Materials Science and Engineering Overview

A professor emeritus is a retired faculty member who continues to be affiliated with the university, often involved in teaching or research.

This is a dedication or acknowledgment given to those who have contributed to the creation of a book.

A detailed description of an author's qualifications, often highlighting their achievements and expertise.

The process of preparing and publishing a book, including editing, proofreading, and marketing.

The individual responsible for overseeing the publication of books, ensuring it meets standards and deadlines.

An individual who assists in the development of a book, ensuring clarity and flow.

The act of carefully checking a book for errors in grammar, spelling, and formatting.

A person or team who works with an author to obtain permission to use materials from other sources within the book.

Materials science and engineering (MSE) is a multidisciplinary field focused on understanding, designing, and manufacturing materials for various applications. It involves exploring materials' properties, processing methods, and structure to achieve desired performance in different sectors like manufacturing, aerospace, and energy.

Synthesis refers to the creation of new materials from existing ones. It involves combining different elements or compounds in a controlled way to produce materials with unique properties.

Processing involves manipulating materials to achieve a specific form or shape. This can include steps like shaping, forming, or treating materials to modify their microstructure and properties.

Composition refers to the chemical makeup of a material. It describes the types and relative amounts of elements or compounds present in a substance.

The structure of a material describes its arrangement of atoms and molecules. It can be categorized into different levels, from the macroscopic (visible to the naked eye) to the nanoscopic (atomic scale).

The macro-scale structure refers to the large-scale features of a material that are visible to the naked eye. Examples include the shape, size, and appearance of a material.

The microstructure refers to the arrangement of grains, phases, and other features within a material at a microscopic level. These features are usually in the range of 1-10 millimeters.

The nano-structure refers to the arrangement of atoms and molecules at a nanoscale level. This level involves features ranging from 3-100 nanometers.

The atomic-scale structure describes the arrangement of atoms and molecules at the most fundamental level. This involves features less than 100 Angstroms.

Performance criteria measure how well a material functions under specific conditions. They can include parameters like strength, durability, cost, and efficiency.

Grain boundaries are the interfaces between individual crystals or grains in a polycrystalline material. They can influence a material's properties, especially its strength and ductility.

Dendrites are tree-like structures that can form during solidification of metals. Their presence and shape influence the properties of the final material.

Phases are different solid states of a material with distinct chemical compositions and crystal structures. They play a key role in determining the material's properties.

Precipitates are small particles that form within a material during processing or heat treatment. They can affect the material's strength and other properties.

Yield strength refers to the stress level at which a material starts to deform permanently. It is a crucial property for determining a material's ability to resist deformation under load.

Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) represents the maximum stress a material can withstand before fracturing. It is a measure of a material's ability to resist breaking under tension.

Ductility is a material's ability to deform plastically under tensile stress before fracturing. It measures how much a material can be stretched or bent before breaking.

Thermal growth refers to the expansion or contraction of a material due to changes in temperature. Understanding its behavior is critical in applications involving temperature variations.

High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) is a type of fatigue failure that occurs after many repeated load cycles under low stress levels. HCF commonly occurs in applications like aircraft components.

Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) is a type of fatigue failure that occurs after a few but high amplitude load cycles. It's common in situations with high stress loading like during earthquakes or extreme weather events.

Young's modulus is a measure of a material's stiffness or resistance to elastic deformation. A higher Young's modulus indicates a material is more rigid and less easily deformed.

A research award given by the National Science Foundation that supports talented early-career faculty members. It recognizes innovative research and its broader impact.

A type of material that exhibits a unique combination of properties like high strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance. These materials are often used in various applications.

A research area focused on understanding how materials respond to forces and deformations. This includes studying the behavior of materials under stress, temperature, and other conditions.

A fellowship that supports promising female scientists and engineers, providing them with financial assistance to pursue research and academic careers.

A prestigious award recognizing outstanding contributions to teaching at Stanford University, representing the highest honor for educators.

A highly selective award recognizing exceptional early-career scientists and engineers for their research accomplishments and contributions.

A recognition given by the American Ceramic Society to individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of ceramics. 

An organization that promotes the advancement of ceramics and related technologies through research, education, and professional development.

The field of materials science and engineering focuses on developing materials with the best performance-to-cost ratio for specific applications.

The composition, microstructure, and synthesis/processing of materials are interconnected factors that influence their performance-to-cost ratio.

The process of combining different elements or compounds to create a new material.

The overall effectiveness of a material in fulfilling its intended purpose.

The ratio of a material's performance to its cost, making it a key consideration in materials selection.

Materials scientists and engineers aim to optimize materials for specific applications, focusing on both performance and cost.

A phenomenon where materials become more brittle and prone to fracture at low temperatures.

A measure of a material's resistance to fracture when stretched or pulled.

The design and development of materials that can withstand extreme temperatures, making them suitable for applications like aircraft and aerospace vehicles.

Ceramics are materials made from inorganic, nonmetallic compounds that are usually processed at high temperatures. They are generally strong, hard, and brittle, but can be made more resistant to fracture for applications like turbine engines.

Porosity refers to the presence of small holes or voids in the material. These holes can affect a material's properties, such as its ability to conduct heat.

Ceramics are generally poor conductors of heat due to their porous structure. This means they resist the flow of heat energy.

Glass is an amorphous material, meaning it lacks a regular repeating pattern of atoms, like crystals. It's often produced by melting and cooling a liquid.

Glass-ceramics are materials made by nucleating (creating) small crystals within a glass matrix. This process creates materials with unique properties, like improved strength and thermal resistance.

Polymers are large molecules made up of repeated units called monomers. They are often organic, meaning they contain carbon.

Polymerization is the process of creating polymers by linking monomers together. This process can be controlled to create polymers with specific properties.

Polymers are typically good electrical and thermal insulators. They resist the flow of electricity and heat.