Presented By:

Mohan Maheshwari
Assistant Professor-II & Head
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Institute of Engineering & Technology, MU
Introduction to roles & responsibilities of
Materials Engineer:
Design Process
Drawing the basic design
Proper selection of the materials
Proper choice of a substituting materials when needed
Contributing & Evaluating materials test results
Studying about the materials before placing the order
Enhancing the performance of the materials by
carrying out research activities
Introduction to Materials Selection
One of the most challenging task of materials engineer
is :
proper selection of the material for a particular job,
e.g., a particular component of a machine or structure.
An engineer must be in a position to choose the
optimum combination of properties in a material at
the lowest possible cost without compromising the
quality.
Factors affecting the selection of
materials:
(i) Component shape
(ii) Dimensional tolerance
(iii) Mechanical properties
(iv) Fabrication (Manufacturing) requirements
(v) Service requirements
i) dimensional stability, ii) strength, iii) toughness,
iv) heat resistance, v) corrosion resistance, vi)
fatigue and creep resistance, vii) electrical and
thermal conductivity etc.
Factors affecting the selection of
materials (continued)
vi) Cost
a) Cost of the materials
b) Cost of the processing of the materials
vii) Availability of the material
Introduction to Engineering
Materials:
Basic Classifications of Materials:
The basic factors for classifications of materials are:
(i) The chemical composition of the material,
(ii) The mode of the occurrence of the material in the
nature,
(iii) the refining and the manufacturing process to which
the material is subjected prior it acquires the
required properties,
(iv) The atomic and crystalline structure of material.
(v) The industrial and technical use of the material.
Classifications:
Engineering Materials may be classified
into the following categories:
1) Metals and alloys
2) Ceramics
3) Polymers
4) Composites
5) Advanced materials: such as semiconductors,
biomaterials, smart materials, and nano engineered
materials.
Metals and alloys:
Metals are elements which have free valence electrons
which are responsible for their good thermal and electrical
conductivity.
Metals readily loose their electrons to form positive ions.
The metallic bond is held by electrostatic force between
delocalized electrons and positive ions.
Engineering metals are generally Alloys. There are metallic
materials formed by mixing two or more elements, such as:
i) Mild steel (Fe + C )
ii) Stainless steel Fe + C + Cr + Mn …etc.
C improves strength , Cr improves the corrosion
resistance …etc.
Classification of metals and alloys
a) Ferrous: Such as : Plain carbon steel, Alloy steel,
Cast iron,

b) Nonferrous: Such as : Light Alloys (Al, Mg, Ti, Zn),

Heavy Alloys (Cu, Pb, Ni), Refractory Metals (Mo, Ta,
W), Precious metals (Au, Ag, Pt)
General properties of Metals &
Alloys:
High electrical conductivity.
High thermal conductivity.
Ductile and relatively high stiffness.
Toughness and strength.
They are ready to machining, casting, forming,
stamping and welding.
Nevertheless, they are susceptible to corrosion.
Applications of Metals & Alloys:
Structures: buildings, bridges, etc.
Automobiles: body, springs, engine block, etc.
Airplanes: engine components, fuselage, landing gear
assembly, etc.
Trains: rails, engine components, body, wheels
Machine tools: drill bits, hammers, screwdrivers, saw
blades, etc.
Electrical wiring.
Magnets
2) Ceramics & its types:
Application of Ceramics:
Electrical insulators
Thermal insulation and coatings
Windows, television screens, optical fibers (glass)
Corrosion resistant applications
Electrical devices: capacitors, varistors, transducers, etc.
Highways and roads (concrete)
Building blocks (bricks)
Building binders (cement, gypsum)
Biocompatible coatings (fusion to bone)
Magnetic materials (audio/video tapes, hard disks, etc.)
Composition base classification of
ceramic materials
General Properties of Ceramics:
Light weight
Hard
High strength
Stronger in compression than tension
Tend to be brittle
Low electrical conductivity
High temperature resistance
Corrosion resistance
3) Polymers:
A polymer (the name means "many parts") is long chain
molecule made up many repeating units, called monomers.
Polymers can be natural (organic) or synthetic. The
properties of polymers are linked directly to their structure,
which is dictated mostly by intermolecular bonds.
Examples:
Polymers are everywhere: in plastics (bottles, toys,
packaging), cosmetics, shampoos and other hair care
products, contact lenses, nature (crab shells, amber), food
(proteins, starches, gelatin, gum, gluten), fabric, balls,
sneakers, and even in your DNA!.
General properties:
(Compared with metals)
Polymers have lower density, lower stiffness and tend
to creep
High thermal expansion and corrosion resistance.
Low electrical and thermal conductivities.
The prime weakness is that polymers do not withstand
high temperatures.
Classification: according to their
properties:
i) Plastics: (Hard), they can be semi-crystalline or amorphous
(glassy).
1. Thermoplastics: such as Polyethylene (PE) and
Polymethylmethacrylate (Acrylic and PMMA) are
composed of “linear” polymer chains. They flow under
shear when heated. They can be compression- or
injection- molded.
2. Thermosets: such as Polystyrene (PS) and
Polyvinylchloride (PVC) are composed of “branched”
polymer chains. They not flow when heated. The
monomers are ‘cured’ in a mold.
ii) Elastomers: (Soft) Rubbery cross-linked solids that will
deform elastically under stress, e.g. natural rubber
iii) Solutions: Viscosity modifiers, lubricants.
Applications & Examples
Adhesives and glues
Containers
Moldable products (computer casings, telephone
handsets, disposable razors)
Clothing and upholstery material (vinyls, polyesters,
nylon)
Water-resistant coatings (latex)
Biomaterials (organic/inorganic interfaces)
Liquid crystals
Low-friction materials (Teflon)
Synthetic oils and greases
Soaps and surfactants
4) Composites:
A combination of two or more materials to achieve
better properties than that of the original materials.
These materials are usually composed of a “Matrix”
and one or more of “Filler” material.
The primary objective of engineering composites is to
increase strength to weight ratio.
Composite material properties are not necessarily
isotropic, i.e., directional properties can be
synthesized according to the type of filler materials
and the method of fabrication.
General Properties of Composites:
Low weight
High stiffness
Brittle
Low thermal conductivity
High fatigue resistance
Their properties can be tailored according to the
component materials.
Applications:
Sports equipment (golf club shafts, tennis rackets,
bicycle frames)
Aerospace materials
Thermal insulation
Concrete
"Smart" materials (sensing and responding)
Brake materials
Examples:
Reinforced cement concrete, a structural composite
obtained by combining cement (the matrix, i.e., the
binder, obtained by a reaction known as hydration,
between cement and water), sand (fine aggregate),
gravel (coarse aggregate), and, thick steel fibers.

Wood is a natural composite of cellulose fibers in a

matrix of polymer called lignin.
5) Advanced Materials:
Materials that are utilized in high-technology (or high-
tech) applications are sometimes termed advanced
materials.
High technology mean a device or product that operates or
functions using relatively intricate and sophisticated
principles; examples include electronic equipment
(camcorders, CD/DVD players, etc.), computers, fiber-
optic systems, spacecraft, aircraft, and military rocketry.
These advanced materials are typically traditional materials
whose properties have been enhanced, and also newly
developed, high-performance materials.
They may be of all material types (e.g., metals, ceramics,
polymers), and are normally expensive.
Advanced materials include:
Semiconductors (having electrical conductivities
intermediate between conductors and insulators)
Biomaterials (which must be compatible with body
tissues).
Smart materials (those that sense and respond to
changes in their environments in predetermined
manners).
Nanomaterials (those that have structural features on
the order of a nanometer, some of which may be
designed on the atomic/molecular level).
Some more: