Module 1: Introduction

Materials science and engineering

• six property classifications to determine applicability: mechanical, electrical, thermal, magnetic, optical, and deteriorative

• a material’s properties are determined by its structural elements (how the atoms are arranged)

• four elements to consider with for the design, production, and utilization of materials: processing, structure, properties, and performance. (they all function together)

• during materials selection consider: conditions which the material will be subjected, deterioration of material properties during operation, and cost of the fabricated piece

Classification of materials

• chemistry and atomic structure: metals (metallic elements), ceramics (compounds between metallic and nonmetallic elements), and polymers (compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and other nonmetallic elements).

• Composites - composed of at least two different material types

Advanced materials

• semiconductors - have electrical conductivities intermediate between conductors and insulators

• biomaterials - compatible with body tissues

• smart materials - sense and respond to changes in their environments in predetermined manners

• nanomaterials - have structural features on the order of a nanometer, some designed on the atomic/molecular level