Materials Engineering

200 | 300 | 400

(Administered by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering)

Mufit Akinc, Chair of Department
Distinguished Professors: Gschneidner, Jiles, Thiel, Thompson, Trivedi
Distinguished Professors (Emeritus): Verhoeven
Professors: Akinc, Chumbley, Genalo, Gleeson, Martin D, Martin S, McGee, Pecharsky, Shechtman, Tsukruk
Professors (Emeritus): Larsen, Patterson, Smith, Wechsler, Wilder
Professors (Adjunct): Anderson, McCallum
Associate Professors: Cann, Constant K, Conzemius, Mallapragada, Russell, Ustundag
Associate Professors (Adjunct): Biner, Kramer
Assistant Professors: Lin, Napolitano, Tan
Assistant Professors (Adjunct): Selby, Snyder, Sordelet

Undergraduate Study

For the undergraduate curriculum in materials engineering leading to the degree bachelor of science, see College of Engineering, Curricula. This curriculum is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Committee of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Materials engineering is a broadly-based discipline relating the composition, microstructure, and processing of materials to their properties, uses and performance. Materials engineering includes a variety of traditional and modern technologies involving metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and electronic materials.

Because of its interdisciplinary nature, career opportunities for materials engineers bridge all industrial and government sectors including: materials based technologies (materials production), communication/information technologies (semiconducting materials, fiber optics), medical/environmental technologies (biomedical, energy production, waste containment), consumer products (building and construction, durable goods), and transportation industries (automotive, aerospace).

The objectives of the materials engineering program are to produce graduates who

• practice materials engineering in a broad range of industries including materials production, seminconductors, medical/environmental, consumer products, and transportation products
• are capable of responding to environmental, social, political, ethical and economic constraints to improve the quality of life in Iowa and the world
• are capable of working independently and in teams and are proficient in written, oral and graphical communication
• engage in lifelong learning in response to the rapidly expanding knowledge base and changing environment of our world
• engage in advanced study in materials and related or complementary fields.

Graduates in materials engineering are able to apply scientific and engineering principles to select or design the best materials to solve engineering problems. They are also able to control the microstructure of materials through processing to optimize properties and performance. They are skilled in creative, independent problem solving under time and resource constraints. Graduates will have gained experience in materials engineering practice through cooperative work experience or internships in industry, national laboratories, or other funded research work. They will have hands-on skills with a broad range of modern materials processing and characterization equipment and methods.

A degree in materials engineering relies on a strong foundation of math, chemistry and physics. The core materials courses include fundamentals of materials, kinetics and thermodynamics, mechanical properties, computational methods, and design experience throughout the program (beginning in the sophomore year). Students tailor their programs to their goals and interests through the selection of two areas of specialization from the four available: ceramic materials, electronic materials, metallic materials and polymeric materials. Additional technical electives can be taken in other areas of interest. The breadth and depth of the program provide excellent preparation for both immediate entry into industry or further study in graduate school.

The department also offers a cooperative education program that combines classroom learning with work experience. (See College of Engineering Cooperative Programs).

Well qualified juniors in materials engineering who are interested in graduate study may apply for concurrent enrollment during their senior year in the Graduate College to simultaneously pursue both B.S. and M.S. degrees. See Materials Science and Engineering for more information.

Courses open for nonmajor graduate credit: All 300 or 400 level courses except 313, 370, 391, 392, 396, 397, 398, 413, 414, 466, 490, 498.

Courses primarily for undergraduate students

Mat E 211. Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering. (4-3) Cr. 5. F. Prereq: Chem 177 or 167. Structure and properties of ceramic, electronic, polymeric and metallic materials, emphasizing differences based on structure and bonding. Phase equilibria and phase transformations. Laboratory exercise in materials property measurements. Restricted to Materials Engineering majors. Only one of 211, 272, or 392 may count toward graduation.

Mat E 212. Thermodynamics in Materials Engineering. (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Chem 178 and credit or enrollment in Math 266. Basic laws of thermodynamics applied to materials systems. Thermodynamics of chemical reactions. Homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibrium. Phase diagrams for materials systems.

Mat E 214. Structural Characterization of Materials. (2-3) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 211, credit or enrollment in Phys 221. Structural characterization of ceramic, electronic, polymeric and metallic materials. Techniques include optical and electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis. Identification of materials type, microstructure, and crystal structure.

Mat E 272. Principles of Materials Science and Engineering. (2-0) Cr. 2. F.S.SS. Prereq: Chem 167 or 177. Introduction to the structure of metals, polymers and ceramics. Crystal structure and imperfections in metals. Diffusion, mechanical properties, and failure mechanisms. Phase equilibrium diagrams and heat treatment principles for steels, cast irons, composite materials, and aluminum alloys. Corrosion and electrical properties. Engineering applications. Only one of 211, 272, or 392 may count toward graduation.

Mat E 298. Cooperative Education. Cr. R each time taken. F.S.SS. Prereq: Permission of department and Engineering Career Services. First professional work period in the cooperative education program. Students must register for this course before commencing work.

Mat E 313. Professional Practice. (1-3) Cr. 2. F. Prereq: 213. Professional practice concerning devices, parts, processes or systems (including experiments) taking into account physical, chemical, economic and ethical principles. Project planning, including scheduling and cost estimation. Application of design tools such as CAD, CAM and FEM. Analysis of problems, design and development of solutions. Safety, concept of shared responsibility, teamwork, communication. Testing and data collection. Interpretation of results and reporting. Oral presentation skills.

Mat E 315. Kinetics and Phase Equilibria in Materials. (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 211. Kinetic phenomena and phase equilibria relevant to the origins and stability of microstructure in metallic, ceramic and polymeric systems. Application of thermodynamics to the understanding of stable and metastable phase equilibria, interfaces and their effects on stability: defects and diffusion, empirical rate equations for transformation kinetics, driving forces and kinetics of nucleation, diffusional and diffusionless phase transformations. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 316. Computational Methods in Materials. (2-2) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 211. Use of mathematical and statistical computer tools for materials design and analysis. Applications of statistical principles to problems concerned with materials. Computer- assisted design of experiments. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 318. Mechanical Behavior of Materials. (2-3) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 211, Coreq: E M 324. Mechanical behavior of ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites. Relationships between materials processing and atomic aspects of elasticity, plasticity, fracture, and fatigue. Life prediction, stress-and failure analysis. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 321. Introduction to Ceramic Science. (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 211. Ceramic crystal structures, defects, diffusion and transport. Phase equilibria and microstructures. Powder packing. Thermal, electronic, optical and magnetic properties of ceramics. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 322. Introduction to Ceramic Processing. (2-3) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 211. Raw materials, characterization of ceramic powders and slurries, ceramic forming methods, and drying. High temperature ceramic reactions, liquid and solid-state sintering, grain growth, microstructure development. Processing/microstructure/property relationships. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 331. Introduction to Electronic Properties of Materials. (3-2) Cr. 4. F. Prereq: 211. Introduction to electronic properties of materials and their practical applications. Elementary electrical circuit concepts. Band theory of electron states in materials, conduction mechanisms, electrical properties, and magnetic properties of metallic, semiconducting and dielectric materials. Laboratory experiments. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 332. Semiconductor Materials and Devices. (Same as E E 332.) (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 331 or E E 333 and credit or enrollment in E E 312 or Phys 222. Introduction to semiconductor material and device physics. Quantum mechanics and band theory of semiconductors. Charge carrier distributions, generation/recombination, transport properties. Physical and electrical properties and fabrication of semiconductor devices such as MOSFETs, bipolar transistors, laser diodes and LED's. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 341. Metals Processing and Fabrication. (2-3) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 211, 214. Emphasis on secondary processing of metals and alloys. Machining, deformation and texturing effects, joining (welding, brazing, soldering), casting, powder metallurgy. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 342. Structure/Property Relations in Metals. (2-3) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 211. Processing of metals and alloys to obtain desired mechanical properties by manipulation of their microstructure and composition of consituent phase(s). Relevance of defects to mechanical properties, plastic flow. Strengthening mechanisms in metals and alloys. Microstructure, heat treatment and mechanical properties of engineering alloys. Metal-matrix composites. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 351. Introduction to Polymeric Materials. (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 211. Introduction to polymeric materials, synthesis, structure and properties. Relationship between polymer composition, processing and properties. Oral presentation. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 362. Principles of Nondestructive Testing. (Same as E M 362.) (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Phys 112 or 222. Radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, eddy current testing, dye penetrant inspection, and other techniques. Physical bases of tests; materials to which applicable; types of defects detectable; calibration standards, and reliability safety precautions. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 362L. Nondestructive Testing Laboratory. (Same as E M 362L.) (0-3) Cr. 1. S. Prereq: Credit or enrollment in 362. Application of nondestructive testing techniques to the detection and sizing of flaws in materials and to the characterization of material's microstructure. Included are experiments in hardness, dye penetrant, magnetic particle, x-ray, ultrasonic and eddy current testing. Field trips to industrial laboratories. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 370. Toying with Technology. (Same as Cpr E 370.) (2-2) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: C I 201, junior standing in non-engineering major. A project- based, hands-on learning course. Technology literacy, appreciation for technological innovations, principles behind many technological innovations, hands-on laboratory experiences based upon simple systems constructed out of LEGOs and controlled by small microcomputers. Future K-12 teachers will leave the course with complete lesson plans for use in their upcoming careers.

Mat E 391. Preparation for Foreign Study. (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Orientation for Brunel summer study program. Introduction to historical role of women as related to industry, family and community. Topics completed in 392 with arranged lectures at Brunel University and tours of related historical/cultural sites. Offered on a satisfactory-fail grading basis only. Credit for graduation allowable only upon completion of 392.

Mat E 392. Principles of Materials Science and Engineering. (3-0) Cr. 3. SS. Prereq: 391, Chem 167 or 177. Introduction to the structure of metals, polymers and ceramics. Crystal structure and imperfections in metals. Diffusion, mechanical properties, and failure mechanisms. Phase equilibrium diagrams and heat treatment principles for steels, cast irons, and aluminum alloys. Corrosion and electrical properties. Engineering applications. Taught on Brunel University campus. Only one of 211, 272, or 392 may count toward graduation.

Mat E 396. Summer Internship. Cr. R each time taken. SS. Prereq: Permission of department and Engineering Career Services. Summer professional work period.

Mat E 397. Engineering Internship. Cr. R each time taken. F.S. Prereq: Permission of department and Engineering Career Services; junior classification. Professional work period, one semester maximum per academic year.

Mat E 398. Cooperative Education. Cr. R each time taken. F.S.SS. Prereq: 298, permission of department and Engineering Career Services. Second professional work period in the cooperative education program. Students must register for this course before commencing work.

Mat E 413. Professional Practice. (0-6) Cr. 2. F. Prereq: 313. Professional practice concerning devices, parts, processes or systems (including experiments) taking into account physical, chemical, mechanical, economic and ethical principles. Project planning, including scheduling and cost estimation. Application of design tools such as CAD, CAM and FEM. Analysis of problems, design and development of solutions. Safety, concept of shared responsibility, teamwork, communication. Testing and data collection. Interpretation of results and reporting. Oral presentation skills.

Mat E 414. Professional Practice. (0-6) Cr. 2. S. Prereq: Senior classification. Professional practice concerning physical, chemical, mechanical and/or electrical principles to solving materials science and engineering problems. Consideration of economic and time constraints of materials and processes. Involvement in "real world" problems specified by external sponsors such as industry or government. Oral and written final project report.

Mat E 423. Glass Science and Engineering. (2-3) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 212, 321. Composition, structure, properties, manufacturing, and uses of inorganic glasses, especially silicate glasses. Laboratory exercises in synthesis and characterization. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 424. Advanced Ceramic Engineering. (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 321. Survey of advanced topics in ceramics including applications and advanced fabrication techniques including thin films, toughened ceramics, sensors, bioceramics and nanotechnology. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 432. Microelectronics Fabrication Techniques. (Same as E E 432.) (2-4) Cr. 4. Semester: varies. Prereq: E E 332 or Mat E 332. Techniques used in modern integrated circuit fabrication, including diffusion, oxidation, ion implantation, lithography, evaporation, sputtering, chemical-vapor deposition, and etching. Process integration. Process evaluation and final device testing. Extensive laboratory exercises utilizing fabrication methods to build electronic devices. Use of computer simulation tools for predicting processing outcomes. Recent advances in processing CMOS, ICs and micro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 433. Advanced Electronic Materials. (2-3) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 331. Advanced concepts in band theory of solids including chemical bonding in solids and the linear combination of atomic orbitals, phase transitions in electronic, magnetic, and optical materials. Dielectric materials, ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, sensors, and non-stoichiometric conductors. Optical properties, optical spectra of materials, optoelectronic devices. Magnetic and superconducting materials. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 442. Polymers and Polymer Engineering. (Same as Ch E 442.) (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Ch E 382 and Chem 331 or Mat E 351. Chemistry of polymers, addition and condensation polymerization. Physical and mechanical properties, polymer rheology, production methods. Applications of polymers in the chemical industry. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 443. Ferrous Metallurgy. (2-3) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 211, 212, 214. Production and processing of ferrous metals. Extraction of pig iron from ore. Steelmaking processes. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium phases in the Fe-C system. Properties and processing of cast irons, plain carbon and alloy steels, stainless and specialty steels. Transformation diagrams, hardenability, and surface treatments. Continuous casting, forging, hot rolling, quenching, and tempering as they apply to ferrous materials. Cost and mechanical performance considerations in cast iron and steel selection and heat treatment. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 444. Corrosion and Failure Analysis. (2-2) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 211, 318. Corrosion and corrosion control of metallic systems. Corrosion fundamentals, classification of different types of metallic corrosion, corrosion properties of various engineering alloys, corrosion control. Failure analysis. Characteristics of common types of metallic failures, case studies of failures, designing to reduce failure risk. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 453. Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polymers. (Dual-listed with MSE 553.) (2-3) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 351. Overview of polymer chemical composition, microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties, rheology, and principles of polymer materials selection. Intensive laboratory experiments include chemical composition studies, microstructural characterization, thermal analysis, and mechanical testing. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 454. Polymer Composites and Processing. (Dual-listed with MSE 554.) (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 351. Basic concepts in polymer composites, phase separation and miscibility, microstructures and mechanical behavior. Polymer surfaces and interfaces, rubber toughened plastics, thermoplastic elastomers, block copolymers, fiber reinforced and laminated composites, Techniques of polymer processing and materials selection. Viscosity and rheology of polymers. Polymer melt processing methods such as injection molding and extrusion; selection of suitable processing methods and their applications. Nonmajor graduate credit.

Mat E 466. Multidisciplinary Engineering Design. (Same as Cpr E 466, E E 466, I E 466, M E 466.) (1-4) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: Student must be within two semesters of graduation and receive permission of the instructor. Application of team design concepts to projects of a multidisciplinary nature. Concurrent treatment of design, manufacturing and life cycle considerations. Application of design tools such as CAD, CAM, and FEM. Design methodologies, project scheduling, cost estimating, quality control, manufacturing processes. Development of a prototype and appropriate documentation in the form of written reports, oral presentations, computer models and engineering drawings.

Mat E 490. Independent Study. Cr. arr. Investigation of individual research or special topics.

Mat E 498. Cooperative Education. Cr. R each time taken. F.S.SS. Prereq: 398, permission of department and Engineering Career Services. Third and subsequent professional work periods in the cooperative education program. Students must register for this course before commencing work.