MATS1500 Materials Science and Engineering Course description

In this course, students will gain theoretical and applied knowledge on industrial materials. The course begins with an introduction to the structure of atoms, electron configuration and the period table. The various bonds found in different material groups are described. An account of the different atomic arrangements is followed by the study of materials imperfections and their effect on properties. The course moves on to describe the different hardening mechanisms (strain hardening, solid solution hardening, dispersion hardening and precipitation hardening). In physical metallurgy, the use of phase diagrams is central to understand the microstructure of alloys and the design of heat treatments to obtain desired properties. In total, the chemistry content amounts to 1.5 credits.

The focus of this course is on construction materials, especially metallic materials such as steel and aluminum. However, references to polymers, ceramics and composites are provided for comparison. The course includes content about joining methods such as welding, soldering and bonding. Furthermore, it provides a good basis of the factors that affect materials selection for various applications and for assessing the environmental consequences of materials choices.

Basic skills on the 3D modeling program INVENTOR

No requirements over and above the admission requirements.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student can:

• Understand different levels of the materials substructure, and their influence in macroscopic properties and behavior: starting from the electronic structure of atoms, the different atomic bonding mechanisms, the atomic and ionic arrangements in materials and how the materials imperfections and their movement affect mechanical properties.
• Describe defects in crystalline materials, and explain grain boundary strengthening in polycrystalline materials.
• Explain driving forces for diffusion in materials, and the relevance of diffusion on different metal processing methods.
• Understand relevant properties of materials and the tests commonly performed to characterize these properties.
• Explain how liquid materials solidify via heterogeneous nucleation and describe different casting processes.
• Understand the various hardening mechanisms of metals: work hardening and annealing; solid-solution hardening; dispersion hardening; precipitation or age hardening.
• Understand phase diagrams as a means to identify the phases present in an alloy at different compositions and temperatures, and predict the microstructure of alloys resulting from eutectic and eutectoid phase transformations.
• Recognize and understand the main classifications, material structure, properties, processing and applications of other groups of materials beyond steels and aluminum alloys. 
• Understand the basic fundamentals of electrochemistry and corrosion.

Skills 

The student is capable of:

• Determining the electron configuration of different chemical elements. Using Miller indices to visualize crystalline metal structures and calculate lattice parameters. Inferring macroscopic material properties from crystallographic parameters.
• Calculating defect density, characterizing dislocations quantitatively, identifying slip systems and predicting its influence on mechanical properties.
• Calculating the diffusion coefficient, diffusion rate and diffusion composition profiles.
• Performing tensile testing of metallic materials and producing a test report in accordance with the applicable standard. Identifying stress, strain, elastic modulus, yield point and expressions of ductility and brittleness based on test curves, and measuring hardness.
• Predicting and characterizing fracture and creep. Outlining cold working and annealing processing methods to obtain target properties.
• Applying solidification principles for the characterization and design of iron castings, and determining solid solubility limits in alloys.
• Using phase diagrams to determine: phases present in an alloy, their composition and amounts; quantify dispersion hardening based on the analysis of eutectic and eutectoid phase transformations; design heat treatment methods used for hardening of metals, such as quench and temper to obtain martensite.
• Perform basic calculations related to electrochemistry/corrosion.

General competence

The student has acquired:

• A broad understanding of the different types of materials, where they are used, their properties and how they can be processed.
• The ability to make justified materials selection based on the criteria acquired in the course and with the eventual support of materials databases.
• An insight into the environmental, health-related, social and financial consequences of choices of materials, with an ethical and life cycle perspective.

Lectures, exercises and laboratory work in accordance with the progress schedule.

The following coursework is compulsory and must be approved before the student can sit the exam:

• 2 approved written lab reports. Time per lab is approx. 6 hours including preparation and report writing. The reports are delivered on Canvas.

A supervised three-hour individual written exam.

The exam result can be appealed.

In the event of a resit or rescheduled exam, an oral examination may be used instead. In case an oral exam is used, the examination result cannot be appealed.

A handheld calculator that cannot be used for wireless communication. If the calculator’s internal memory can store data, the memory must be deleted before the exam. Random checks may be carried out.

Grade scale A-F.

One internal examiner. External examiners are used regularly.

Rafael Borrajo