Materials and Heat Treatment

Course:

VẬT LIỆU HỌC VÀ XỬ LÝ

MATERIALS AND HEAT TREATMENT

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Instructor: Pham Quang Trung, Ph.D.

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 CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIALS
Solid materials have been conveniently grouped into three basic categories:
metals, ceramics, and polymers. This scheme is based primarily on chemical
makeup and atomic structure, and most materials fall into one distinct grouping
or another. In addition, there are the composites, which are engineered
combinations of two or more different materials.

metals

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 What are the important properties of solid materials ?
Virtually all important properties of solid materials may be grouped into six
different categories: mechanical, electrical, thermal, magnetic, optical, and
deteriorative. For each, there is a characteristic type of stimulus capable of
provoking different responses.
+ Mechanical properties relate deformation to an applied load or force;
examples include elastic modulus (stiffness), strength, and toughness.
+ For electrical properties, such as electrical conductivity and dielectric
constant, the stimulus is an electric field.
+ The thermal behavior of solids can be represented in terms of heat capacity
and thermal conductivity.
+ Magnetic properties demonstrate the response of a material to the application
of a magnetic field.
+ For optical properties, the stimulus is electromagnetic or light radiation; index
of refraction and reflectivity are representative optical properties.
+ Finally, deteriorative characteristics relate to the chemical reactivity of
materials. 3
 Metals
Metals are composed of one or more metallic elements (e.g., iron, aluminum,
copper, titanium, gold, nickel), and often also nonmetallic elements (e.g.,
carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) in relatively small amounts. Atoms in metals and
their alloys are arranged in a very orderly manner and are relatively dense in
comparison to the ceramics and polymers.
Properties:
With regard to mechanical characteristics, these materials are relatively stiff
and strong, yet are ductile (i.e., capable of large amounts of deformation
without fracture), and are resistant to fracture, which accounts for their
widespread use in structural applications.

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 Metals

Figure: Familiar objects made of metals and metal alloys (from left to right):
silverware (fork and knife), scissors, coins, a gear, a wedding ring, and a nut
and bolt. 5
 Density values of various materials

Figure 1.4 Bar chart of room temperature Density values for various metals,
ceramics, polymers, and composite materials.

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 Stiffness values of various materials

Figure 1.5 Bar chart of room temperature Stiffness (i.e., elastic modulus)
values for various metals, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials.
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 Tensile strength values of various materials

Figure 1.6 Bar chart of room temperature strength (i.e., tensile strength) values
for various metals, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials.

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 Resistance to fracture values of various materials

Figure 1.7 Bar chart of room-temperature resistance to fracture (i.e., fracture

toughness) for various metals, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials.
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 Electrical conductivity ranges of various materials

Figure 1.8 Bar chart of room temperature electrical conductivity ranges for
metals, ceramics, polymers, and semiconducting materials. 10
 Polymers

+ Polymers include the familiar plastic and rubber materials.

+ Many of them are organic compounds that are chemically based on carbon,
hydrogen, and other nonmetallic elements (i.e., O, N, and Si).

+ Furthermore, they have very large molecular structures, often chainlike in

nature, that often have a backbone of carbon atoms.

+ Some common and familiar polymers are polyethylene (PE), nylon,

poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), and silicone
rubber.

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 Polymers
Properties:
+ These materials typically have low densities, whereas their mechanical
characteristics are generally dissimilar to those of the metallic and ceramic
materials—they are not as stiff or strong as these other material types
(Figures 1.5 and 1.6).

+ In addition, many of the polymers are extremely ductile and pliable (i.e.,
plastic), which means they are easily formed into complex shapes.

+ In general, they are relatively inert chemically and unreactive in a large

number of environments.

+ One major drawback to the polymers is their tendency to soften and/or

decompose at modest temperatures, which, in some instances, limits their use.

+ Furthermore, they have low electrical conductivities (Figure 1.8) and are
nonmagnetic. 12
 Polymers

Figure 1.11 Several common objects made of polymeric materials: plastic

tableware (spoon, fork, and knife), billiard balls, a bicycle helmet, two dice, a
lawn mower wheel (plastic hub and rubber tire), and a plastic milk carton. 13
 Ceramics

Ceramics are compounds between metallic and nonmetallic elements; they

are most frequently oxides, nitrides, and carbides.

+ For example, common ceramic materials include aluminum oxide (or

alumina, Al2O3), silicon dioxide (or silica, SiO2), silicon carbide (SiC),
silicon nitride (Si3N4), and, in addition, what some refer to as the traditional
ceramics—those composed of clay minerals (e.g., porcelain), as well as
cement and glass.

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 Ceramics
Properties:
+ With regard to mechanical behavior, ceramic materials are relatively stiff and
strong—stiffnesses and strengths are comparable to those of the metals.

+ In addition, they are typically very hard. Historically, ceramics have exhibited
extreme brittleness (lack of ductility) and are highly susceptible to fracture.

+ However, newer ceramics are being engineered to have improved resistance

to fracture; these materials are used for cookware, cutlery, and even automobile
engine parts.

+ Furthermore, ceramic materials are typically insulative to the passage of heat

and electricity (i.e., have low electrical conductivities) and are more resistant to
high temperatures and harsh environments than are metals and polymers.

+ With regard to optical characteristics, ceramics may be transparent,

translucent, or opaque, and some of the oxide ceramics (e.g., Fe3O4) exhibit
magnetic behavior. 15
 Ceramics

Figure 1.10 Common objects made of ceramic materials: scissors, a china

teacup, a building brick, a floor tile, and a glass vase. 16
 Composites
A composite is composed of two (or more) individual materials that come from
the categories previously discussed—metals, ceramics, and polymers.

+ The design goal of a composite is to achieve a combination of properties that

is not displayed by any single material and also to incorporate the best
characteristics of each of the component materials.

+ A large number of composite types are represented by different combinations

of metals, ceramics, and polymers.

+ Furthermore, some naturally occurring materials are composites—for

example, wood and bone.

+ However, most of those we consider in our discussions are synthetic (or

human-made) composites.

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 Composites

One of the most common and familiar composites is fiberglass, in which small
glass fibers are embedded within a polymeric material (normally an epoxy or
polyester). The glass fibers are relatively strong and stiff (but also brittle),
whereas the polymer is more flexible. Thus, fiberglass is relatively stiff, strong,
and flexible. In addition, it has a low density.

Another technologically important material is the carbon fiber–reinforced

polymer (CFRP) composite—carbon fibers that are embedded within a
polymer. These materials are stiffer and stronger than glass fiber–reinforced
materials but more expensive. CFRP composites are used in some aircraft and
aerospace applications, as well as in high-tech sporting equipment (e.g.,
bicycles, golf clubs, tennis rackets, skis/snowboards) and recently in
automobile bumpers. The new Boeing 787 fuselage is primarily made from
such CFRP composites.

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 Benefits of Using Composites

•High Strength – Can be designed to meet specific strength requirements.

•Lightweight – Can be designed for both lightweight and high strength.

Composites are used to produce the highest strength to weight ratio known to
man.

•Corrosion Resistant – Provide long term resistance to severe chemical and

temperature environments.

•Design Flexibility – Can be molded into complex shapes at relatively low

coast.

•Durability – Have an exceedingly long life span and low maintenance

requirements.

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 Composites

Fiberglass composite Carbon fiber–reinforced polymer

(CFRP) composite

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 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Materials utilized in high-technology (or high-tech) applications are sometimes termed
advanced materials.

By high technology, we mean a device or product that operates or functions using

relatively intricate and sophisticated principles, including electronic equipment
(camcorders, CD/DVD players), computers, fiber-optic systems, spacecraft, aircraft,
and military rocketry.

These advanced materials are typically traditional materials whose properties have
been enhanced and also newly developed, high-performance materials. Furthermore,
they may be of all material types (e.g., metals, ceramics, polymers) and are normally
expensive.

Advanced materials include semiconductors, biomaterials, and what we may term

materials of the future (i.e., smart materials and nanoengineered materials), which we
discuss next. The properties and applications of a number of these advanced materials
—for example, materials that are used for lasers, integrated circuits, magnetic
information storage, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and fiber optics—are also
discussed in subsequent chapters.
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 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Semiconductors have electrical properties that are intermediate between those
of electrical conductors (i.e., metals and metal alloys) and insulators (i.e.,
ceramics and polymers)—see.

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 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Biomaterials are employed in components implanted into the human body to
replace diseased or damaged body parts. These materials must not produce
toxic substances and must be compatible with body tissues (i.e., must not cause
adverse biological reactions). All of the preceding materials—metals, ceramics,
polymers, composites, and semiconductors—may be used as biomaterials.

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 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Smart Materials Smart (or intelligent) materials are a group of new and state-
of-the-art materials now being developed that will have a significant influence
on many of our technologies. The adjective smart implies that these materials
are able to sense changes in their environment and then respond to these
changes in predetermined manners—traits that are also found in living
organisms. In addition, this smart concept is being extended to rather
sophisticated systems that consist of both smart and traditional materials.

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 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Nanomaterials One new material class that has fascinating properties and
tremendous technological promise is the nanomaterials, which may be any one
of the four basic types—metals, ceramics, polymers, or composites. However,
unlike these other materials, they are not distinguished on the basis of their
chemistry but rather their size; the nano prefix denotes that the dimensions of
these structural entities are on the order of a nanometer (10-9 m)—as a rule,
less than 100 nanometers (nm; equivalent to the diameter of approximately 500
atoms).

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 Review questions
Review questions:
4. (a) List the three primary classifications of solid materials, and then cite the
distinctive chemical feature of each.
(b) Note the four types of advanced materials and, for each, its distinctive
feature(s).

5. (a) Briefly define “smart material/system.”

(b) Briefly explain the concept of “nanotechnology” as it applies to materials.

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