Learning Resources

The premise for creating this page is my enthusiasm to learn and share the concepts in Materials Science to everyone. Although the internet has wealth of knowledge in every field, it might also be a challenge given that you have a lot of resources to pick from. I have had this dilemma throughout my career and I hope I can help people like me.

The list of resources I have been following since the time I started my sail in the endless knowledge ocean is here. Although the list is not complete, I will be updating the list often. If you have suggestions on adding useful resources then please let me know !!

Video Lectures:

MIT Solid state chemistry for undergraduates

Youtube lecture series by Prof. Donald Sadaway. If you know nothing about chemistry and Materials Science, then these lecture series are meant for you. Very easy, very interesting and excellent teaching.

Electrochemistry By Prof. Nat Lewis

Link

Have been recommended by many professors and experts but I am yet to watch these videos.

Crystallography Basics:

Why should I learn this?

If you work with crystalline/ polycrystalline materials in whatever project you carry out, one of your prime goals will be to identify the atomic arrangments in the material you use. Space group knowledge is essential in solving the crystal structure and these lectures will answer exactly that. All credits go to Professor Cora Lind from Chemistry department in the University of Toledo.

Difficulty Level: Undergraduate

Math Content: Low/Moderate

TEM basics:

this free video lectures from Purdue University is an excellent introduction to the instrumentation and principles of Microscopy, Diffraction, and Spectroscopy in a TEM.

Nanohub course URL

Difficulty level: Undergraduate

Math Content: Low/moderate

Electron diffraction and Imaging:

Youtube lecture series

these video lectures by Prof. Sundaramman connects from crystallography and diffraction very well.

Difficulty level: Masters

Math Content: Moderate/high (expected as the professor is from physics background)

Since the full set of lectures is huge I will list out some of the important ones:

Lecture 2 and 3 are dedicated to stereographic projection: An important concept for indexing TEM diffraction pattern and also to visualize symmetry elements in a crystal in 3 dimensions.

Lecture 4 to 8 is again about symmetry, point groups, space groups but at slightly advanced level

Lecture 9 to 12 is on fundamentals of diffraction in a crystal.

Beyond these lectures is all about TEM imaging, diffraction, and spectroscopy.

Symmetry and Crystallography by Dr. Frank Hoffman

the Strength of his lectures is the brevity and use of animations. All of his videos are shorter than 15 minutes. And the animations he used are apt for visualizing complex symmetry elements such as screw and glides.

hexagonal and Trigonal system look alike to most of the new learners, however, his animations cleared my most basic misconceptions.

Difficulty level: undergrad

Math level: Pre-school

Inorganic chemistry (With great emphasis on Molecular Orbital Theory)

Youtube Lecture series– (start from lecture 6) Molecular Orbital Theory is explained in an understandable way with a big focus on transition metal elements.

Difficulty level: Undergraduate

Math level: low

Solid state physics in a nutshell:

youtube lectures

“This video series was originally designed to go along with the solid state physics course at the Colorado School of Mines. It follows and references the textbook by Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics, version 8”

-words from the creators

Solid State Physics- full course

Youtube Lecture series

Prof. Prathap Haridoss from IIT Madras explains everything in old fashioned way chalk and blackboard.

Difficulty level: Undergraduate

Math level: low/moderate

Dr. PhysicsA:

youtube lectures on Quantum Mechanics

excellent and short lecture series. Easy to follow even for people with no knowledge of physics. His also has complete playlists from other physics-related fields too.

Full Quantum Mechanics course

V. Balakrishnan Youtube lectures

I have never seen any better physics teacher than him. The rigor and depth in his teaching are fantastic and thus suited for advanced difficulty level.

Difficulty level: advanced