INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS

ENGINEERING
(2021-01)

STRUCTURES AND PROPERTIES OF

MATERIALS

Instructor: Julio C. Vargas

jcvargass@unal.edu.co
“Materials Science and Engineering. An Introduction”
William D. Callister Jr., David G. Rethwish, John Wiley
and Sons, 2018
Chapter 1: Introduction

“Introduction to Materials Science for Engineers” James

F. Shackelford, Prentice Hall, 2015
Chapter 1: Materials for Engineering
 Which one has been the MOST IMPORTANT
course that you have taken so far ? WHY ?
ARE YOU A GAME CHANGER ?

Think of an example of something that you could

do in an Engineering job that could become a
“GAME CHANGER”

What would be the MOST

IMPORTANT game change
one could TODAY ?

Evolutionary Vs.
Enablers Revolutionary Technologies
 MATERIALS AND CIVILIZATION

Human attribute make things

(tools, components, engineering systems)

–MATERIALS are needed to meet specific purposes

–Early cultures identified Materials are

by materials used: often
–Stone Age ENABLERS of
–Bronze Age revolutionary
–Iron Age technologies
 MATERIALS AND CIVILIZATION

Human attribute make things

(tools, components, engineering systems)

–MATERIALS are needed to meet specific purposes

–Early cultures identified Materials are

by materials used: often
–Stone Age ENABLERS of
–Bronze Age revolutionary
–Iron Age technologies
 Discussion
Materials are often the limiting factor in
bringing a new technical concept to fruition

Think of an example in which the material

development has been the limiting factor in
the advancement of a new technology
(Your Examples)
….
….
….
 Examples
• STEEL
–US and UK railroad systems
–idea of steam-powered transportation was
ready in 1830 (however, rails too soft )
–only possible after strong material was available

• SILICON
–Semiconductor industry
–multi-billion dollar industry
–communications, computers, videos, etc.

• COMPOSITES
– aircraft and space applications
– Cars (higher mileage)
– Strong, low density, chemically stable
materials (sports – better performance)
 Future Developments?

Can you think of a

new technology that
would develop if a
novel material with
improved properties
existed?
CLASSIFICATION OF
MATERIALS
• METALS
• CERAMICS
• POLYMERS
• COMPOSITES &
NANOCOMPOSITES

• SEMICONDUCTORS
 METALS
Characteristics
• free electrons !
• good conductors
of electricity and
heat
• not transparent
• lustrous when
polished
• alloys or pure elements
 METALS: Steel

• Iron-carbon binary
alloys
• Primary structural
materials in any
technology

World production of Steel

Year 2019:

1869.9
Million Tons !!
https://www.worldsteel.org/media-centre/press-releases/2020/Global-crude-steel-output-increases-by-3.4--in-2019.html
METALS: Steel

Can you explain the trends ?

https://www.worldsteel.org/
 METALS:
Stainless Steel
• steel alloy highly
resistant to
corrosion

• Main alloy Cr
(min 12 wt %) other
alloys Ni, Mo.
Why is Stainless Steel
resistant to corrosion ?
chromium oxide layer Chromium forms surface oxide that
protects underlying alloys from
corroding
 METALS:
Aluminum Alloys
• High electrical and thermal conductivities
• Resistance to corrosion
• High ductility even at low temperatures
• Light weight alloys for aircraft construction
(Al-Li, Al-Mg, Al-Ti alloys)
• Limitation? Low melting T, excessive ductility

Why is Al
resistant to
corrosion ?
 CERAMICS
Compounds between metallic and
non-metallic (oxides, carbides,
nitrides)

ceramic automotive engine

components
Characteristics:
• good insulators
• hard but brittle
• resistant to harsh environments
• thermally stable

example of application: US space shuttle. Surface temperatures during reentry: up to 1450ºC

 CERAMICS:
High-temperature applications

• Ceramic parts in
newly developed
combustion engines

• higher temperatures
= higher efficiencies
 CERAMICS:
HT Superconductors
A small magnet floats above a
• If magnet lowered toward HT superconductor.
superconductor, it induces
electric current, which creates
an opposing magnetic field

• Superconductor has no
electrical resistance. Induced
current continues to flow, Magnetic fields is excluded from its interior;
keeping the magnet this is called the Meissner effect.
suspended indefinitely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWTSzBWEsms
 GLASSES: Silica
(SiO2)
• Amorphous Solid =
GLASS

• Silica Glass
components: SiO2, alkali
flux (carbonates),
limestone, lead and borax

• Crystalline Silica =
QUARTZ (not a glass)

Structurally, glasses are similar to

liquids, but that doesn't mean they are
liquid.
 Carbon
sp2

• Graphite
• Diamond
• Fullerenes
• Nanotubes

https://www2.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/module_index.html
 Carbon
sp3

• Graphite
• Diamond
• Fullerenes
• Nanotubes

https://www2.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/module_index.html
 Carbon
sp2
• Graphite
• Diamond
• Fullerenes
• Nanotubes

https://www2.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/module_index.html
 Carbon
sp2

• Graphite
• Diamond
• Fullerenes
• Nanotubes

https://www2.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/module_index.html
POLYMERIC MATERIALS
• Thermoplastics (polyethylene,
polypropylene)

• Thermosets (epoxies, phenolic

resins - bakelite, polyesters)

• Elastomers (rubbers)
 COMPOSITES
• Multiphase materials
artificially made

• constituents phases
are chemically
different and are
clearly separated

•examples:
- fiberglass - reinforced polymers
- carbon fiber - reinforced polymers
 COMPOSITES:
CERMET
ceramic particles – in metal matrix

boron carbide particles in metal Cermet Break

matrix Pads
 COMPOSITES:
CERMET ceramic-metal composite
Ni particles distributed
in a MgO matrix

Cermet Break
Pads
NANOCOMPOSITES
- in metal matrix
Nano-particles - in ceramic matrix
- in polymer matrix

Nanoparticle Nanocomposite
 SEMICONDUCTORS
• Electrical conductivity
between that of
conductors (metals) and
insulators (ceramics)

• Typical semiconductors:
Silicon and Germanium

• Extrinsic semiconductors doped with substituents,

such as B, Al, Ga (acceptors) or P, As, Sb (donors)
 SEMICONDUCTORS:
Electronic Devices
• DIODES:
– Rectifier diodes
– Breakdown
diodes

• TRANSISTORS:
– Planar Bipolar Transistors
– Field-Effect Transistors
(MOSFET)
Production of Si
ingot Si single crystals

Silicon wafers Handling

MATERIALS OF THE FUTURE:
Nanotechnology
• Cancer Treatment –
Targeting and destruction of cancer cells
• Energy Storage –
Rechargeable batteries - longer lifetimes
• Engineered Textiles –
Lightweight protective gear
• Environment –
Photocatalysts - “self-cleaning”
• Pharmaceuticals –
Antimicrobial nanocoatings kill bacteria,
reduce inflammation, promote healing
• Advanced Computing –
Nanoelectronic devices - quantum dots -nanowires –
molecular switches - next-generation computer chips
• Packaging –
Nanocomposite barrier plastics increase shelf life
MATERIALS OF THE FUTURE
“Smart” Materials
• Able to sense changes in environment
• Respond in a controlled way
Example:

• Nano-structured materials
• “Smart” coatings containing nano-sensors
and nano-actuators
• Carbon nanotubes-based materials