ID:
510880
Duration (hours):
60
CFU:
6
SSD:
MINERALOGIA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (01/10/2025 - 10/01/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course is aimed to provide the students with the basic principles and potential applications of state of the art scientific analytical techniques commonly used in Earth Sciences and Materials Sciences that allows scientists to investigate technological and geological processes from the nano- to the macro- scale. Alongside with the technical skills students will acquire the management ad coordination skills to plan and organize the entire workflow from sample collection to its entire characterization.
Course Prerequisites
Basic mathematics, basic chemistry, basic physics, mineralogy, petrology, basic principle of geophysics
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) atoms structure and interatomic interactions, chemical bonding, basic concepts of reactions, oxidation state, particle motion and wave propagation, forces and operation under static conditions (with principles of elasticity), energy and work.
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) of symmetry, crystal structure and chemical composition of minerals.
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) of phase diagrams, mineral phase stability in the inner Earth and mineral phase transformations at P and T
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) atoms structure and interatomic interactions, chemical bonding, basic concepts of reactions, oxidation state, particle motion and wave propagation, forces and operation under static conditions (with principles of elasticity), energy and work.
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) of symmetry, crystal structure and chemical composition of minerals.
Basic knowledge (undergraduate level) of phase diagrams, mineral phase stability in the inner Earth and mineral phase transformations at P and T
Teaching Methods
All classes consist of lectures plus laboratories and practical
Assessment Methods
The exam will consist on an oral interview where the student will be asked to properly address a scientific problem using some of the analytical techniques described during the course motivating their choice.
Texts
• Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry:
o Microscopic to Macroscopic, vol. 14
o Transformation Proceses in Minerals, vol. 39
o High-Temperature and High-Pressure Crystal Chemistry, vol. 41
o Ultrahigh-Pressure Mineralogy: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth's Deep Interior, vol. 37
o Plastic Deformation of Minerals and Rocks, vol. 51
o Spectroscopic Methods in Mineralogy and Geology, vol. 18
o Spectroscopic Methods in Mineralogy and Materials Sciences, vol. 78
• EMU Notes in Mineralogy:
o Raman Spectroscopy Applied to Earth Sciences and Cultural Heritage vol. 12
o Mineral behaviour at extreme conditions, vol. 7
o Spectroscopic methods in mineralogy, vol. 6
o Microscopic to Macroscopic, vol. 14
o Transformation Proceses in Minerals, vol. 39
o High-Temperature and High-Pressure Crystal Chemistry, vol. 41
o Ultrahigh-Pressure Mineralogy: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth's Deep Interior, vol. 37
o Plastic Deformation of Minerals and Rocks, vol. 51
o Spectroscopic Methods in Mineralogy and Geology, vol. 18
o Spectroscopic Methods in Mineralogy and Materials Sciences, vol. 78
• EMU Notes in Mineralogy:
o Raman Spectroscopy Applied to Earth Sciences and Cultural Heritage vol. 12
o Mineral behaviour at extreme conditions, vol. 7
o Spectroscopic methods in mineralogy, vol. 6
Contents
The course is divided in tree parts in which the various techniques are grouped. During each of the three sections the working principles, the potential applications and the limitations of each instrument and method will be discussed in details.
• Part I (classes, laboratories and guided visit):
Will focus on the techniques to investigate crystalline structures using single-crystal diffraction (e.g. x-ray, neutron and synchrotron diffraction); powder diffraction (e.g. x-ray, neutron and synchrotron diffraction); and electron diffraction (transmission electron microscopy). All of these techniques will be analyzed also in the context of investigating materials under non-ambient conditions (e.g. Earth’s mantle conditions and/or technological materials such as ceramics). At the end of the first part of the course, the students will be accompanied for a visit at the swiss particle accelerator PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute) .
• Part II (classes plus practical):
Will focus on chemical and textural analyses using X-ray fluorescence, electron microprobe (WDS and EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Part III (classes and laboratories):
will focus on vibrational spectroscopy techniques such as Raman, infrared and Mossbauer to investigate molecular behavior in compounds, oxidation state, etc.
• Part I (classes, laboratories and guided visit):
Will focus on the techniques to investigate crystalline structures using single-crystal diffraction (e.g. x-ray, neutron and synchrotron diffraction); powder diffraction (e.g. x-ray, neutron and synchrotron diffraction); and electron diffraction (transmission electron microscopy). All of these techniques will be analyzed also in the context of investigating materials under non-ambient conditions (e.g. Earth’s mantle conditions and/or technological materials such as ceramics). At the end of the first part of the course, the students will be accompanied for a visit at the swiss particle accelerator PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute) .
• Part II (classes plus practical):
Will focus on chemical and textural analyses using X-ray fluorescence, electron microprobe (WDS and EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Part III (classes and laboratories):
will focus on vibrational spectroscopy techniques such as Raman, infrared and Mossbauer to investigate molecular behavior in compounds, oxidation state, etc.
Course Language
Italian
More information
Slides and other documents for homeworks and practical classes are distributed in advance by the professor
Degrees
Degrees
GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor’s Degree
3 years
No Results Found
People
People (4)
Personale tecnico amministrativo
Teaching staff
No Results Found