ME3392 – ENGINEERING MATERIALS

AND METALLURGY
INTRODUCTION TO MATERIAL SCIENCE

M. Vinoth Kumar
Assistant Professor/ Mechanical
Mount Zion College of
Engg. &MZCET-MECH-III
Tech., SEM-ME3392-UNIT1
 INTRODUCTION TO MATERIAL SCIENCE

NOT FOR EXAMINATION

TLP not covered for the Introduction Session

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-UNIT1
 At the end of this section, students will be able to:-

• Identify with examples the different classes of

materials.

• Describe the distinctive chemical features of different

materials.

• Identify ‘Advanced Materials’ and how these differ from

the
classical material classes.
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-UNIT1
What is Materials science and engineering?

Materials science: Studies the relationships that exist

between the structures and properties of materials.

Materials engineering: Designing or engineering a material

with a predetermined set of properties on the basis of the
structure property correlations.

Why should we know about materials? Because it is the job of

the engineer to select materials for given application based of
materials structure, properties, processing, performance and
cost.
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-UNIT1
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
 Why did Titanic sink in
1912?

It was built with the wrong steel (containing excessive ratios of

sulphur and phosphor) which undergo brittle fracture at low
temperature.
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster:

Fuel leakage in the rocket booster caused by a O-ring. The

O-ring lost elasticity at MZCET-MECH-III
low temperature.
SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Eschede train disaster:

Caused by metal fatigueMZCET-MECH-III

of the wheels.SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Stone Age
Bronze Age

Iron Age Polymer

Age Concrete
Silicon Age
Now…?

Ages of human development are called

after important materials.
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Prehistoric hunting tools Hunting tools today

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
harvester's sickle, 3000 BC Combine Harvester today
made from baked clay

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Structure:
The structure of a material is usually the arrangement of its
internal components.

Atomic structure: the organisation of atoms or molecules

relative to one another.

Microscopic structure: a larger structural realm, which contains

large groups of atoms that are normally agglomerated together,
which is subject to direct observation using some type of
microscope.

Macroscopic structure: comprises structural elements that may

be viewed with the naked eye.
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Properties:
“A property is a material trait in terms of the kind and
magnitude of response to a specific imposed stimulus.”

Mechanical properties: for example, would relate deformation

to an applied load or force; examples include elastic modulus
and strength.

Electrical properties: such as electrical conductivity and

dielectric constant, the stimulus is an electric field.

Thermal properties: measure for the behaviour of a material in

response to temperature such as heat capacity and thermal
conductivity.
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Properties:
“A property is a material trait in terms of the kind and
magnitude of response to a specific imposed stimulus.”

Magnetic properties: the response of a material to the

application of a magnetic field.

Optical properties: the stimulus is electromagnetic or light

radiation. Index of refraction and reflectivity are representative
optical properties.

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Processing: The series of operations that transforms industrial
materials from a raw-material state into finished parts or products.

Performance: processing

processing effects processing influences

structure and properties and properties
structure determines determines processing
processing routes routes

composition influences
processing routes, structure &
composition properties

structure properties
structure determines
properties
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
 Same material – aluminium oxide – different processing
method – different structure

Adapted from Fig. 1.2,

Callister & Rethwisch 8e.
(Specimen preparation,
P.A. Lessing; photo by S.
Tanner.)

Single crystal Polycrystalline

Polycrystalline with pores
made of very small
single crystals SEM-ME3392-
MZCET-MECH-III
UNIT1
 Metals:
Composed of one or more metallic elements (such as iron, aluminium,
copper, titanium, gold, and nickel), and often also non- metallic
elements (for example, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) in relatively small
amounts.

Atoms in metals and their alloys

are arranged in a
very orderly manner.
Properties:
Stiff and strong, but ductile
High thermal & electrical conductivity
Opaque, reflective
High density MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
 Polymers (plastics or rubber):
Many polymers are organic compounds that are chemically based on
carbon, hydrogen, and other non-metallic elements (O, N, and Si).
Inorganic polymers also exist such as silicon rubber.

Very large molecular structures

often chain-like in nature.

Properties:
Soft, ductile, low strength, low
density
Thermal & electrical insulators
Optically translucent or transparent
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
 Ceramics:
Compounds formed with metallic and non-metallic elements.
They are most frequently oxides, nitrides, and carbides.
Examples: aluminum oxide (or alumina, Al2O3), silicon
dioxide (or silica, SiO2), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride
(Si3N4), clay minerals (i.e., porcelain), cement, and glass.

Properties:
Brittle, glassy
Strong
Non-
conducting
(insulators)
Optical MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
 Composites:
A composite consist of two (or more) individual materials formed from
metals, ceramics, and/or polymers.

The design goal of a composite is to achieve a combination of properties that is

not displayed by any single material, and also to incorporate the best
characteristics of each of the component materials.

Example: fibreglass
Made of small glass fibres
embedded within a polymeric
material (epoxy).
Properties:
stiff, strong (from the glass) flexible,
and ductile (from polymer)MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
 Density

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
 Stiffness

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Materials that are utilized in high-technology:

Typically traditional materials whose properties have been

enhanced, newly developed, high-performance materials.

Include all material types (e.g., metals, ceramics, polymers).

Generally expensive.

Examples include: materials that are used for lasers, integrated

circuits, magnetic information storage, fibre optics, etc.

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Semiconductors:

Have electrical properties that are intermediate between the

electrical conductors (metals and metal alloys) and insulators
(ceramics and polymers).
Examples: gallium arsenide, germanium.

Biomaterials:

Employed as components implanted into the human body for

replacement of diseased or damaged body parts.
Biocompatible - must not cause adverse biological reactions. Can
be metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, or semiconductors.
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
Nano-engineered materials:

Nanomaterials typically have sizes of below 100 nm

(1 nm = 10-9m).

At these dimensions materials can acquire novel properties (i.e.

optical, mechanical, thermal).

Example: Bulk silver and silver nanoparticles.

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
• Use the right material for the job.

• Understand the relationship between properties, structure, and

processing.

• Recognise new design opportunities offered by materials

selection.

MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1
MZCET-MECH-III SEM-ME3392-
UNIT1