The Chemistry of Extended Solids

This course will develop a framework for understanding chemical bonding in extended solids, with the goal of explaining their structures, properties, and reactivity. Beginning with atomic structure, the course will examine how atoms combine and distribute electrons to form structures of increasing dimensionality: 0D molecules, and then 1D, 2D, and 3D solids. We will develop the language to describe solids with periodically repeating building blocks and their resulting symmetry. Key bonding models, including crystal field theory, molecular orbital (MO) theory, and the Bloch theorem will be introduced (assuming no prior knowledge) and applied across these different structure types. Special topics will highlight how these bonding models provide insight into contemporary problems in materials chemistry/materials science. The course will emphasize simple models and qualitative arguments that build powerful intuition and predictive power. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to analyze and understand bonding in materials of various dimensionality.