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Soft Matter Engineering (BMEN90012)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Professor Ray Dagastine
Email: rrd@unimelb.edu.au
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
AIMS
Introduction to soft condensed matter: a range of applications and products including foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, suspensions, minerals and detergents. The course covers the fundamental structure-function and material properties of these complex systems.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The colloidal domain: brownian motion and the Stokes-Einstein equation. Suspension viscosity.
Interparticle forces: dispersion forces, electrostatic forces (Poisson-Boltzmann), double layer theory and solvation forces. The role of surface forces in colloidal stability. Electrokinetic characterization of nano-particles and the relationship to colloidal stability and suspension rheology. Suspension rheology, measurement, viscoelasticity and the colloidal state. Polymer physics. Polymers as random walks, ideal and real chains scaling concepts and the size of the random walk. Entropy and Elasticity, the Hookean spring. Viscoelastic behaviour of polymer solutions and melts. Gels, sols and gelation including the concept of percolation. The theory of rubber elasticity. Adsorption of polymers to surfaces. Surfactants and self assembly. Micelles, vesicles and hexagonal phases. Aggregation numbers and packing parameters. Lipid bilayers. A review of several papers in biotechnology and nanotechnology.
Intended learning outcomes
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILO)
On completion of this subject the student is expected to:
- Describe and analyse the flow behaviour of particulate materials and the influence of surface chemistry, additives and processing history on the behaviour of fine solid and liquid particle slurries
- Apply the physical concepts to product formulation with required material attributes
- Apply the physical concepts to processes in the minerals, ceramics, pigment, food and pharmaceuticals industries
- Apply these concepts to the manufacture and characteristics of soft materials.
Generic skills
- Ability to apply fundamental science and engineering knowledge
- Capacity for independent thought
- Ability to analyse and solve open-ended problems
- Ability to comprehend complex concepts and communicate lucidly this understanding
- Awareness of advanced technologies in the discipline
- Ability to work in a team (practical work component)
- Ability to write a technical report
- Demonstrated ability to review the literature.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into Master of Engineering (Chemical, Chemical with Business, or Biochemical) AND one of:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
MAST20029 | Engineering Mathematics |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
MAST20009 | Vector Calculus |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
OR:
Admission into Master of Engineering (Biomedical, Biomedical with Business or Materials) AND:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
CHEM10003 | Chemistry 1 |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
AND one of:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
MAST20029 | Engineering Mathematics |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
MAST20009 | Vector Calculus |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
OR:
Admission into Master of Engineering (200 pt entry point) (Chemical or Biochemical)
OR:
Admission into Master of Engineering (200 pt entry point) (Biomedical) AND:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
CHEM10003 | Chemistry 1 |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
BIEN30001 Bionanoengineering
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
One written examination. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1 to 4 are addressed in the exam
| End of semester | 80% |
One assignment of at least 3000 words (not including appendices and diagrams and tables). Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1 to 4 are addressed in this assignment.
| Second half of the teaching period | 20% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinators Ray Dagastine and Amanda Ellis Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 3 x 1 hour lectures + 1 x 1 hour tutorial per week Total time commitment 200 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Professor Ray Dagastine
Email: rrd@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
Estimated 200 Hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Larson R.G. The Structure and Rheology of Complex Fluids, Oxford University Press, NY 1999
- Subject notes
LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS
The subject will be delivered through a combination of lectures and tutorials.
INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES
Students will have access to lecture notes and lecture slides.
CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS
The knowledge gained in this subject are important to the career of an engineer in the biomedical or chemical fields.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Doctor of Philosophy - Engineering Course Ph.D.- Engineering Course Master of Philosophy - Engineering Specialisation (formal) Chemical Specialisation (formal) Biochemical Specialisation (formal) Biomedical with Business Specialisation (formal) Chemical with Business Specialisation (formal) Biomedical - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022