Catalog Course Search Details

 Department:    ENGR

 Course #:    170

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5

 CIP:    14.0101

 EPC:    n/a

 REV:    2024

 Course Description  

An introduction to materials science. Explores the relationship between material processing, structure, properties, and manufactured product performance. Topics include metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials; multiphase systems; amorphous and crystalline microstructures; and their relationship with thermal, optical, electrical, chemical, and mechanical properties. Other topics include: phase equilibrium, heat treatments, strengthening and failure mechanisms, etc.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: CHEM& 161 with a grade of C or higher or concurrent enrollment.

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 55

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Academic Natural Sciences, Elective  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of processing-structure-properties-performance relationships in engineering design.
2. Classify different materials (e.g., metals; ceramics; polymers) according to the types of interatomic bonding, atomic structure, and resulting properties.
3. Describe how slip systems defined using Miller/Bravais indices are related to mechanical failure.
4. Explain how defect type and mechanical performance are related.
5. Describe the relationship between diffusion mechanisms, material treatments (e.g., annealing; precipitation hardening), and mechanical performance.
6. Use the outputs of common materials testing standards (e.g., ASTM A370) in engineering design.
7. Explain under what engineering design scenarios the various failure modes (e.g., fracture; fatigue; creep) should be considered.
8. Utilize phase diagrams to predict phase formation under specific processing conditions.
9. Explain the importance of phase diagrams in manufacturing process design.
10. Design heat treatments achieve specified microstructures using isothermal and continuous cooling transformation diagrams.
11. Explain how some of the previous learning outcomes are applicable to ceramic, polymeric, and composite materials.
12. Describe the different forms of corrosion and how they can be mitigated.
13. Relate some common electrical properties of materials to the design of electronic devices.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

Course Contents

1. Providing context: What is materials science and why is it important to study it?
2. Introduction to mechanical properties of materials, stress-strain diagram, and modes of failure (e.g., fracture; fatigue; creep)
3. Periodic table, atomic structure, interatomic bonding
4. Crystal structures, unit cells, crystallographic geometry (e.g., points; directions; planes), crystalline and noncrystalline materials
5. Imperfections in solid materials including vacancies, impurities, dislocations, interfacial defects, etc.
6. Plastic deformation, dislocations, strengthening mechanisms, and recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth
7. Diffusion mechanisms, steady- and non-steady state diffusion
8. Solubility limits, phases, microstructure, and phase diagrams (e.g., unary; binary; ternary)
9. Phase transformations, kinetics, stable and metastable equilibrium, isothermal and continuous cooling transformation diagrams
10. Other materials: Ceramic structures, mechanical properties, common processing techniques, and applications
11. Other materials: Polymer structures, mechanical properties, common processing techniques, and applications
12. Other materials: Composites, mechanical properties, manufacturing techniques, and applications
13. Corrosion of materials, forms of corrosion and methods of prevention, applications
14. Electrical properties, conduction, semiconductivity, dielectic behavior, applications