ENGINEERING TRIPOS PART IB - 2011/2012

PAPER 3 - MATERIALS

Materials: Microstructure, Processing & Design

Leaders:
Dr M.P.F. Sutcliffe / Dr G.J. McShane

Timing: Weeks 1-8 Michaelmas term

Structure: 16 lectures, 2 lectures/week

AIMS

The aims of the course are to:

• Build on the Part IA Materials course to extend understanding of the relationships between processing, microstructure and properties.
• Describe the thermodynamic and kinetic principles governing microstructural evolution in materials, and to model the evolution of microstructure and properties.
• Develop understanding and modelling of deformation responses of materials.

OBJECTIVES

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• Understand the importance of temperature, composition and deformation in controlling the evolution of material microstructure and properties.
• Understand and describe the concept of the thermodynamic driving force for microstructural change.
• Understand how diffusion occurs, and derive and apply mathematical models of one-dimensional diffusion.
• Understand the general principles in interpreting phase diagrams and the theory of phase transformations.
• Apply these thermodynamic and kinetic principles and models to: (i) materials processing (e.g. solidification, precipitation, recrystallisation in metals; crystallisation in polymers; doping of semiconductors), and (ii) biological material behaviour (e.g. osmosis).
• Understand the analogy between mass diffusion and thermal diffusion.
• Describe the mechanisms of temperature and time-dependent deformation, and apply simple models for viscoelasticity and creep in metals and polymers.
• Understand and model the deformation response of a range of engineering materials.

SYLLABUS (Book References)

1. Microstructure evolution in materials ((5L, Dr M.P.F. Sutcliffe; Dr G.J. McShane, 6L)

• 1.1 Revision of principal microstructural features. (1) Chap. 2,4,6,8
• 1.2 Thermodynamic driving forces, mechanisms and kinetic principles governing structural evolution in materials – roles of free energy and diffusion. Application to osmosis in biological materials. (4) Chap. 5
• 1.3 Theory of diffusion in solids. (1) Chap. 13; (3) Chap. 21; (6) Chap. 6
  Case studies:
  - homogenisation of concentration gradients;
  - case hardening of steels.
• 1.4 Fundamentals of phase transformations: theory of nucleation and growth; TTT diagrams, and concept of critical cooling rate. Phase diagrams (teach yourself); (4) Chap. 3-9; (6) Chap. 10,11
• 1.5 Materials processing,controlling microstructure and properties: casting deformation processes,heat treatment of metal alloys,processing polymers,diffusion-based processes.(1) Chap.6,14,19; (4) Chap.8-12,14,24; (6) Chap. 7,10,11,15,18.

2. Modelling of deformation responses of materials (5L, Dr M.P.F. Sutcliffe)

• 2.1 Micromechanical modelling of foams; case study: effect of porosity on elastic constants in wood. /(4) Chap. 25,26/
• 2.2 Polymer elasticity and viscoelasticity; case study: tyre tread modelling. /(8) Chap.6/
• 2.3 Modelling of creep deformation; deformation mechanism maps; case study: jet engine turbine blade materials. /(1) Chap. 13; (3) Chap. 20,22,23; (6) Chap. 9/
• 2.4 Plasticity and failure: failure envelopes for a range of materials,including soils,concrete,metals and composites. Case study: deformation processing./(8) Chap.1 /

REFERENCES

Please see the Booklist for Part IB Courses for references for this module.

EXAMPLES PAPERS

1. Teach Yourself Phase Diagrams.

2. Thermodynamics, Diffusion and Phase Transformations

3. Processing of Materials

4. Deformation Responses of Materials

Last updated: August 2011