DMT125 Materials Science

Chapter 1: Introduction to Material Properties

Contents
Introduction to materials science &
engineering
Types of materials
Recent advances in material science &
technology & future trends
Introduction to materials science &
engineering

Ferro silicon metal material

Source: http://www.rsalloys.in/products
Introduction to materials science &
engineering
Material science – Primarily concerned
with the search for basic knowledge about
the internal structure, properties &
processing of materials
Material engineering – Mainly concerned
with the use of fundamental & applied
knowledge of materials
Introduction to materials science &
engineering
Material properties:
◦ Chemical: characteristics of a substance
associated with its formulation & reactivity
with other substances & environments
◦ Mechanical: durability & ability to withstand
applied force
◦ Physical: attributes that can be measured
without altering or destroying it
Introduction to materials science &
engineering
Material structures
◦ crystalline
 Atoms arranged in orderly manner
Introduction to materials science &
engineering
Material structures
◦ Non-crystalline/amorphous
 Atoms not arranged in orderly manner
Types of materials
Metallic
Ceramic
Polymeric
Composite
Electronic
Types of materials - Metals
Inorganic substance that are composed of
one or more metallic & may also contain
some non-metallic elements
Metallic components example:
◦ Iron, copper, aluminium, etc
Non-metallic components example:
◦ Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, etc
Types of materials - Metals

Hot metal works

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal
Types of materials - Metals
General properties
◦ Good thermal & electrical conductors
◦ Relatively strong & ductile @ room
temperature (37C)
◦ Maintain good strength even at high
temperatures
Types of materials - Metals
Alloy
◦ Combination of either:
 Metal 1 + Metal 2 + Metal n…
 Metal + Non-metal elements
2 division of classes:
◦ Ferrous metal: contain large percentage of iron
ie steels & cast irons
◦ Non-ferrous metal: do not contain iron
element or relatively small amount of iron ie
aluminium, nickel, copper, etc
Types of materials - Metals
Main applications:
◦ Aerospace
◦ Biomedical
◦ Semiconductors
◦ Electronics
◦ Civil structural & transportations
Types of materials - Polymer
Long molecular chains or networks that
are usually based on organics (carbon
containing precursors)
Examples:
◦ Plastics (PVC, PP, etc)
◦ DNA
◦ Rubber
 Types of materials - Polymer

Bottled water plastics

Source:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryfaqs/f/examples-of-polymers.htm
Types of materials - Polymer
General properties:
◦ Poor conductors of electricity
◦ Good insulators (electrical insulative
applications)
◦ Low densities
◦ Relatively low softening or decomposition
temperatures
Types of materials - Polymer
Blends
◦ Mixture of polymer 1 + polymer 2 + polymer
n…
◦ Example: Elastomer
 Highly deformable type of polymer
 Blended with other plastics to improve impact
strength of material
Types of materials - Polymer
Main applications:
◦ Automative bumpers
◦ Power tool housing
◦ Sporting goods
◦ Electronics (latest: DVD disc)
Types of materials - Ceramics
Inorganic materials that consist of
metallic & non-metallic elements
chemically bonded together
Examples:
◦ Porcelain vase
◦ Claypots
◦ Bricks
Types of materials - Ceramics

Porcelain vase
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic
Types of materials - Ceramics
General properties:
 High hardness
 High temperature strength
 Tend to brittle ( little or no deformation prior to fracture)
 Light weight
 High strength
 Good heat & wear resistants
 Reduced friction
◦ Since it has excellent insulative properties, it
useful for furnace linings for heat treatment &
melting of metal
Types of materials - Ceramics
Advance ceramics
◦ Higher strength
◦ Better wear & corrosion resistants
◦ Enhanced thermal shock resistance
Examples:
◦ Alumina (oxide)
◦ Silicon nitride (nitride)
◦ Silicon carbide (carbide)
Used as excellent cutting tools due to its
superb properties
Types of materials - Ceramics
2 main drawbacks
◦ Difficult to process into finished products &
therefore expensive
◦ Brittle & have low fracture toughness
compared to metals
Types of materials - Composites
 Two or more materials (phases or constituents)
integrated to form a new one
 Material 1 + material 2 = New material
 Examples:
Concrete: binder (cement) + reinforcement (gravel)
Fibreglass
 Types of composites:
◦ fibrous: composed of fibers in a matrix
◦ Particulate: composed of particles in a matrix
 Classifications of composites
◦ MMC – metal matrix composite
◦ CMC – ceramic matrix composite
◦ PMC – polymer matrix composite
Types of materials - Composites

Concrete
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete
Types of materials - Composites
General properties:
◦ High strength
◦ High stiffness to weight ratio
◦ Significantly lower density
◦ Overall component weight is lower
◦ Brittleness
◦ Low fracture toughness
Types of materials - Composites
Modern composite materials
◦ Available in 2 types:
 Fiberglass: reinforcing material in a polyester or
epoxy matrix
 Carbon fibers in an epoxy matrix
Types of materials - Composites
Main applications:
◦ Aerospace
◦ Avionics
◦ Civil structural
◦ Sports equipments
 Types of materials - Electronics
Pure silicon
◦ Modified to change its electrical
characteristics

Intel Pentium 486 DX processor

Source: http://www.optics.rochester.edu/workgroups/cml/opt307/spr06/alex/
Recent advances in material science
& technology & future trends
Ability to sense external environment
stimuli (temperature, humidity, stress, etc)
& responding to them by changing their
properties (mechanical, electrical,
appearance) structure or functions

Sensors Actuators SMART

(detection) (perform) MATERIAL
Recent advances in material science
& technology & future trends
Shape memory alloys/piezoelectric
ceramics
◦ Once strained, the shape will revert back to
their original shape on increasing in
temperature above a critical transformation
temperature
Nano materials
◦ Have characteristics length scale smaller than
100nm ( 1nm = 1x10-9m)
 Recent advances in material science
& technology & future trends

Wires ending in interconnects. Image taken from a SEM

Source: http://www.optics.rochester.edu/workgroups/cml/opt307/spr06/alex/
END