U ntitled Flashcard Set

Materials Science

Study of the relationship between structure and properties of materials.

Processing

How the material is made or treated.

Structure

Internal arrangement of a material.

Properties

How a material behaves under different conditions.

Performance

How well a material works in real life applications.

Mechanical Properties

Describe how a material responds to an applied force.

Electrical Properties

Describe how a material responds to an electric field.

Thermal Properties

Describe response to temperature changes or heat flow.

Magnetic Properties

Describe how a material responds to a magnetic field.

Optical Properties

Describe response to light, such as reflectivity and refraction.

Deteriorative Properties

How materials degrade during service.

Metals

Strong and ductile materials with high thermal and electrical conductivity.

Ceramics

Brittle materials composed of metallic and nonmetallic elements.

Polymers

Soft, low-density, and insulating materials created from long molecular chains.

Composites

Materials made from combining two or more types for improved properties.

Structure-Property Relationship

The principle that changes in structure can affect the properties of a material.

Tradeoffs

The compromises that must be made in selecting materials for specific applications.

Material Selection Process

Three-step approach: Define application, identify candidate materials, determine processing.