MATERIAL SCIENCE PRINCIPLES

CLASSIFICATION OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS

This module deals with the classification of the engineering materials and their processing
techniques. The engineering materials can broadly divided into metals and non-metals
according to their properties. The main categories of engineering materials include:
a) Ferrous Metals
b) Non-ferrous Metals (aluminum, magnesium, copper, nickel, titanium)
c) Plastics (thermoplastics, thermosets)
d) Ceramics
e) Composite Materials

Figure 1: classification of Engineering Materials

a) Metals
Metals are element substances which readily give up electrons to form metallic bonds and
conduct electricity. Some of the important basic properties of metals are
  metals are usually good electrical and thermal conductors,
 at ordinary temperature metals are usually solid,
 to some extent metals are malleable and ductile,
These properties of metallic materials are due to:
 the atoms of which these metallic materials are composed and
 the way in which these atoms are arranged in the space lattice.
Metals are classified into two
 Ferrous - the group which contains mainly iron (Fe) and alloys of Iron like irons,
carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels,
 Non ferrous - other metallic materials containing no iron like copper (Cu) or
aluminium (Al), timber, rubber, concrete
b) Plastics
 Plastic materials are also known as polymeric materials. With a few exceptions,
plastics are compounds of carbon with one or more of the five elements hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine and fluorine.
 All plastic materials are based on the large molecules which are made by joining
together large number of smaller molecules.
 The small molecules known as monomers are derived from the natural gas and crude
oil and are subjected to suitable conditions to join up and form long – chain molecular
products known as polymers.

General properties of plastic materials

 They are resistant to both atmospheric corrosion and to corrosion by many chemical
reagents
 They have a fairly low relative density – a few will just float on water
 Many are reasonably tough and strong but strength is less than that of metals
  Most begin to soften at quite low temperature and a few are useful for service at temp
much above 1000C
 Most plastics have a pleasing appearance and can be coloured if necessary
c) Ceramic materials
 Ceramics are compounds between metallic and nonmetallic elements; they are most
frequently oxides, nitrides, and carbides.
 Ceramic materials are inorganic non -metallic materials whose formation is due to the
action of heat.
 They are crystalline compounds between metallic and non-metallic elements. They are
most frequently oxides, nitrides and carbides.
 Clays, bricks, cements, glass, Graphite, Diamond are examples of ceramic materials.

General properties of ceramic materials

 Ceramic materials are relatively stiff and strong—stiffness and strengths are
comparable to those of the metals.
 They are extremely brittle (lack ductility), and are highly susceptible to fracture.
 They 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 metals and polymers.
  With regard to optical characteristics, ceramics may be transparent, translucent, or
opaque, and some of the oxide ceramics (e.g., Fe O ) exhibit magnetic behavior.
 Ceramics are characterized by high hardness, abrasion resistance, brittleness and
chemical inertness.
d) Composites
 A composite is a composition of two or more materials, e.g. metals, ceramics and
polymers that has properties from its constituent materials.
 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 exist that are represented by different combinations
of metals, ceramics, and polymers. Furthermore, some naturally-occurring materials are
also considered to be composites—for example, wood and bone.
 Typical examples of composite materials are wood, clad metals, fibre glass, reinforced
plastics, cemented carbides, etc.
 Fibre glass is a most familiar composite material, in which glass fibres are embedded
within a polymeric material.
 Fibre glass acquires strength from the glass and the flexibility from the polymer.
e) Semiconductors
 Semiconductors have electrical properties that are intermediate between the electrical
conductors (viz. metals and metal alloys) and insulators (viz. ceramics and polymers).
 The electrical characteristics of these materials are extremely sensitive to the presence of
minute concentrations of impurity atoms, for which the concentrations may be controlled
over very small spatial regions.
 Semiconductors have made possible the advent of integrated circuitry that has totally
revolutionized the electronics and computer industries (not to mention our lives) over the
past three decades.
Properties of Engineering Materials
A property is a material trait in terms of the kind and magnitude of response to a specific
imposed stimulus
Mechanical properties – relate to deformation to an applied load or force, example
include elasticity, hardness, strength
 Electrical properties – ability of a material to conduct electricity e.g electrical
conductivity and dielectric constant
Thermal properties – measure for the behavior of a material in response to
temperature such as heat capacity and thermal conductivity
Magnetic properties – response of a material to the application of a magnetic field
Optical properties – response of a material to an electromagnetic or light radiation.
Index of refraction and reflectivity are optical properties
Factors to consider when selecting an engineering material
The selection of an engineering materials for a particular application is governed by
 Working conditions to which it will be subjected to.
 Ease of manufacturing
 Functional requirements
 Cost considerations
 Operating parameters
References
1) Engineering Metallurgy, Applied Physical Metallurgy 6th ed. by R.A. Higgins.
2) Materials Science and Engineering 8th ed. By Callister
3) Introduction to Engineering Materials lecture note 152311150152550 by Cynthia
Villasor
4) The internet