Materials Science
a material trait in terms of the kind and
and Engineering
Chapter 1: Introduction
Materials science - involves investigating the
relationships that exist between the structures
and properties of materials (i.e., why materials
have their properties).
Materials scientist - is to develop or synthesize
new materials
Materials engineering – involves designing or
engineering the structure of a material to produce
a predetermined set of properties.
Materials engineer - to create new products or
systems using existing materials and/or to
develop techniques for processing materials.
Structure
relates to the arrangement of a material’s
internal components.
Structural Elements Classification:
Subatomic structure—involves electrons of
individual atoms, their energies and interactions
with the nuclei.
Atomic structure—organization of atoms to yield
molecules or crystals.
Nanostructure—deals with aggregates of atoms
that form particles (nanoparticles) that have
nanoscale dimensions (less that about 100 nm).
Microstructure—those structural elements that
are subject to direct observation using some type
of microscope (structural features having
dimensions between 100 nm and several
millimeters).
Macrostructure - structural elements that may be
viewed with the naked eye (with scale range between
several millimeters and on the order of a meter).
Property
magnitude of response to a specific imposed
stimulus.
Categories:
Mechanical properties—relate deformation to an
applied load or force; examples elastic modulus
(stiffness), strength, and resistance to fracture.
Electrical properties—the stimulus is an applied
electric field; typical properties include electrical
conductivity and dielectric constant.
Thermal properties—are related to changes in
temperature or temperature gradients across a
material; examples of thermal behavior include
thermal expansion and heat capacity.
Magnetic properties—the responses of a material
to the application of a magnetic field; common
magnetic properties include magnetic
susceptibility and magnetization.
Optical properties—the stimulus is
electromagnetic or light radiation; index of
refraction and reflectivity are representative
optical properties.
Deteriorative characteristics—relate to the
chemical reactivity of materials; for example,
corrosion resistance of metals.
• A material’s performance is a function of
its properties.
Materials Paradigm
aka Central Paradigm of Materials Science
and Engineering
• describes the protocol for selecting and
designing materials for specific and well-
defined applications, and has had a
profound influence on the field of
materials
 • whenever a material is being created, Examples:
developed, or produced, the properties or  polyethylene (PE)
phenomena the material exhibits are of  nylon
central concern  polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
 polycarbonate (PC)
 polystyrene (PS)
Basic Materials  silicone rubber

Metals - composed of one or more metallic
elements also nonmetallic elements in relatively
small amounts.
 atoms are arranged in very orderly
manner
 relatively dense, stiff, strong
 ductile, conductor, lustrous
 resistant to fracture
 large number of nonlocalized electrons
Composites - composed of two (or more)
individual materials —metals, ceramics, and
polymers
 Fiberglass aka glass fiber–reinforced
polymer composite (GFRP) - small glass
fibers are embedded within a polymeric
material; relatively stiff, strong, flexible,
low density.

Ceramics - compounds between metallic and  Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP)

nonmetallic elements; oxides, nitrides, and composite - carbon fibers that are
carbides embedded within a polymer; stiffer and
 aluminum oxide (or alumina, Al2O3) stronger, more expensive.
 silicon dioxide (or silica, SiO2)
 silicon carbide (SiC)
 silicon nitride (Si3N4) Ashby Charts
Traditional ceramics - composed of clay minerals, aka materials property charts;
cement and glass materials selection charts; bubble
• insulative
charts
• relatively stiff and strong
• resistant to high temperatures and harsh
Elastomers - polymeric materials that display
environments
rubbery-like behavior (high degrees of elastic
• transparent, translucent, or opaque
deformation)
• oxide ceramics (e.g., Fe3O4) exhibit
magnetic behavior
Natural materials - those that occur in nature;
Polymers – organic compounds that are for example, wood, leather, and cork
chemically based on carbon, hydrogen, and other
nonmetallic elements Foams - typically polymeric materials that have
• very large molecular structures high porosities (contain a large volume fraction of
(chainlike) small pores), which are often used for cushions
and packaging
• have low densities
• extremely ductile and pliable
• low electrical conductivities &
nonmagnetic
• tendency to soften & decompose at modest
temperatures
 Advanced Materials Nanomaterials – structural entities are on the
• utilized in high-technology applications order of a nanometer
• traditional materials whose properties Applications:
have been enhanced and also newly • Catalytic converters for automobiles
developed, high-performance materials • Nanocarbons—fullerenes, carbon
nanotubes, and graphene
Semiconductors – have electrical properties that • Particles of carbon black as reinforcement
are intermediate between those of electrical for automobile tires
conductors and insulators • Nanocomposites
• extremely sensitive to the presence of • Magnetic nanosize grains that are used
impurity atoms for hard disk drives
Examples: • Magnetic particles that store data on
 Diode magnetic tapes
 Transistors (BJT, FET, MOSFET)
 Operational Amplifiers

Biomaterials – nonviable (i.e., nonliving)

materials that are implanted into the body
Example application:
 joint (e.g., hip, knee) and heart valve
replacements
 vascular (blood vessel) grafts
 fracture-fixation devices, dental
restorations
 generation of new organ tissues

Smart / Intelligent Materials – materials are able

to sense changes in their environment and then
respond to these changes in predetermined
manners
 Sensor detects an input signal
 Actuator performs a responsive and
adaptive function
 shape-memory alloys - metals that, revert
to their original shape when temperature
is changed
 piezoelectric ceramics - expand and
contract in response to an applied electric
field (or voltage) they also generate an
electric field when their dimensions are
altered
 magnetostrictive materials - responsive to
magnetic fields.
 electrorheological/ magnetorheological
fluids - liquids that experience dramatic
changes in viscosity upon the application
of electric and magnetic fields