Engineering Materials

• Crystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous, disordered?

• Crystal structure, lattice systems: self-study
• Microstructure: the arrangement of
Phases + Defects + Residual stress
• Difference between polycrystalline and disordered material?
• Grain boundary: interface between two crystallites
• Phase diagram and metastable phase (self-study)

NPTEL lectures on materials for engineers by

Anandh Subramaniam, IIT Kanpur

Grain boundary
 Polymers

Bakelite

Cross-linking
Resins

Silicone
• Polymers contain long repeating units, not all units are of same molecular weight (PDMS)
• One should be able to make them using monomers
• Generally recognized by their high molecular weights and chain/ sheet like molecules
• Glass-transition temperature: The temperature below which the material behaves
like a glass.
• During molding, the polymers is above its glass-transition temperature.
• Cross-linking: chemical bonding between side-chains/ groups
• Thermoplastics have weak links (van der Waals forces/ H-bonds) that can be broken/
reformed; thermosets have strong chemical bonds
 Crystallinity of polymers

• What are semicrystalline polymers?

• Polymers chains may be completely random (amorphous) or partially stacked (semi-
crystalline)
• Chains may also arrange themselves in “lamellae”
• Above the glass transition temperature, polymers loose their crystallinity
• Polymer processing techniques: forming (extrusion, molding, coating, powder binding)
• Injection molding: injecting melted plastic into a mold
 Composites
Lamina
• Matrix phase: Primary phase having uniform properties, which holds the additive (Woven fibers)
• Typically more ductile
• Dispersed (reinforcing/ additive) phase: To be embedded in matrix non-uniformly
• Typically harder than the matrix Laminate
(Fiber mats +
• Composites are generally processed using layer-by-layer fabrication. Each layer is matrix) Metal Matrix
known as “lamina” and overall structure is known as “laminate”. Composite

Classification – I (based on matrix) Classification – II (based on additive)

• MMC: Metal Matrix Composites • Particulate Composites Examples of PMC:
• CMC: Ceramic Matrix Composites • Fibrous Composites • Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics (GFRP)
• PMC: Polymer Matrix Composites • Laminate Composites • Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP)