Introduction

Material Science
Involves determining the relationship between the
structures and properties of materials
A material scientist tries to determine the relationship
of material properties to the response of the material
For example, what is the relationship between the
pressure and temperature of a material?
Materials Engineering
Study on the process of creating or designing a new
material based on an existing material with similar
properties
Materials Engineer
Tries to create a new material with the desired
properties based on an existing material with similar
properties

For example, car window glasses previously breaks
into splinters causing severe injury. To make the glass
safer, the glass is tempered by increasing its internal
stress such that when broken, will crumble into
granular chunks
Microscopic vs. Macroscopic
Microscopic structure is defined as the material
structure that can be seen with microscopes such as
Optical microscope
Scanning electron microscope
Atomic force microscope
Macroscopic structure is defined as structures that can
be seen by unaided eye
Structure of a Material
The structure of a material usually relates to the
arrangement of its internal components.
For example, materials are composed of atoms that
may have specific atomic configuration (e.g. crystalline
or noncrystalline)
Properties of a Material
Defined as the characteristic of a material that
differentiate it from other materials. It is independent
on its size and shape
Material properties are grouped into six:
Mechanical
Electrical
Thermal
Optical
Magnetic
Deteriorative
Mechanical properties relate deformation to an
applied load or force
Electrical properties, such as electrical conductivity
and dielectric constant, the stimulus is an electric field
Thermal behavior of solids can be represented in
terms of heat capacity and thermal conductivity
Magnetic properties demonstrate the response of a
material to the application of a magnetic field.
Optical properties, the stimulus is electromagnetic or
light radiation
Deteriorative characteristics relate to the chemical
reactivity of materials.
Four Components of Materials
The structure of a material depends on how it is made
or processed while the performance of the material
depends on its properties. The four components of a
material are interrelated:
For example, even though graphite and diamond are
made up of carbon atoms, they are processed
differently to produce a different material
Why Study Materials?
For the engineer and scientist, it is necessary to study
materials to enable to select the necessary material for
a specific purpose
Usually there is a tradeoff between one characteristic
to another
For example, a ductile material have limited strength
and vice versa. Therefore, as an engineer, it is
necessary not only to know the right specifications but
also the limitation induced by the increased
performance of the material
Deterioration of material property is also important.
For example, if you have a beach house, you need to
determine if the roof of the house is highly resistant to
corrosive attack. Note that salt is corrosive that can
shorten the lifetime of your roof
You need to have basic knowledge about the economic
consideration of creating or replacing traditional
materials
For example, solar panels are very effective in
replacing electrical sources but they are very
expensive. Return of investment will usuall be around
15 years.
Buying expensive leather shoes might be cheaper in
the long run compared with buying cheaper synthetic
leather shoes
The more familiar you are with the various
characteristics and structureproperty relationships,
as well as processing techniques of materials, the more
proficient and confident you will be to make judicious
materials choices based on these criteria.
Classification of Materials
Basic Classification
Metals
Polymers
Ceramics
Advance Materials
Composites
Semiconductors
Biomaterials

Metals
Metals includes Cu, Fe, Al, Zn
Metallic alloys includes small amounts of
nonmetalllic materials such as carbon, nitrogen
and oxygen
In terms of density, metals are denser than
ceramics and polymers.

Bar-chart of room temperature density values for various
metals, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials
Bar-chart of room temperature
stiffness
Bar-chart of room temperature
strength
Bar-chart of room-temperature
resistance to fracture
Bar-chart of room temperature
electrical conductivity ranges
Ceramics
Ceramics are compounds between metallic and
nonmetallic elements
They are most frequently oxides, nitrides, and carbides
Examples includes:
Porcelain
Glass
Tiles
Alumina
Silica
Ceramics are relatively stiff , strong and hard
However, they are brittle and easy to fracture
Insulators and more resistant to heat and harsh
environment compared with metals and polymers

Polymers
Polymers include the familiar plastic and rubber
materials
Chemically based on carbon, hydrogen and other
nonmetallic elements like oxygen, nitrogen and silicon
Examples are
Polyethylene
Nylon
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Polystyrene (styrofoam)
Rubber

Polymers usually have low densities
Not stiff nor as strong as ceramics and metals
Ductile and pliable
Inert and unreactive to most harsh environment
One major drawback of polymers is its low melting
temperature
Knowledge Application
What are the Pros and Cons in the container of most
carbonated drinks?
There are 3 kinds of containers used in most
carbonated drinks:
Glass bottles (Ceramics)
Plastic bottles (Polymer)
Aluminum cans (Metal)


Glass bottles have the following advantages:
Can able to store the carbon dioxide in the beverage for
longer times
Cheaper than Aluminum cans
The disadvantage is it can easily breaks and heavier
than the other containers
Aluminum cans are lighter and quickly cools. It can
easily be recycled and can paint the surface. However,
it is more expensive
Plastic containers are relatively cheaper than
aluminum cans but can only store the carbon dioxide
at shorter times

Composites
Composite is composed of two (or more) individual
materials, which come from either metals, ceramics,
and polymers
Examples are:
Fiberglass or Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP)
Composed of glass fibers in epoxy or polyester
Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP)
Carbon fiber in epoxy or polyester . Better than fiberglass but
more expensive