Material Behavior

Ever wonder why ceramics can be hardened and broken while metals are more malleable? Some materials are conductors of heat and electricity, while others act as insulators. How can an alloy be stronger than its base metal counterpart if it contains only a little bit of carbon? This course will explain how the properties of a material are affected by its microstructure. Then, it will also discuss the effects of composition and processing on the material. This course aims to provide students with a better understanding of engineering materials used around the globe. The first section of the course covers fundamentals in materials science, including crystal structure, bonding and atomic structure as well as atomic and microscopic imperfections. It also includes noncrystalline materials like polymers, glasses and rubbers.