Chemistry and the synthesis of novel materials

The significant feature of materials science is that it deals with matter i n bulk, and hence with properties which are those of the aggregate, not jus t the sum of the constituents. That has made it harder for chemists than fo r physicists to comprehend structure-property relations, because chemists i nstinctively view solids as built from individual atoms or molecules. But i nvolvement of chemists in materials science has brought much greater variet y and complexity in the range of substances being prepared and studied, bot h with respect to structures and properties. This lecture introduces some o f the physical properties that have been of interest recently to chemists, and some of the novel types of compound that are being synthesised. The emp hasis is on superconductors and other materials made from molecular compone nts.