Republic of the Philippines

BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Main Campus
CPG North Ave., Tagbilaran City

Vision: A premiere Science and Technology University for the formation of the world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields; undertake research and
development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Electrical Engineering Department

ME 01
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Handouts No. 1-A

Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering
(Nature of Materials)

I. Introduction

Materials Science, also commonly known as Materials Science and Engineering, is an

interdisciplinary field which deals with the discovery and design of new materials. This relatively
new scientific field involves studying materials through the materials paradigm (synthesis,
structure, properties and performance). It incorporates elements of physics and chemistry, and is
at the forefront of nano science and nanotechnology research. In recent years, materials science
has become more widely known as a specific field of science and engineering.

Materials science and engineering are sometimes subdivided into materials science and
materials engineering subdisciplines. Materials science involves investigating the relationship that
exists between the structures and properties of materials. Materials engineering, on the other
hand, is on the basis of these structure-property correlations, designing or engineering the
structure of a material to produce a predetermined set of properties.

From a functional perspective, the role of a materials scientist is to develop or synthesize new
materials, whereas a materials engineer is called upon to create new products or systems using
existing materials, and/or to develop techniques for processing materials.

Structure of a material usually relates to the arrangement of its internal components.

Subatomic structure involves electrons within the individual atoms and interactions with their
nuclei. On an atomic level, structure encompasses the organization of atoms or molecules relative
to one another. The next larger structural realm, which contains large groups of atoms that are
normally agglomerated together, is termed microscopic: meaning that which is subject to direct
observation using some type of microscope. Finally, structural elements that may be viewed with
the naked eye are termed macroscopic.

The notion of property deserves elaboration. While in service use, all materials are exposed to
external stimuli that evoke some type of response. For example, a specimen subjected to forces will
experience deformation, or a polished metal surface will reflect light. A property is a material trait
in terms of the kind and magnitude of response to a specific imposed stimulus. Generally,
definitions of properties are made independent of material shape and size. Virtually, all important

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 properties of solid materials may be grouped in to six different categories: mechanical, electrical,
thermal, magnetic, optical and deteriorative.

In addition to structure and properties, two other important components are involved in the
science and engineering of materials – processing and performance. With regard to the
relationships of these four components, the structure will depend on how it is processed.
Furthermore, a material‟s performance will be a function of its properties. Thus, the
interrelationship between processing, structure, properties and performance is as depicted as

PROCESSING STRUCTURE PROPERTIES PERFORMANCE

II. Importance of Materials

A material is defined as a substance (most often a solid, but other condensed phases can be
included) that is intended to be used for certain applications. There are myriad of materials around
us – they can be found in anything from buildings to spacecrafts. Materials can generally be
divided into two (2) classes: crystalline and non-crystalline. The traditional examples of materials
are metals, ceramics and polymers. New and advanced materials that are being developed include
semiconductors, nanomaterials, biomaterials, etc.

The material of choice of a given era is often a defining point. Phrases such as Stone Age,
Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Steel Age are great examples. Originally deriving from the manufacture
of ceramics and its putative derivative metallurgy, materials science is one of the oldest forms of
engineering and applied science. Modern materials science evolved directly from metallurgy, which
itself evolved from mining and (likely) ceramics and the use of fire. A major breakthrough in the
understanding of materials occurred in the late 19th century, when the American scientist Josiah
Willard Gibbs demonstrated that the thermodynamics properties related to atomic structure in
various phases are related to the physical properties of a material. Important elements of modern
materials science are a product of the space race: the understanding and engineering of the
metallic alloys, and silica and carbon materials, used in the construction of space vehicles
enabling the exploration of space. Materials science has driven, and been driven by, the
development of revolutionary technologies such as plastics, semiconductors, and biomaterials.

Before the 1960s (and in some cases decades after), many materials science departments were
named metallurgy departments, reflecting the 19th and early 20th century emphasis on metals. The
field has since broadened to include every class of materials, including ceramics, polymers,
semiconductors, magnetic materials, medical implant materials, biological materials and
nanomaterials (materiomics).

III. Historical Perspective

Materials are so important in the development of civilization that we associate ages with them.
In the origin of human life on earth, the Stone Age, people used only natural materials like stone,
clay, skins, and wood. When people found copper and how to make it harder by alloying, the
Bronze Age started 3000 BC. The use of iron and steel, stronger materials that gave advantage in
wars started at about 1200 BC. The next big step was the discovery of a cheap process to make
steel around 1850, which enabled the railroads and the building of the modern infrastructure of
the industrial world.
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IV. Why Study Materials Science and Engineering?

 To be able to select a material for a given use based on considerations of cost and
performance
 To understand the limits of materials and the change of their properties with use
 To be able to create a new material that will have some desirable properties

All engineering disciplines need to know about materials. Even the most immaterial like
software or system engineering depend on the development of new materials, which in turn
alter the economics, like software-hardware trade-off. Increasing applications of system
engineering are in materials manufacturing (industrial engineering) and complex
environmental systems.

Many times, a materials problem is one of selecting the right material from the thousands that
are available. The final decision is normally based on several criteria: the in-service condition
must be characterized, any deterioration of material properties that may occur during service
operation and the economics.

V. Classifications of Materials

Materials can be classified according to its structure, properties or use. The following are
classified according to the way the atoms are bound together.

1. Metals – the valence electrons are detached from atoms, and spread in an „electron sea‟
that “glues” the ions together. Metals are usually strong, conduct electricity and heat well
and are opaque to light (shiny if polished) e.g. aluminum, steel, brass, gold
2. Ceramics – atoms behave mostly like either positive or negative ions, and are bound by
Coulomb forces between them. They are usually combinations of metals or semiconductors
with oxygen, nitrogen or carbon (oxides, nitrides, and carbides) e.g. glass, porcelain, many
minerals
3. Polymers – are bound by covalent forces and also by weak can der Waals forces, and
usually based on H, C and other non-metallic elements. They decompose at moderate
temperatures (100-400C), and are lightweight. Other properties vary greatly e.g. plastics
(nylon, teflon, polyester) and rubber.
4. Composite – are made of different materials in intimate contact, e.g. fiberglass, concrete,
wood, to achieve specific properties.

Other categories are not based on bonding. It is based on a particular microstructure.

1. Advanced Materials – used in “High-tech” applications, usually designed for maximum
performances, and normally expensive, e.g. titanium alloys for supersonic airplanes,
magnetic alloys for computer disks, special ceramics for the heat shield of the space shuttle,
etc.
a. Semiconductors – the bonding is covalent (electrons are shared between atoms).
Their electrical properties depend extremely strongly on minute proportions of
contaminants. They are opaque to visible light but transparent to the infrared e.g.
Si, Ge, Ga, As
b. Biomaterials – can be any type of material that is biocompatible and used, for
instances, to replace human body parts.
c. Smart Materials – a group of new and state-of-the-art materials now being
developed that will have a significance influence on many technologies
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 d. Nanomaterials – may be one of the four basic types. Unlike the basic four types,
they are not distinguished on the basis of their chemistry, but rather, the size.

Modern Materials Needs

 Engine efficiency increases at high temperatures thus requiring high temperature-
withstanding materials
 Use of nuclear energy requires solving problem with residues, or advances in
nuclear waste processing
 Hypersonic flight requires materials that are light, strong, and resist high
temperatures
 Optical communications require optical fibers that absorb light negligibly
 Civil construction – materials for unbreakable windows
 Structures: materials that are strong like metals and resist corrosion like plastics

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