Metals &

Alloy

Materials

Ceramics Polymers
 Metallic
Materials

Ferrous Non Ferrous

Metals & Alloys
 Metals & Alloys
• 87 elements are
classified as
metals, 61 of
which are
commercially
available

• Commonly used metals & alloys : Al, Cu, Fe,

Ni, Pb, Sn and Zn
 Metals & Alloys
• Advantages
– huge range of alloys and tempers allowing
optimisation of properties for diverse applications;
– their generally high electric conductivity, thermal
conductivity, strength, corrosion resistance;
– ease of shaping both by casting and subsequently
by deformation processing;
– ability to manufacture smart materials e.g. based
on their superconducting, optical and magnetic
properties plus biocompatibility.
 Challenges for the Future
Sustainability issues are increasingly important
because of :
• Greater awareness and hence consumer
pressure;
• Legislation – Kyoto agreement : Global
warming (ends in 2012 but maybe will be
continued – Durban 2011);
• Scarcity as key metals, especially rare earth
metals are limited in their abundance
 Challenges for the Future
Sustainability is more narrowly focused on :
• Abundance of different elements and whether
or not economic alternatives exist;
• Energy to extract – embodied energy – and to
shape;
• “Greenhouse gas” emissions when extracting
and shaping (main emphasis normally on CO2)
 Point of Interest
• Al & Al Alloy
Non Ferrous • Mg & Mg Alloy
• Ti & Ti Alloy
• Superalloys

• Light  light metals

• Mechanical properties
comparable to steel
• More corrosion resistant
 Refreshment
• Metal making
• Mechanical properties
• Strengthening mechanism
• Phase diagram & phase transformation
• Failure
 Metal Making
Extraction
Mining Mineral (ore) Refinery Pure Metal
Smelting

Secondary Casting/
product Foundry

Forming Cast product

Wrought
product
Mechanical Properties
Strengthening Mechanism
Phase diagram & phase transformation
Failure