last modified: 07/03/2006

Course code: MS4041

Course name: Structure of Materials

This concerns a Course

In the program of  MSc MSE                                         and of 

EC (European Credits): 5 (1 EC concerns a work load of 28 hours)

Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

Department of MSE

Lecturer 1: Dr.ir. J. Sietsma / Dr.ir. S.E. Offerman

Tel.:  015 - 27 82198 /      

Lecturer 2: Dr.ir. R. van de Krol

Lecturer 3: Dr. E. Mendes

Catalog data:

atomic and molecular structure, metals, ceramics, polymers, phase transformations, visco-elastic behaviour, optical and electric properties

Course year:

MSc 1st year

Course language:

English

 

In case of Dutch: Please contact the lecturer about an English alternative, whenever needed.

Semester:

1A / 1B

Hours per week:

4

Other hours:

     

Assessment:

Written exam

Assessment period:

1B / August

(see academic calendar)

 

Prerequisites (course codes):

Thermodynamics & Kinetics (MS4061)

Follow up (course codes):

Properties of Materials (MS4081), Production of Materials (MS4101)

Detailed description of topics:

The module provides fundamental and applied knowledge on the principles of the (micro)structure and its formation processes for the material classes polymers, ceramics and metals, in relation to the technological production processes and applications.

Course material:

  • R.J. Young and P.A. Lovell, Introduction to polymers, Chapman & Hall, London, 2nd edition, 1991
  • Y.-M. Chiang, D.P. Birnie and W.D. Kingery, Physical ceramics: Principles for ceramic science and engineering, Wiley & Sons, 2nd edition, 1996, ch. 1 (pp. 1-51), ch. 2 (sect. 2.1-2.4), ch. 3 (up to pag. 236)
  • Handouts An Introduction into the Electronic Structure of Semiconductors (R. van de Krol)
  • D.A. Porter and K.E. Easterling, Phase transformations in metals and alloys, Chapman & Hill, 2nd edition, 1992, chapter 5

References from literature:

  •      

Remarks assessment, entry requirements, etc.:

     

Learning goals:

The student is able to identify the governing physical principles of the formation of the structure of materials, and is able to apply these principles in the design and optimisation of the processing routes for the production of materials.

 

 

Metals Structure:

Identify the underlying mechanisms of precipitation and eutectoid, ordering, massive and polymorphic phase transformations in metallic structures

 

Specifically, the student is able to

1.         formulate expressions for the activation energy and rate of nucleation during homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation processes for different geometries of the critical nucleus.

2.         determine the driving pressure for nucleation and the equilibrium concentrations of the phases from a molar Gibbs free energy diagram.

3.         formulate expressions for the diffusion-controlled growth rate of a grain depending on the shape of the grain and the type of interface, i.e. (semi-)coherent or incoherent

4.         apply the concepts of the molar Gibbs free energy, phase diagrams, nuclation mechanisms and growth mechanisms to the phase transformation kinetics during the processing of a metal, and use Temperature-Time-Transformation diagrams and Continuous-Cooling-Transformation diagrams in relation to phase transformations.

5.         describe the principle of the Gibbs-Thompson effect and apply it in calculating the phase transformation kinetics

6.         apply the physical concepts for phase transformations to the microstructural formation processes that take place during the production and heat treatment of steel

7.         apply the physical concepts for phase transformations to the microstructural formation processes that take place during the production and heat treatment of aluminium alloys

 

 

Polymers Structure:

The student is able to employ quantities that describe polymer chains in a universal manner such as monomer length, persistence length, chain end-to-end distance, tube length and diameter as well as contour length.  He is able to formulate the relations among those quantities. Furthermore, the student is able to explain the structure of dilute and semi-dilute polymer solutions, polymer melts and polymer networks (rubbers and gels) as well. He can explain how the structure relates to the basic visco-elastic response of those systems and understands how to experimentally determine these properties. He is also able to explain ordered structures often present in semi or liquid crystalline polymers. Finally, he is also able to formulate the concepts of miscibility and phase separation in polymer solutions and polymer blends.

 

More specifically, the student is able to:

1.   explain the concept of a polymer molecule

2.   explain the modelling of molecular structure with universal models

3.   formulate the concepts of universal polymer models and chain statistics

4.   explain the role of entropy and of excluded volume interactions in polymer conformations and visco-

      elasticity

5.   formulate the concepts of miscibility, solvent quality and phase separation in polymer solutions and polymer

      blends

6.   formulate the concepts of entanglements and polymer tube

7.   explain monomer length, persistence length, end-to-end distance, tube length and diameter as well as

      contour length in polymers

8.   quantify the relation between basic visco-elastic properties and polymer conformation 

9.   explain experimental methods to quantify visco-elastic behaviour in polymers

10. identify concentration regimes and chain conformation from experimental results

11. explain chain conformation in polymer melts, solutions, networks and semi or liquid crystalline polymers

 

 

Ceramics Structure:

 

The student is able to explain the basic electrical and optical properties of ceramic materials in terms of crystal structure, electronic structure, and the presence of ionic point defects.

 

Specifically, the student is able to:

1. Identify and draw hcp- and fcc-based crystal structures of ionic materials

2. Calculate the crystal coordinates and sizes of interstital sites in ionic lattices

3. Formulate defect-chemical reaction equations for ionic solids using the Kröger-Vink notation

4. Discuss the factors that determine the probability and reaction equilibria of these reactions

5. Describe the differences between the electronic structures of metals, semiconductors and insulators

6. Qualitatively predict the influence of ionic or electronic defects on the optical properties of ceramics

7. Calculate the influence of defects on mass transport and electrical transport properties of ceramics

8. Construct a Brouwer diagram for simple undoped and doped ceramics

9. Explain the basic working principles of various ceramics-based devices (e.g. solar cells, fuel cells, sensors,

    oxygen pumps, etc.)

 

 

Computer use:

none

Laboratory project(s):

none

Design content:

none