CM3141 - INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUES IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Academic Year 25/26 - Semester 1

Assessments:​

• Homework: 25%

• Weekly Quiz: 15%

• Lecture Test 1: 30%

• Lecture Test 2: 30%

Lecturers: Dr Xu Hairou & Dr Linda Sellou​

​

No. of responses: 3

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

REVIEWS

What advice would you give to someone considering taking this course?

​

Marcus: The content for Part 1 is rather heavy but still manageable. It covers various instrumental techniques such as XRD, XRF, SEM, TEM, DSA, DSC. Part 2 is less content-heavy and focuses more on technical skills on calibration methods. It will be a revision on the various calibration methods learnt from CM2143 but on a more mathematical approach. The workload for this module is light compared to the core 2ks and other 3ks but you still need to put in effort to revise and practice if you would want to do well for the module. This module can be taken in a semester you want to overload and the workload is quite light.

​

SF: The first half tends to be more qualitative and content-heavy, so your mileage may vary depending on your interest in the instrumentation of achem. The second half comprises a short assignment which is surprisingly helpful in developing your ability to read research papers, but make sure to practice tutorial questions rigorously since the final CA follows virtually the same format.

​

Anonymous: Practice, especially for the quantitative part. Understand the techniques taught in part 1 and how it can be applied.
 

 

What did you enjoy or find most useful in this course?

​

Marcus: The mode of assessment in CM3141 is different from the other core modules I have taken so far - consisting of an Individual Assignment (Qualitative Writing) and a Group Presentation based on a Spectroscopy Exploration Session. I would say that this module taught me useful and applicable Instrumental Techniques that are used in the industries. It provided me with a good foundation in analytical chemistry that would prepare me for CM3192 or other analytical chemistry experiments. I appreciated how this module was not just solely fixated on the CAs, but there is quite a diverse mode of assessment for us to enjoy while learning.
 

SF: Under Dr. Sellou there is a presentation on two research papers during the second half of the semester. I think it's pretty good practice for reading and understanding how researchers conduct experiments, and I would encourage you to apply for the open lab to try these experiments yourself.

​

Anonymous: The lecturers and Dr Linda’s lab part. The lecturers were entertaining and taught the content well. Dr Linda’s part had a group project assignment where we could actually test out what we wanted to do.

​

​

What aspects of the course did you find most challenging, and why?

​

Marcus: In Part A, the content can be quite heavy and difficult to grasp. X-Ray Techniques (X-Ray Diffraction, X-Ray Fluorescence) required some Physics knowledge on X-rays. Having not taken Physics for a while, this took quite a bit of revision in order for me to grasp the concept. This was the most substantial portion of the first half. Other techniques are a bit easier to understand, though some of them were quite new and not encountered previously. (Thermal Methods, Electron Microscopy, Mass Spectrometry). Only Mass Spectrometry was not tested in the CA, but the Individual Assignment tapped on all methods. In Part 2, various spectroscopy methods would be covered such as IR, UV-Vis, Raman, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, Fluoroscence and Phosphorescence. Much of the content here is for appreciation and for the Group Presentation, and not needed for the CA examination.
 

SF: The first half of CM3141 focuses on the qualitative aspects of instrumentation, which I was not very interested in. I think the underlying reason for this is that you are given a lot of information about how methods like TEM, SEM, and thermogravimetric work, but you don't actually get to perform them, resulting in a disconnect.
 

Anonymous: Memorising the techniques. Too much content and no cheat sheet

​

​

What resources did you find most helpful in helping you better understand the course material?

 

Marcus: The tutorials are very important as there is participation awarded for your attendance and completion of quizzes. Dr Xu would have Lecture PollEv and Tutorial PollEv questions to gauge your understanding and award attendance. Dr Linda only has Lecture PollEv questions and tutorial attendance. Bonus attendance marks can be awarded if you attend the lab sessions to trial your research paper of choice for your Group Presentation. The tutorial questions are very similar to the questions tested for the CAs for both parts. For me, the tutorial questions sufficed as revision materials for the CAs.
 

SF: If you take this module under Dr. Sellou I would highly recommend redoing her tutorial questions repeatedly. Her final CA has the same format but you don't have a lot of time and there are no method marks at all so it really boils down to how familiar you are, and it really differentiates the cohort.
 

Anonymous: YouTube videos

​

​

What other courses do you think should be taken before or concurrently with this course?

 

Marcus: The pre-requisite modules - CM2133 and CM2143. There is a small overlap in content in spectroscopy and quantum mechanics covered in CM2133, and an overlap in calibration methods in CM2143. It is good if you can cross-reference to these two modules' notes when needed.

​​

SF: CM3131 and CM3192. Refer to my review on CM3131 for the advantages in scheduling/workload if you take these three mods concurrently.

​

Anonymous: 3192 or any lab mod