be chosen from a list of available thesis projects at the School of Chemical Science and Engineering.