Course catalogue
Create your own master’s programme by choosing between the different specializations of our partner universities.
Academic Programme
Implemented from September 2025
Molecular Energetics (3 ECTS)
All courses during this semester
- Experimental methods on innovative research infrastructures - 5 ECTS
- Digital Micro-certification "The challenges of sustainable chemistry" - 10h
- Transferable skills : French language & interculturality (3 ECTS)
- Quantum mechanics towars quantum computing (5 ECTS)
- Winter school in Data Science (2 ECTS)
- Organic / Inorganic chemistry towards sustainability (5 ECTS)
- Kinetics and Electrochemistry (5 ECTS)
- Introduction to biophysics and microscopies for life science (5 ECTS)
All courses during this semester
- Luminescence spectroscopy of Lanthanides (3 ECTS)
- Summer School in Entrepreneurship (5 ECTS)
- Transferable skills: Polish course (3 ECTS)
- The molecules of life: from structure to chemical function (5 ECTS)
- Thermodynamics and soft matter (3 ECTS)
- Introduction to solid state (5 ECTS)
- Tech-infused perspectives on photochemical reaction dynamics (6 ECTS)
- Transferable skills: Portuguese course (3 ECTS)
- Summer School in Entrepreneurship (5 ECTS)
- Solid State Physics (5 ECTS)
- Molecular Energetics (3 ECTS)
- Laboratory of Materials and Surface Analysis (5 ECTS)
- Interfacial Electrochemistry (3 ECTS)
- Interfaces, Colloids and Self-Assembly (6 ECTS)
All courses during this semester
- 1-year research project - master thesis (equivalent 45 ECTS)
- Progress assessment of the research project (equivalent 6 ECTS)
- Weekly seminars (equivalent 4 ECTS)
- Special Topics in Chemistry (equivalent 5 ECTS)
- French language courses (3 ECTS)
- Nanosciences (6 ECTS)
- Medical applications of nanomaterials and radiations (6 ECTS)
- Top management, corporate law, and project writing for technology transfer and decision making (4 ECTS)
- Tracking ultrafast radiation-induced reactivity (3 ECTS)
- Applications for renewable energy and storage: solar fuels, batteries and hydrogen (6 ECTS) (6 ECTS)
- Scientific Writing and career objectives (2 ECTS)
- Surface Science and Nanostructuring at Surfaces (6 ECTS)
- Polymers for electronics and energy harvesting (5 ECTS)
- Electrochemical systems for fuel and electrolysis cells and batteries (6 ECTS)
- Project-based laboratory on device building (3 ECTS)
- Italian Courses (3 ECTS)
- Chemistry and Technology of Catalysis (5 ECTS)
Content
THERMODYNAMICS
The Laws. Reaction and phase transition enthalpies. Standard and reference states. Enthalpy versus temperature. Standard enthalpies of formation. Gibbs energy and equilibrium constant. Calorimetric and non-calorimetric methods for enthalpy determination. Units and uncertainties.
CALORIMETRY
Introduction: temperature and heat. Calorimetry techniques: adiabatic, isoperibol (combustion and solution-reaction), twin cells-flow, compensation and DSC.
THERMAL BEHAVIOR OF MATERIALS
Heat capacities. Theoretical and experimental aspects of the determination of enthalpies of phase transition in organic molecules and of other transitions in macromolecules and ionic liquids. Vapor pressures. Methods of estimation.
ENERGY AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE, CORRELATIONS AND ESTIMATES
Prediction of formation enthalpies, based on transferability and additivity of binding energies. Computational estimation of enthalpies of formation of organic molecules, using Quantum Mechanics and appropriate isodesmic reactions. Energy / Structural / Reactivity Correlations. Interest of energy values in Science and Technology.
Classes will include theoretical and practical components, stimulating the active participation of students in solving and discussing application problems and some of the classes will take place in laboratory environment, to allow the contact of the students with the specific experimental techniques of this field of work. Whenever possible, experts will be invited to give lectures on the applications of the scientific topics covered.
Aims
The main aims of this course are: a comprehensive discussion of the thermodynamic stability of molecules, bonds and of intermolecular interactions, together with a description of some experimental and computational methodologies that have been used to obtain that information, as well as the possible practical applications in several areas of science.
Recommended Books
- Simões, J. A. M., & Piedade, M. E. M. (2008). Molecular Energetics: Condensed-Phase Thermochemical Techniques. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Relevant scientific papers or book chapters will be provided to the students.
Teaching Staff
Maria das Dores Melo Cruz Ribeiro da Silva (responsible)
Maria Agostinha Ribeiro de Matos
Jorge Marques Gonçalves
Hours
21 h (lectures + practicals)
Grading System
Students should present orally a scientific paper, recently published in the scientific area of the course, which will contribute with 30% of their final grade, with the final exam weighing 70%.