Course Overview
This course introduces the mechanical properties of materials and examines the effect of processing on the microstructure and properties of metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics and biomaterials, including paper. These concepts are applied to the classification and selection of materials for practical uses. Heat-treatment procedures and other processing variables allow for properties to be tailored to specific applications but trade-offs are often required. The concept of life cycle analysis is applied to assess the environmental effects of material and production choices, including recycling of materials. Chemical bonding, crystal structures, phase transformations, deformation and fracture mechanisms in materials are discussed. Key relationships between material processing, properties and applications of materials are emphasized. Common causes and prevention of service failures are studied, including overloading, fatigue, embrittlement and corrosion. Laboratory sessions focus on the development of practical technological skills and knowledge in mechanical testing, material processing, non-destructive evaluation, sample preparation, microscopy and interpretation of microstructures.
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Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, the student will be able to:
- Describe basic mechanical properties of materials including tensile strength, yield strength, ductility, impact resistance, tough-to-brittle transition temperature, elastic modulus, hardness, creep resistance and fatigue endurance limit.
- Use ASTM and other industry standard test methods to determine important mechanical properties of metals, polymers, paper and composite materials.
- Perform calculations to determine section sizes or bolting requirements for members of simple shape loaded in tension, compression or shear.
- Describe how the properties of metals and alloys are affected by grain structures and processing variables including hot working, cold working, annealing and heat treatment.
- Use the iron-carbon phase diagram to predict phases in steels and cast irons.
- Explain the purposes and procedures for various heat treatments of steels (stress relieving, process annealing, normalizing, spheroidizing, quenching and tempering, precipitation hardening, surface hardening).
- Examine and interpret the microstructures of metallic and non-metallic materials using appropriate preparation and microscopic techniques.
- Recommend from a list of alternatives, appropriate ferrous and non-ferrous alloys for practical uses.
- Recognize the causes and recommend preventative measures for minimizing materials failures due to fatigue, creep, embrittlement, corrosion and processing defects.
- Identify the conditions under which corrosion will occur; recognize nine corrosion forms; design and sketch simple cathodic protection circuits using sacrificial anode or impressed current methods.
- Apply the concept of life cycle analysis to assess the impact of materials on the environment.
Effective as of Winter 2011
Related Programs
Materials Science and Technology (CENV 2203) is offered as a part of the following programs:
- Indicates programs accepting international students.
School of Energy
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering Technology
Diploma Full-time
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