Course Overview

The course is designed for first-year bachelor students in Electronic Engineering with a background in general mathematics and physics. It studies how the structure of materials, from atomic bonding to microstructure, determines their properties. It covers the main classes of engineering materials (metals and alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites and semiconductors), their processing and their degradation.

Course Learning Goals

The main objective is to explain why materials have their properties and how processing changes them, so that students can select materials for engineering and electronic applications.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Classify materials and relate their properties to atomic structure and interatomic bonding.

2. Describe crystal structures and distinguish crystalline and noncrystalline materials.

3. Interpret mechanical properties and relate dislocation motion to strength and strengthening mechanisms.

4. Explain fracture, fatigue and creep as failure mechanisms of engineering materials.

5. Use phase diagrams to describe alloys and their fabrication and processing.

6. Describe the structure, properties and processing of ceramics, polymers and structural composites.

7. Explain corrosion mechanisms and methods of protecting materials.

8. Describe electronic band structure and the role of electrons and holes in semiconductors.

Course Topics

1. Introduction to Materials: Atomic Structure and Interatomic Bonding

2. Crystal Structures; Crystalline and Noncrystalline Materials

3. Mechanical Properties of Materials

4. Dislocations and Strengthening Mechanisms

5. Fracture, Fatigue and Creep

6. Metal Alloys: Types of Alloys, Phase Diagrams, Fabrication and Processing

7. Ceramics: Structures, Mechanical Properties, Processing and Applications

8. Polymers: Chemistry, Structure, Properties and Processing

9. Corrosion and Degradation of Materials

10. Structural Composites: Reinforcement, Matrix and Fabrication

11. Semiconductors: Electronic Band Structure, Electrons and Holes

Prerequisites

General Mathematics, Physics.