1. Main points of study in Materials Chemistry and related IT learning materials
Dr Patrio Chiu

2. Topics in Materials Chemistry2

3. Topics in Materials Chemistry3

4. Curriculum Comparison between NSS, CE and AL for Materials Chemistry
Chapter
Section in Discovering Chemistry
HKCEE
HKALE
Chapter 56
Naturally occurring polymers
56.1 Introduction
56.2 Cellulose
56.3 Chitin
56.4 Silicates
Not included
9.2
Silicon and silicates
New contents compared to HKALE (adapted from NSS Chemistry Curriculum):
1. Explain the properties of cellulose and chitin in terms of their structures (Discovering Chemistry 56.2&3)
2. Compare structural features of cellulose and chitin (Discovering Chemistry 56.2&3) 4

5. Curriculum Comparison between NSS, CE and AL for Materials Chemistry
Chapter
Section in Discovering Chemistry
HKCEE
HKALE
Chapter 57
Synthetic polymers and plastics
57.1 Plastics in use
57.2 What are polymers?
57.3 Two basic polymerization processes
57.4 Polymeric biomaterials
57.5 Effect of structure on properties
57.6 Plastics fabrication processes
57.7 Importance and problems of recycling plastics
8.1
Plastics
13.1
Synthetic polymers
New contents compared to HKALE (adapted from NSS Chemistry Curriculum):
1. Formation and uses of cyanoacrylate (superglue) (Discovering Chemistry 57.3)
2. Polymeric biomaterials such as polylactide (PLA) (Discovering Chemistry 57.4) 5

6. Curriculum Comparison between NSS, CE and AL for Materials Chemistry
Chapter
Section in Discovering Chemistry
HKCEE
HKALE
Chapter 58
Metals and alloys
58.1 Metallic crystal structure
58.2 Alloys
Not included
4.2
Metallic crystals
Alloys
New contents compared to HKALE (adopted from NSS Chemistry Curriculum):
1. Explain the differences in properties (e.g. hardness and conductivity) between metals and alloys (Discovering Chemistry 58.2)
2. Relate the uses of alloys (e.g. steel and brass) to their properties as compared with the pure metals from given information (Discovering Chemistry 58.2) 6

7. Curriculum Comparison between NSS, CE and AL for Materials Chemistry
Chapter
Section in Discovering Chemistry
HKCEE
HKALE
Chapter 59
Synthetic materials in modern life
59.1 New materials in the modern society
59.2 General features of liquid crystals
59.3 What are ceramics?
59.4 What are nanomaterials?
Not included 7

8. Curriculum Comparison between NSS, CE and AL for Materials Chemistry
Chapter
Section in Discovering Chemistry
HKCEE
HKALE
Chapter 60
Green chemistry
60.1 Principles of green chemistry
60.2 Green chemistry processes
60.3 Evaluation of production of synthetic material using principles of green chemistry
Not included
13.3
Principles of green chemistry for promoting sustainable development, green chemistry practices as exemplified by decaffeination using supercritical carbon dioxide
New contents compared to HKALE (adapted from NSS Chemistry Curriculum):
1. Understand the green chemistry practices in the production of synthetic materials including the use of less hazardous chemical synthesis and safer solvents and auxiliaries (Discovering Chemistry 60.2)
2. Evaluate processes for the production of synthetic materials using the principles of green chemistry (Discovering Chemistry 60.3) 8

9. Materials Chemistry
To broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of materials chemistry.
Cover many new topics to secondary students.
Some of the topics are taught in university previously.
Secondary school topics are application-oriented.

10. Aluminium nitride ceramics
Synthetic materials in modern life: What kind of material is used to fabricate a LED?
Aluminium nitride ceramics

11. Crystalline Zirconia (ZrO2)
Synthetic materials in modern life: What is the “diamond” like material that is commonly found in store?
Crystalline Zirconia (ZrO2)

12. Synthetic materials in modern life: Characteristics of different materials
Silicon carbide, SiC
Source: Department of Defence, USA

13. Synthetic materials in modern life: Liquid crystals
What is liquid crystal?
How it works?

14. Synthetic materials in modern life: What is liquid crystal?
A liquid crystal molecule
Dipole in a liquid crystal molecule

15. Synthetic materials in modern life: Phases of liquid crystals
Nematic
phase
Smectic
phase
Cholesteric
phase

16. Synthetic materials in modern life: Liquid Crystal Display
Light is unpolarized, we can polarize light vertically using a vertical filter.

17. Synthetic materials in modern life: Liquid Crystal Display
Cholesteric
phase
A cholesteric liquid crystal can rotate light

18. Synthetic materials in modern life: Liquid Crystal Display
Nematic
phase
Cholesteric
phase
When electric field (voltage) is applied, the liquid crystals are aligned.

19. Synthetic materials in modern life: Liquid Crystal Display CAL Program

20. Synthetic materials in modern life: Liquid Crystal Thermometer
Cholesteric phase

21. Synthetic materials in modern life: Liquid Crystal Thermometer CAL Program

22. Synthetic materials in modern life: Nanomaterials
C60-buckyball
CNT-carbon nanotube

23. Related material programs in University education in Hong Kong
Material programs can be found in:
Chemistry department
Material Chemistry
Engineering department
Material Engineering
Physics department
Applied Physics

24. Thank you!