The relationship of the engineering properties of materials to their atomic structure, bonding, crystal structure, imperfections and microstructure. The processing of materials to produce required structure and properties. Includes consideration of crystal structure determination, phase diagrams, diffusion, phase transformations, solidification, heat treatment and deformation. The laboratory is a term-long project designed to familiarize students with the use of materials-related equipment commonly found in industrial and research laboratories. (3 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
Thermodynamics: review of First and Second Laws, gas laws, humidity, thermochemistry, entropy, reversible and irreversible processes, equilibrium criteria, Gibbs free energy, activity and activity coefficient, solution thermodynamics, Raoult's and Henry's Laws, Gibbs-Duhem equation, alloy phase equilibria, free energy-composition diagrams, Ellingham diagrams.
Kinetics: empirical treatment for homogeneous reaction rates, reaction order and specific rate constant, activation energy, Arrhenius' Law, energy distribution in reacting systems, heterogeneous reactions.
Selected problems in materials processing to illustrate theory. (3 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
Materials research project related either to development work and problem-solving, or to an area of current graduate research. Course requirements include three seminars and a final report. The student seminars focus on problem identification, review of existing knowledge, design of experiment(s), equipment construction, data collection, and presentation and interpretation of results. (6 laboratory hours a week; offered over two terms.)
Uses of traditional and advanced ceramics. Monolithic and composite ceramics. Comparison of ceramics with metals and alloys. Processing: raw material preparation, forming techniques, theory and practice of sintering, quality control. Properties: modulus of rupture, creep, corrosion, erosion, and electrical, magnetic and optical properties. (3 lecture hours, 1 laboratory hours a week.)
Introduction to basic plasticity theory and its application to common metal forming and metal cutting processes. Fracture mechanics and its applications in brittle and ductile fracture, creep and fatigue, for purposes of design and of analysis. (3 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
Factors affecting and determining performance of materials under corrosive and abrasive conditions. Design for corrosion and wear control by use of surface protective treatments, environment modification and special property materials. The laboratory is a term-long study of a real-life corrosion problem. (3 lecture hours, 1 laboratory hour a week.)
Uses of materials in electronic devices. Histories of semiconductor devices (from transistors to 16Mb RAM) and superconductors (from Hg to high Tc La-Sr-Cu oxides). Electron theories: the electron as a wave, tunnel effect, thermionic and field emission of electrons, band theory, impurity levels in semiconductors, junctions, tunnel diode. Principles of semicondutor devices. VLSI process technology. Principles of sensors. Dielectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, ferroelectric, optoelectronic, ferrimagnetic and feromagnetic materials. Superconductive microelectronic devices. (3 lecture hours, 1 laboratory hour a week.)
An overview of developments in materials, manufacturing processes and applications for modern steels. Classes and classifications of steels, effects of alloy additions and control of microstructure. In-depth studies of high strength low alloy (HSLA), dual-phase, ultra-high strength, stainless and tool steels. The laboratory is an individual assignment on one type of steel. (3 lecture hours, 1 laboratory hour a week.)
Application of diffusion theory to diffusion-controlled processes; solidification principles and application to foundry problems—segregation in castings; heat transfer processes. Selected problems to illustrate theory. (2 lecture, 2 tutorial hours a week.)
The structure, properties, and processing of polymers (plastics) with emphasis on polymer forming processes, including extrusion, injection molding, blowmolding, and thermoforming, including tours of local industry. Fabrication and properties of composites with a polymer base. (3 lecture hours, 1 laboratory hour a week.)