MATSE 182: Introduction to Materials Science & Engineering

Textbook: W.D. Callister, Jr., "Materials Science and Engineering, An Introduction" Wiley -- 7th Edition

Catalog Description, Prerequisites and Schedule:

Provides an overview of Materials Science and Engineering as a basis for understanding how structure/property/processing relationships are developed and used for different types of materials. Illustrates the role of materials in modern society by case studies of advances in new materials and processes. Laboratory/discussion periods will be devoted to demonstrations and experiments that illustrate the lectures. Design teams will analyze or synthesize objects that use materials creatively. Prerequisite: None. 3 hours. 3 lecture-discussion hours/week.

Course Topics:

1. Atoms, bonding, basic chemistry
(basic results of quantum mechanics)
2. Basic types of interatomic bonds:
(covalent, ionic, metallic bonding, van der Waals interactions, dipolar interactions, hydrogen bonding)
3. Crystal structures & crystallography
(lattices, unit cells, basis, crystallographic planes, Bragg's Law)
4. Introduction to metals
(fcc, bcc, hcp, atomic packing, slip systems, relation to macroscopic phenomena)
5. Introduction to ceramics
(organizing principles, coordination numbers and atomic sizes, crystal structures, clays, zeolites and molecular sieves, ultra-hard 'covalent ceramics', macroscopic properties, crack propagation, revitrification, ceramic composites)
6. Disorder
(polycrystalline matter, grain boundaries, Long Range Order and Short Range Order, metallic glasses, polymeric glasses)
7. Defects
(point defects, diffusion, line defects, dislocations, dislocation movement)
8. Stress and strain
(Young's modulus, relation to interatomic potentials, strong materials, composite materials)
9. Introduction to polymeric materials
(polymers, Gaussian chains, entropy, elastomers, rubber elasticity, coiling times and glass transition temperatures, block copolymers, liquid crystalline polymers and strong polymer fibers, biopolymers)
10. Introduction to liquid crystals
(nematic, smectic, cholesteric mesophases, lyotropics, Frederiks's transition, LCD's, soaps and membranes)
11. Introduction to electronic materials
(metals, semiconductors, insulators, band formation, atomic origins of band structure, relation to bonding and anti-bonding orbitals, electron mobility, doping in semiconductors, device examples)

Course Objectives:

1. To review physics and chemistry in the context of materials science & engineering.
2. To describe the different types of bonding in solids, and the physical ramifications of these differences.
3. To describe and demonstrate diffraction, including interpretation of basic x-ray data.
4. Give an introduction to metals, ceramics, polymers, and electronic materials in the context of a molecular level understanding of bonding.
5. Give an introduction to the relation between processing, structure, and physical properties.
6. Give the beginning student an appreciation of recent developments in materials science & engineering within the framework of this class.
7. Give the beginning student an opportunity for teamwork in research
8. Give the beginning student practice in basic expository technical writing.

Course Outcomes:

1. Given a type of material, be able to qualitatively describe the bonding scheme and its general physical properties, as well as possible applications.
2. Given a type of bond, be able to describe its physical origin, as well as strength.
3. Be able to qualitatively derive a material's Young's modulus from a potential energy curve.
4. Given the structure of a metal, be able to describe resultant elastic properties in terms of its 1D and 2D defects.
5. Given a simple set of diffraction data, be able to index the peaks and infer the structure.
6. Be able to describe a polymer's elastic behavior above and below the glass transition.
7. Be able to do simple diffusion problems.

Assessment Tools:

Five quizzes (40%)
Homework (20%)
EOH term project (20%)
Attendance (20%)

Contribution of Course to Meeting the Professional Component:

100%

Prepared by:

Paul Braun, April 2006