LECTURE 1
Classification
of materials
Lecture 1: Classification of materials 1
Outlines
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Components of Materials Science and
Engineering
• Classification of Materials
• Advanced Materials
Lecture 1: Classification of materials 2
Materials Science and Engineering
Studying materials involves two branches
materials materials
science engineering
Lecture 1: Classification of materials 3
Materials Science and Engineering
materials • involves investigating the relationships that exist
science between the structures and properties of
materials.
• to develop or synthesize new materials
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Materials Science and Engineering
• is designing or engineering the structure of a
materials material to produce a predetermined set of
engineering properties
• to create new products or systems using existing
materials, and/or to develop techniques for
processing materials
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Components of Materials Science and Engineering
Processing Structure Properties Performance
• Processing is In materials science, Properties describe the essential
Performance reflects
what we do to a structure is studying how behavior of a material, this include
how that translates the
material before the atoms/molecules are • Mechanical : response to the applied
properties into its use,
it ends up being arranged together in a load or force
or the “properties
used. material. This include • Electrical : response to the applied
under constraints“.
• We can consider • Macroscopic structure electric field
This splits “materials
processing also • Microscopic structure • Thermal : response to temperature
science and
as synthesis of • Nanostructure variation
engineering” into
materials • Magnetic: response to the applied
materials science for
• In fact, for some magnetic field
focusing on properties
materials, • Optical: response to the
and materials
processing electromagnetic or light radiation
engineering for
actually involves • Chemical: relate to the chemical
focusing on
adding reactivity of materials
performance.
impurities.
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Classification of Materials
• Solid materials have been conveniently grouped based primarily on chemical and atomic structures
into three basic classifications: metals, ceramics, and polymers.
• most materials fall into one distinct grouping or another, although there are some intermediates.
• In addition, there are the composites, combinations of two or more of the above three basic
material classes.
• Another classification is advanced materials—those used in high-technology application.
semiconductors, biomaterials, smart materials, and nanoengineered materials.
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Materials in our Life
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(I) Metals
Metals
aluminum cans
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Characteristics of Metals
▪ Materials in this group are composed of metallic elements (such as iron, aluminum, copper,
titanium, gold, and nickel), and often also nonmetallic elements (for example, carbon,
nitrogen, and oxygen) in relatively small amounts.
▪ Atoms in metals and their alloys are arranged in a very orderly manner and in comparison,
to the ceramics and polymers, are relatively dense.
▪ For mechanical characteristics, these materials are relatively stiff and strong yet are ductile
(capable of large amounts of deformation without fracture) and are resistant to fracture
which accounts for their widespread use in structural applications.
▪ Metallic materials have large numbers of free electrons, so metals are extremely good
conductors of electricity and heat and are not transparent to visible light; a polished metal
surface has appearance.
▪ In addition, some of the metals (viz., Fe, Co, and Ni) have desirable magnetic properties.
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(II) Ceramics
Ceramics
glass bottles
Lecture 1: Classification of materials 11
Characteristics of Ceramics
❑Ceramics are compounds between metallic and nonmetallic elements; they are most
frequently oxides, nitrides, and carbides.
❑For examples, aluminum oxide (or alumina, Al2O3), silicon dioxide (or silica, SiO2), silicon
carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si3N4).
❑In addition, what some refer to as the traditional ceramics—those composed of clay
minerals (i.e., porcelain), as well as cement and glass.
❑For mechanical behavior, ceramic materials are relatively stiff and strong. In addition,
ceramics are typically very hard. On the other hand, they are extremely brittle. These
materials are typically insulators to the passage of heat and electricity (i.e., have low
electrical conductivities), and are more resistant to high temperatures and harsh
environments than metals and polymers.
❑With regard to optical characteristics, ceramics may be transparent, translucent, or
opaque.
❑Some of the oxide ceramics (Fe3O4) exhibit magnetic behavior.
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(III) Polymers
Polymers
plastic bottles
Lecture 1: Classification of materials 13
Characteristics of Polymers
➢ Polymers include the familiar plastic and rubber materials.
➢ Many of them are organic compounds that are chemically based on carbon, hydrogen,
and other nonmetallic elements (viz. O, N, and Si). Furthermore, they have very large
molecular structures, often chain-like in nature with a backbone of carbon atoms.
➢ Some of the common and familiar polymers are polyethylene (PE), nylon, poly(vinyl
chloride) (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), and silicone rubber.
➢ These materials typically have low densities, whereas their mechanical characteristics
are generally dissimilar to the metallic and ceramic materials—they are not as stiff nor
as strong as these other material types.
➢ In addition, many of the polymers are extremely ductile and pliable (i.e., plastic).
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(IV) Composites
Composites
Wood-plastic composites
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Characteristics of Composites
✓ A composite is composed of two (or more) individual
materials, viz., metals, ceramics, and polymers.
✓ The design goal of a composite is to achieve a combination
of properties that is not displayed by any single material,
and also to incorporate the best characteristics of each of
the component materials.
✓ One of the most common and familiar composites is
fiberglass, in which small glass fibers are embedded within
a polymeric material (normally an epoxy or polyester).
✓ The glass fibers are relatively strong and stiff (but also
brittle), whereas the polymer is ductile (but also weak and
flexible). Thus, the resulting fiberglass composite is stiff,
strong, flexible, and ductile. In addition, it has a low
density.
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Characteristics of Composites
✓ Another of these technologically important
materials is the “carbon fiber reinforced
polymer” (or “CFRP”) composite—carbon fibers
that are embedded within a polymer.
✓ These materials are stiffer and stronger than the
glass fiber reinforced materials, yet they are
more expensive.
✓ The CFRP composites are used in some aircraft and aerospace applications,
as well as high-tech sporting equipment (e.g., bicycles, golf clubs, tennis
rackets, and skis/snowboards).
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Advanced Materials
o Materials that are utilized in high-technology applications are sometimes termed
advanced materials.
o Advanced materials include semiconductors, biomaterials, and what we may term
“materials of the future” (that is, smart materials and nanoengineered materials).
Semiconductors
• Semiconductors have electrical properties that are intermediate between the electrical conductors
(viz. metals and metal alloys) and insulators (viz. ceramics and polymers).
• Furthermore, the electrical characteristics of these materials are extremely sensitive to the
presence of minute concentrations of impurity atoms.
• Semiconductors have made possible the advent of integrated circuits that has totally revolutionized
the electronics and computer industries over the past three decades.
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Advanced Materials
• Biomaterials are employed in components implanted into the human body for
replacement of diseased or damaged body parts.
Biomaterials • These materials must not produce toxic substances and must be compatible
with body tissues.
• All of the materials—metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and
semiconductors—may be used as biomaterials.
• Smart material include some type of sensor and an actuator. Actuators mean
devices that change shape, position, natural frequency, or mechanical
Smart Materials characteristics in response to changes in temperature, light intensity, electric
fields, and/or magnetic fields.
• Four types of materials are commonly used for actuators: alloys, piezoelectric
ceramics, magnetic materials, and magnetic fluids.
It has become possible to design new materials that are built from the ability to
Nanoengineered carefully arrange atoms. This provides opportunities to develop mechanical, electrical,
Materials magnetic, and other properties that are not otherwise possible. The study of the
properties of these materials is termed “nanotechnology”;
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End of the Lecture
Thank You
Materials Science: Course description 20
