MSE 250: Structure and Properties of Materials

2. Atomic Structure & Atomic Bonding

Instructor: Prof. Yang Jiao (yang.jiao.2@asu.edu)

Office: Engineering Research Center Rm 387
Phone: 480-965-4560

Expected Outcome
Key concepts:

Skills:

Atomic structure;

Predict trend of atomic radius given PT

Periodic table (PT);

Predict trend of electronegativity given PT

Atomic radius;

Determine type of bonding between atoms

Electronegativity;

Explain difference between different

bonding types

Atomic bonding;
Thermal expansion

Explain thermal expansion

Atoms are fundamental building blocks of materials.

The structure and properties of a material depend on the atoms

make up the materials and their interactions with one another.

10 cm
10 nm
10 m

Math for atoms

Atomic structure
An atom is composed of
positively charged Proton (+),
neutron and negatively charged
electron (-). Protons and
neutrons make up the nucleus.

Electrons move in different

orbits (shells) surrounding the
nucleus.
Atomic structure is the
fundamental factor determining
atomic bonding and the
structure & properties of the
materials made of the atoms!!!

Each shell can only hosts a fixed

number of electrons: N = 2n2

Trend of atomic radius

Top to bottom: More electron shells, larger radius

Left to right: More protons, stronger attractions of electrons, smaller radius

Ionic Radius

cation: atom that

loses electrons

anion: atom that

gains electrons

A cation is always
smaller than the
associated atom

A anion is always
larger than the
associated atom

Why ions form: Electronegativity

Electronegativity: the tendency of atoms to attract electrons.

Electronegativity determines whether atoms form metallic, ionic,
or covalent
bonds.
Chloride (Cl)
Sodium
(Na)

Left to right: more protons in nucleus, so electrons attracted

more strongly. Electronegativity increases.
Electronegativity: the tendency of atoms to attract electrons.
Top to bottom: more electron shells, outermost electrons are
Electronegativity determines whether atoms form metallic, ionic,
farther from the nucleus and held more loosely, easy to loose
or covalent bonds.
electrons. Electronegativity decreases.

The Periodic Table

Atomic bonding

Primary
Bonding:
Covalent

Metallic

Secondary
Bonding:

Van der Waals bonding

Ionic

Metallic Bonding
Both atoms have low electronegativity (less than 1.8), so valence
(outermost) electrons are only weakly attracted by specific
atoms, and hence are shared between the atoms, e.g., Fe +Fe,
Fe+Ni

Covalent Bonding
Both atoms have high electronegativity (above 1.8) that are
similar, so that electrons are attracted strongly and shared
equally between two atoms, e.g., H +H, H+Cl

Multiple Covalent Bonds

Depending on the number of valence electrons, some atoms can
form multiple covalent bonds.

Carbon (C) has a valence of 4, so it can from up to four bonds

with other atoms. It can form single, double, or triple bonds.

Ionic Bonding
One atom has a much higher electronegativity than the other, so
that one atom attracts electrons more strongly than the other

Mixed Ionic/Covalent Bonding

The electronegativity difference DE determines whether a bond is
mostly covalent, mixed ionic/covalent, or mostly ionic:
DE between 0 and 1: mostly covalent
DE between 1 and 2: mixed ionic/covalent
DE greater than 2

: mostly ionic

Si (EN = 1.9) and O (EN = 3.44)

DE = 1.54 so they form a mixed
ionic/covalent bond, meaning that
valence electrons are partially
transferred from Si to O (ionic), but
also partially shared (covalent).

Van der Waals Bonding

Weak bonding between atoms
and molecules created by
electrostatic attraction due to
dipoles. No significant changes
in atomic structure involved.

Temporary dipole: momentary

shift of electron cloud

Van der Waals Bonding

Weak bonding between atoms
and molecules created by
electrostatic attraction due to
dipoles.

Permanent dipole: center of

positive and negative charges
are different.

Permanent dipoles are much stronger than temporary dipoles.

Atomic bonding

Primary
Bonding:
Covalent

Metallic

Secondary
Bonding:

Van der Waals bonding

Ionic

Determine the types of bonding (if any):

Cu-Cu, Al-Fe, Si-Si, Si-Ge, C-O, O-O, Na-O, O2-O2, Ar-Ar, CO2-CO2

Thermal Expansion
Most materials expand when heated

If heated from 0 Kelvin to Tmp, most materials have a linear

expansion 1-2%

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion :

1 d

Thermal Properties for a Variety of Materials

(low Tmp materials have high thermal expansion, and vice versa)
Tmp

per Kelvin (25)

2700

410-6

2323

910-6

Metals : Steel

1800

1110-6

Al

933

2410-6

105

12010-6

85

19010-6

Materials
Ceramics : SiC
Al2O3

Polymers : Polyethylene
PVC

When changing the temperature of steel from 0C to 100C, assuming

does not depend on T, the expansion of the metal is:

1.1*10 3

Why does thermal expansion occur?

Bond Energy vs. Distance Curve is asymmetric

Thermal Expansion
As atoms vibrate, easy to move apart, but difficult to move closer
As temperature increases, average bond length increases.

Expected Outcome
Key concepts:

Skills:

Atomic structure;

Predict trend of atomic radius given PT

Periodic table (PT);

Predict trend of electronegativity given PT

Atomic radius;

Determine type of bonding between atoms

Electronegativity;

Explain difference between different

bonding types

Atomic bonding;
Thermal expansion

Explain thermal expansion