MEE 255

Engineering Materials (Metallic and composites)

Lecture 1: Classification and Properties of Materials

Mostafa Rafid

Lecturer

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Shahjalal University of Science and Technology

Reference Textbook

1. William D. Callister, Jr., DAVID G. RETHWISCH, Materials Science and Engineering An

Introduction, 10th Edition.

2. SH Avner. Introduction to Physical Metallurgy, 2nd Edition.

3. MF Ashby & DRH Jones, Engineering Materials 1: An Introduction to their Properties and
Applications, 4th Edition.

4. Peter J. Shull, Nondestructive Evaluations, Theory, Techniques, and Applications.

5. William F. Hosford, Mechanical Behavior of Materials, 2nd Edition.

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Classification of Materials

• List of Major Types of MATERIALS:

- METALS
- CERAMICS
- POLYMERS
- COMPOSITES
- ADVANCED MATERIALS

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Classification of Materials

□ Metals □ Polymers
□ Steel, C ast Iron, Aluminum, □ Plastics, Wood, Cotton, Nylon,
Copper, Titanium Glue

□ Ceramics □ Composites
□ Glass, C ement, C oncrete, Brick, □ Glass Fiber-Reinforced polymers,
Alumina,Zirconia, SiN, SiC Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymers,
Metal Matrix C omposites

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Knowing and Choosing the “Material”

● An engineer has a vast range of materials at his disposal. metals and alloys,
polymers, glasses and ceramics, composites

● How does he go about selecting the material,

or combination of materials, which best suit his
purpose? by selecting properties

Mistakes can cause disasters!!!! SSJohn P. Gaines split in two (1943)

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Metals and Alloys

• C omposed of one or more metallic elements (such as iron, aluminum, copper, titanium, gold and
nickel) and often nonmetallic elements (for example, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen)

Properties:
▪ relatively dense
▪ relatively stiff and strong, yet are
ductile (capable of large
amounts of deformation
without fracture) and are
resistant to fracture
▪ High thermal &
electrical
conductivity
▪ good magnetic properties
▪ opaque, reflective
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Ceramics

• Ceramics are compounds between metallic and nonmetallic elements; they are most
frequently oxides, nitrides and carbides

For example, some of the common ceramics:

□ Aluminum oxide (or alumina, Al2O 3)
□ Silicon dioxide (or silica, SiO 2)
□ Silicon carbide (SiC )
□ C ement and glass

Properties:
▪ relatively stiff and strong—stiffness and strength are comparable to those of the metals
▪ typically very hard but they are extremely brittle (lack ductility) and are highly susceptible
to fracture
▪ They are insulative to the passage of heat and electricity but can be made electrically
conductive
▪ resistant to high temperatures and harsh environments than metals 7
Polymers

• Polymers include the familiar plastic and rubber materials. Many of them are organic
compounds that are chemically based on carbon, hydrogen and other nonmetallic elements
(viz. O, N and Si)

Properties:

▪ low densities
▪ not as stiff nor as strong as other material types
▪ are extremely ductile
▪ soften and/or decompose at modest temperatures
▪ they have low electrical conductivities and are
nonmagnetic

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Composites

• A composite is composed of two (or more) individual

materials, which come from the categories discussed
above - viz., metals, ceramics and polymers
• One of the most common and familiar composites is
fiberglass

Fiberglass Properties:
▪ Small glass fibers are embedded within a polymeric
material (normally an epoxy or polyester)
▪ The glass fibers are relatively strong and stiff (but also
brittle)
▪ Whereas the polymer is more flexible
▪ Thus, fiberglass is relatively stiff, strong and flexible. In
addition, it has a low density
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Comparative Properties - Density

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Comparative Properties – Young’s Modulus

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Comparative Properties – Tensile Strength

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Comparative Properties – Fracture Toughness

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Comparative Properties – Electrical Conductivity

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Advanced Materials

▪ Semiconductor Materials
▪ Biomaterials
▪ Materials For Future
- Smart Materials
- Nano-Engineered
Materials

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Semiconductors

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Biomaterials

Example – Hip Implant

□ W ith age or certain illnesses joints deteriorate.Particularly those with large loads (such as hip)

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Smart Materials

• Actuators
□ Four types of materials are commonly used for actuators:
1. shape memory alloys
2. piezoelectric ceramics
3. magnetostrictive materials and
4. electrorheological/magnetorheological fluids

• Sensors
□ Materials/devices employed as sensors include optical fibers, piezoelectric materials
(including some polymers) and microelectromechanical devices (MEMS)

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 Nano-Materials

• The diameter of your hair is approximately

50,000-100,000 nanometers

• Your finger nail grows 1 nanometer in 1 second

• A line of ten hydrogen atoms lined up side by side is

1 nanometer long

Size Comparisons Chart

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Nano-Computing

N anotechnology enhancements provide

□ Faster processing speeds: miniaturization allows more transistors

to be packed on a computer chip
□ More memory: nanosized features on memory chips allow more
information to be stored
□ Thermal management solutions for electronics: novel carbon-
based nanomaterials carry away heat generated by sensitive
electronics

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Batteries augmented with Nanoparticles

□ Higher energy storage capacity and quicker recharge:

nanoparticles or nanotubes on electrodes provide high
surface area and allow more current to flow
□ Longer life: nanoparticles on electrodes prevent
electrolytes from degrading so batteries can be
recharged over and over

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Nano-Sensors

N anotechnology enhancements will provide

□ Higher sensitivity: high surface area of
nanostructures that allows for easier detection
of chemicals, biological toxins, radiation,
disease

□ Miniaturization: nanoscale fabrication methods

that can be used to make smaller sensors that
can be hidden and integrated into various
objects

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Material Selection Process

1. Pick Application Determine required Properties

Properties: mechanical, electrical, thermal,
magnetic, optical, deteriorative
2. Properties Identify candidate Material(s)
Material: structure, composition

3. Material Identify required Processing

Processing: changes structure and overall shape
ex: casting, sintering, vapor deposition, doping
forming, joining, annealing

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References

1. Slides from the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Bangladesh

University of Engineering and Technology.

2. William D. Callister, Jr., DAVID G. RETHWISCH, Materials Science and Engineering An

Introduction, 10th Edition.

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