Course syllabus for Composite and nanocomposite materials

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-26 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameKomposit- och nanokompositmaterial
  • CodeMPM052
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPAEM
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyMechanical Engineering
  • DepartmentINDUSTRIAL AND MATERIALS SCIENCE
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 09118
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0103 Examination 7.5 c
Grading: TH		7.5 c
  • 27 Okt 2021 pm J
  • 04 Jan 2022 pm J
  • 17 Aug 2022 pm J

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

MSc students (Chalmers): Polymers processing and properties (MTT090) is recommended but Materialteknik (MTT085) is acceptable. A basic course in Strength of materials is a prerequisite. MSc students (other than Chalmers): Courses equivalent to above PhD students: Course is available, contact the examiner.

Aim

This advanced level course is designed for MSc and PhD students as well as for professionals in the industry, and the aims of the course are three-fold to provide: 1) the materials and basic mechanics understanding 2) composites science and technology towards research and applications/engineering, 3) new materials, overall strategies, progress and challenges in the field of composites.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  • Structure the area of composites.
  • Handle applications and judge composites according to various criteria.
  • Apply/inform/describe methods, updates, impacts and challenges in the field of composites.
  • Synthesize/explain from constituents through structure through interactions through processing to properties to performance to applications.
  • Apply knowledge of physics, materials and mechanics, and new knowledges of types of fillers/fibres and matrices, and interactions between them, towards improved, high quality materials and their performances. This is necessary towards cost/profile analysis in your future job.
  • Apply knowledges acquired through studying course parts A-G to prepare your own application (problem based learning, PBL).
  • Implement micromechanics and macromechanics approaches and develop your own computer code based on MATLAB for calculating laminates independently form issues.
  • Conclude/judge/compare the more increased complexity in the analysis of composites.

Content

The course consist of seven parts (A-G) A: Introduction B: Reinforcements & matrices C: Manufacturing D: Elastic & thermal properties E: The interface region F: Performance G: Polymer nanocomposites. There are many applications and great expectations connected to composites, among others in the automotive, aerospace, civil engineering and electronics sectors. Mainly polymeric matrix composites (PMCs) are analysed in the course but also metallic matrix composites (MMCs) and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are discussed. Composites with reinforcement on the micrometer range (fibres and particulates) dominate today, and first of all such ones are focused on. Nevertheless, composites using nanometer size filler (nanocomposites) are making a great research and growing technological impact, and are also included in the course. Frameworks of materials science, polymer and metal science and technology, mechanics of heterogeneous materials, as well as manufacturing engineering are used in the course. Thus structure-properties are studied. A particular attention is given to the near-fibre region (interphase). Methods of processing are necessarily included as designing with composites is strictly related to manufacturing. Important performances include: stiffness, strength, fracture, toughness, fatigue, creep, damping, and lightweight performance. Although the course is dominatingly a materials course, applications and design is also included. Towards this end, teams will be formed to advance an application project (journal) in order to apply course knowledge to a selected application. Finally, as already mentioned, new generation of composites, referred to as nanocomposites, containing nanoclay and carbon nanotubes are included in the course. To summarise, this course goes some distance towards building research and engineering knowledges of composites.

Organisation

Forms of teaching and learning include: lectures, tutorials, lab/computer session, diary, and learning from industry. Computational aspects will be trained during tutorials, and solved problems will be handed out. Lab session devoted to the laminate theory will take place. Diary is a form of project based learning (PBL), where a team will deal with a composite application evolving along the course (PBL constitutes 10% of the course). A guest lecturer from the industry will be invited.

Literature

Compendium COMPOSITE & NANOCOMPOSITE MATERIALS

Examination including compulsory elements

Written examination (PBL points are added).

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.