PVB321 Introduction to Experimental Nanotechnology

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

This is an introductory unit addressing the real-world practice in the interdisciplinary field of nanotechnology. It introduces the core concepts, fundamental principles, methodologies and essential tools to study matter at the nanoscale. This unit has a strong focus on hands-on experience in nanotechnology with its practical component centred around synthesis and characterisation of nanomaterials using state-of-the-art techniques. This unit develops your critical thinking, problem solving, as well as ability to use laboratory equipment to synthesise and characterise nanomaterials; these are skills and attributes that professional scientists and engineers will require in solving real-world problems in their practices. This unit builds on the knowledge you have gained from your science and engineering units in prior years, and prepares you for PVB322 (Advanced Nanotechnology) that will deepen your understanding of theoretical principles governing materials at the nanoscale.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Explain and discuss the principles of nanoscale characterization, microscopy and spectroscopy
2. Apply your practical knowledge and skills in surface science, chemistry and material preparation to the nanoscale
3. Demonstrate your ability to confidently and correctly use laboratory equipment to synthesize and characterize materials at the nanoscale.
4. Demonstrate your ability to effectively work independently and within teams to solve problems in nanoscale science
5. Communicate your findings in a professional environment.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit adopts a blended learning approach and will be delivered in a flexible learning format, encompassing lectures, laboratory and workshop sessions, technical films/videos and student tutorials/discussion forums. This is a practical and team-oriented unit with an emphasis placed on laboratory experiments.
Lectures (2 hrs per week, including tutorials, total 26 hours) will be based on industry practice and experience and will provide a background to the understanding of Nanotechnology practices and instrumentation and the use of Nanotechnology in sustainable applications. These lectures will be underpinned by demonstrations, readings and by the application of knowledge to problem solving.
Each topic will be covered by one or more face to face or online lectures and online material.
Lab training/workshop (24 hours, 8 x 3 hours sessions) will be part of the unit.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Students will receive informal verbal feedback on their progress in this unit during tutorials and discussions throughout the semester. Written feedback will be provided with each assessment item.

Assessment

Overview

The assessment for this unit is designed to measure your understanding of the key concepts and your ability to apply and implement theoretical developments in practice. You will be working individually as well as a member of small teams working on problem solving tasks and creating engaging presentations.
Assessment of the unit learning outcomes consists of one formative assessment (problem solving tasks) and 3 summative assessments (one lab report, one lab workbook and one presentation) that are based on either independent work or group work. The assessment items allow you to demonstrate your technical knowledge in the topics, technical skills, problem-solving skills and proficiency in a range of communication genre representative of real world situations.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Problem Solving Task

Online quizzes and problems solving tasks, based on analytical and computational techniques will assess your understanding and application of the principles introduced during the lectures.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Project Report and Workbook

You will have to submit a project report on the laboratory sessions, about nanoscale characterization and about nanomaterial preparation. The reports will consist of written descriptions of procedures and interpretation of data. Prompt feedback is given on your laboratory reports and this forms an important part of your learning process. You will also submit a lab workbook that records your experimental results and observations and perform preliminary data analysis.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Presentation (Oral Individual)

You will present with the help of poster or slides one of the projects developed during the laboratory sessions in the area of nanoscale characterization or nanomaterials preparation. The teaching team will ask questions about the project and general content of the unit. The oral questions will aim at testing your understanding of the theoretical concepts underpinning the project presented in the poster/slides and their connection to the general theories discussed at the lectures.
Evaluation: 30% project explanation, 20% theoretical concepts, 30% oral presentation, 20%poster/slides content and graphic presentation.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Introduction to Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, G. Hornyak, Boca Raton (2009)

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics - Second edition - Griffith - (Pearson 2014)

Science at the nanoscale: an introductory textbook / Chin Wee Shong, Sow Chorng Haur, Andrew TS Wee. Singapore : Pan Stanford Publishing, c2010 [i.e. 2009]

Understanding small systems, 3rd ed., Ben Rogers, Jesse Adams, Sumita Pennathur (CRC 2014)

Risk Assessment Statement

The professional practice of nanotechnology requires the safe handling of Hazardous Substances. A practical laboratory program is an important part of this unit, so you will be required to handle such substances. The chemicals and procedures used in this unit are deemed to be appropriate for students at this level of the course. You will be provided with a School Health and Safety Manual in this unit (or a pre-requisite unit). Health and Safety information and precautions relevant to the particular experiment are clearly explained in the Practical Manual. Having been provided with this information, it is your responsibility to read and comply with these instructions for the safety of yourself, your fellow students and teaching staff.