Course syllabus for Materials science

LKT053 Physical chemistry and LKT032/033 General and inorganic chemistry, or equivalent.

• Account for the basic thermodynamical differences between polymers and low molecular weight compounds, especially regarding solubility.
• Account for the basic practical differences between polymers and low molecular weight compounds, especially regarding dissolution.
• Explain the principles behind different molecular weight determination methods.
• Describe phenomena related to polymers in the solid state such as semi crystallinity, glass transition, viscoelasticity, chain orientation, and mechanical properties.
• Account for the differences between the most common bulk- and engineering plastics, as well as their different application areas.
• Describe the most commonly used processing methods for polymer materials.
• Account for solid state materials and describe their chemical bonds.
• Explain why crystals have defects, how these can be examined, and define different types of defects.
• Explain how type of bonds, crystalline structures, defects, and deformation of metals are connected.
• Describe different ways of hardening metals and explain the mechanism.
• Account for different metal alloys and how they are constructed.
• Describe the mechanical properties of metals, how they can be examined, and account for how/if they are coupled to the microstructure.
• Use iron-carbon phase diagrams to predict microstructures and stable phases.
• Account for the effect of alloys on carbon steel.
• Correlate a cooling curve for a carbon steel to its microstructure using a TTT-diagram (Time-Temperature-Transformation)
• Explain how and why a specific metal corrodes in a water solution.
• Account for different types of corrosion in the presence of a water solution.
• Describe different types of corrosion protection.
• Explain desirable/undesirable properties of an oxide and the relationship between the properties of the oxide and the effect on the oxide/material
• Account for the oxides on the most common high temperature materials in different atmospheres using for example an Ellingham diagram.

The course is organized in lectures, tutorials, and laboratory work, and comprises three different areas, i.e. polymer materials, metallic materials and corrosion. The polymer part of the course will provide basic understanding how polymer structure leads to the characteristics associated with polymer materials. It also deals with more technological issues that various polymer materials, additives and processing of plastics. The part of the course dealing with metals will give basic understanding of the link between microstructure and mechanical properties as well as providing knowledge for how material properties can be manipulated and altered by thermomechanical treatment. The corrosion part of the course will provide basic insights on metals corrosion. An important aspect is the corrosion protection by protective coatings, changing the corrosive environment and/or change in the alloy composition and microstructure.

The course is divided into three approximately equal parts; polymer materials, metallic materials, and corrosion, where every part includes lectures, tutorials, and compulsory laboratory work.

Handouts

The examination is based on a written exam where the learning outcomes listed above are evaluated. In order to pass the course, besides passing the written exam, it is compulsory to participate in the lab course. Grades 3, 4, 5, and Fail.