Materials Science and Engineering - Lesson 1

What is materials science and engineering?

It is the study of creating new materials and improving existing ones by understanding how their structure, composition, and processing affect their properties.

What is the difference between materials science and materials engineering?

Materials science focuses on understanding how synthesis, processing, and structure affect a material’s properties. Materials engineering applies this knowledge to create useful devices or structures.

It conceptual framework used to understand the relationships between the four primary factors that govern the properties and behavior of materials.

Materials Science Tetrahedron

What are the four primary factors in the Materials Science Tetrahedron?

1. Composition

2. Structure

3. Processing

4. Properties.

What does "composition" refer to in materials science?

The types and proportions of elements or compounds that make up the material, such as metals, polymers, or ceramics.

What is meant by "structure" in materials science?

The arrangement of atoms, molecules, or particles within the material, including its crystalline structure, microstructure, or nanoscale features.

What is the role of "processing" in materials science?

It refers to the methods used to manufacture or alter the material, such as casting, forging, molding, heat treatment, or additive manufacturing.

What are "properties" in the context of materials science?

Observable or measurable characteristics of the material, like mechanical properties (strength, hardness), thermal properties (conductivity), and electrical properties (resistivity).

Give at least 5 task of a Material Scientist/Engineers

1. Develop, process, and test materials

2. Research material properties and structures

3. Assess whether materials meet mechanical, electrical, and/or chemical requirements

4. Select materials for specific products

5. Discover new ways to use existing materials

WHY STUDY MATERIAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING?

1. Materials science teaches us what things are made of and why they behave as they do.

2. Materials engineering shows us how to apply knowledge to make better things and to make things better.

What are the subfields of material science?

1. NANOTECHNOLOGY

2. CRYSTALLOGRAPHY

3. . MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION

4. METALLURGY

5. TRIBOLOGY

6. SURFACE SCIENC

7. GLASS SCIENCE

8. RHELOGY

9. CHEMICAL KINETICS

10. PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

11. MECHANICS OF MATERIALS

12. SOLID-STATE PHYSICS

13. QUANTUM MECHANICS

14. BIOENGINEERING

15. CONTINUUM MECHANICS & STATISTICS

16. DIFFRACTION & WAVE MECHANICS

It’s the science of designing and using tiny structures, devices, and systems by manipulating atoms and molecules at a nanoscale.

Nanotechnology

What is the typical size scale for nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology involves structures with dimensions around 100 nanometers or less.

What does nanotechnology involve at the molecular level?

It involves manipulating atoms and molecules to create or enhance structures and devices.

What is crystallography?

Crystallography is the study of the arrangement and bonding of atoms in crystalline solids and their geometric structure.

How is modern crystallography primarily done?

It’s largely based on analyzing the diffraction of X-rays by crystals, which act as optical gratings.

What is materials characterization?

It refers to techniques used to analyze and determine the properties, structure, and composition of materials.

What does materials characterization help scientists and engineers understand?

It helps understand the material’s behavior, performance, and suitability for specific applications.

What are the common types of materials characterization?

1. Structural

2. Chemical

3. Mechanical

4. Thermal

5. Surface characterization

What is metallurgy?

Metallurgy is the science and technology of metals and their alloys, focusing on extracting, refining, and processing metals to create materials with desired properties.

What does metallurgy study?

Metallurgy studies the physical, chemical, and mechanical behavior of metals and their applications in manufacturing and industry.

What are the two main branches of metallurgy?

1. Extractive metallurgy

2. Physical metallurgy.

What is tribology?

Tribology is the science of studying surfaces in relative motion, focusing on friction, wear, lubrication, and designing systems to reduce wear and energy loss.

Where does the word "tribology" come from?

It comes from the Greek word "tribos," meaning "rubbing."

What is the goal of tribology in engineering?

The goal is to minimize wear and energy loss while maximizing efficiency and durability in systems and materials.

What is surface science?

Surface science is the study of the physical and chemical properties of surfaces and interfaces, particularly how solid materials interact with their environment.

What does surface science focus on?

It focuses on the structure, behavior, and reactivity of surface atoms or molecules.

What is glass science?

Glass science is the study of the properties, structure, formation, and behavior of glass materials.

What is unique about the structure of glass?

• Glass is an amorphous, non-crystalline solid, meaning it lacks the ordered atomic arrangement found in crystalline materials.

What does glass science examine?

It examines the physical, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of glass, and how it is produced, processed, and applied.

What is rheology?

Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation of materials, especially how they respond to applied forces.

What types of materials does rheology focus on?

It focuses on materials that have both solid-like and fluid-like properties, such as liquids, gels, pastes, and polymers.

Why is rheology important?

It helps analyze materials that don’t behave purely like solids or liquids and explains how they deform and flow.

What does rheology help us understand in materials?

It helps us understand the relationship between stress (force) and strain (deformation) in materials with mixed solid and fluid behaviors.

What is chemical kinetics?

Chemical kinetics is the study of the rates of chemical reactions and the factors that influence them.

What factors affect the rate of a chemical reaction?

Temperature, pressure, concentration, and the presence of catalysts affect the reaction rate.

What does chemical kinetics focus on?

It focuses on how different conditions affect the speed of a reaction and the molecular mechanisms behind the reaction.

What is physical chemistry?

Physical chemistry is the study of the physical principles underlying chemical behavior and the interactions between matter and energy.

What does physical chemistry aim to explain?

It aims to explain how chemical reactions occur, how substances interact, and how factors like temperature, pressure, and concentration affect matter.

What is Mechanics of Materials (or Strength of Materials)

the study of how solid materials behave when forces or loads are applied to them.

What is the focus of Mechanics of Materials?

It focuses on how solid materials behave when subjected to forces and loads, including how they deform and fail.

Why is Mechanics of Materials important for design and analysis?

It ensures that structures and mechanical components can withstand the loads they will face in real-world applications without failing or deforming excessively.

What does solid-state physics focus on?

• It focuses on understanding the physical properties of solid materials, including their atomic structure and electronic properties.

How do interactions between atoms and molecules in solids affect materials?

These interactions give rise to macroscopic properties like conductivity, magnetism, and elasticity.

What does quantum mechanics describe?

Quantum mechanics describes the behavior of matter and energy at microscopic scales, such as atoms and subatomic particles.

How is quantum mechanics different from classical mechanics?

Quantum mechanics explains phenomena like wave-particle duality and quantum superposition, which classical mechanics cannot explain.

What is bioengineering?

bioengineering is a field that combines biology, engineering, and physics to create technologies and systems that improve healthcare and address biological challenges.

How does bioengineering benefit healthcare?

It applies engineering principles to solve problems in biology and medicine, creating solutions for health issues, medical treatments, and sustainability.

What does continuum mechanics study?

Continuum mechanics studies the behavior of materials modeled as continuous media, rather than discrete particles or atoms.

Why is continuum mechanics useful in engineering and science?

It simplifies the analysis of materials by assuming they are homogeneous and continuous, allowing easier modeling of properties like displacement, strain, and stress.

What happens during diffraction?

During diffraction, waves bend around obstacles and spread as they pass through narrow openings.

Which type of waves is diffraction most commonly discussed with in physics?

Diffraction is most commonly discussed with light waves in physics.

What does wave mechanics describe in quantum mechanics?

Wave mechanics describes the behavior of particles using wave-like functions.

Why is wave mechanics useful at the microscopic scale?

Wave mechanics is useful at the microscopic scale because it helps understand particle behavior where classical mechanics fails.