"Materials science is an interdisciplinary field of researching and discovering materials. Materials engineering is an engineering field of finding uses for materials in other fields and industries."
The study of the properties and behavior of materials.
Structure of Materials: The atomic/molecular structure of materials and how it influences their physical and chemical properties.
Mechanical Properties: The stress-strain relationship, tensile strength, compressive strength, hardness, and other mechanical properties of materials.
Thermal Properties: The thermal conductivity, specific heat, thermal expansion, and other thermal properties of materials.
Electrical Properties: The electrical conductivity, resistivity, dielectric constant, and other electrical properties of materials.
Optical Properties: The refractive index, absorption, transmission, and other optical properties of materials.
Magnetic Properties: The magnetic properties of materials, such as magnetization, susceptibility, and coercivity.
Nanomaterials: The unique properties and applications of materials at the nanoscale.
Corrosion and Degradation: The mechanisms of corrosion and degradation of materials and how to prevent them.
Materials Testing and Characterization: The various techniques used to test and characterize materials, such as microscopy, spectroscopy, and mechanical testing.
Composites: The fabrication and properties of composite materials, which are composed of two or more different types of materials.
Polymers: The properties and applications of polymers, including thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers.
Ceramics: The properties and applications of ceramics, including traditional ceramics, advanced ceramics, and glasses.
Metals: The properties and applications of metallic materials, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, alloys, and superalloys.
Biomaterials: The properties and applications of materials used in medical devices and implants, including biocompatibility, toxicity, and degradation.
Materials Selection: The process of selecting materials based on their properties, cost, availability, and other factors.
Manufacturing Processes: The various processes used to manufacture materials, including casting, forging, extrusion, and machining.
Additive Manufacturing: The use of 3D printing and other additive manufacturing techniques to create complex shapes and structures.
Environmental Impact: The environmental impact of materials and their production, use, and disposal, as well as sustainable materials and practices.
Smart Materials: The unique properties and applications of smart materials, which can respond to external stimuli such as temperature, light, or pressure.
Energy Materials: The properties and applications of materials used in energy production and storage, including solar cells, batteries, and fuel cells.
Metallurgy: The study of metals, including their production, properties, processing, and applications.
Ceramics: The study of inorganic non-metallic solid materials, characterized by their outstanding mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties.
Polymers: The study of high molecular weight organic materials, including plastics, rubbers, and resins, which have unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties.
Composites: The study of materials made by combining two or more different materials to create a new material with distinct properties.
Nanomaterials: The study of materials with nanoscale dimensions, resulting in unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties.
Biomaterials: The study of materials used for medical implants, including metals, ceramics, and polymers suitable for human tissue compatibility.
Electronic and magnetic materials: The study of materials with unique electronic and magnetic properties used in electronic devices.
Structural materials: The study of materials used in building and bridge construction, including metals, polymers, and composites.
Smart materials: The study of materials designed to respond to stimuli like heat, light, or electricity.
"The intellectual origins of materials science stem from the Age of Enlightenment, when researchers began to use analytical thinking from chemistry, physics, and engineering to understand ancient, phenomenological observations in metallurgy and mineralogy."
"As such, the field was long considered by academic institutions as a sub-field of these related fields."
"Beginning in the 1940s, materials science began to be more widely recognized as a specific and distinct field of science and engineering."
"The understanding of processing-structure-properties relationships is called the materials paradigm."
"This paradigm is used to advance understanding in a variety of research areas, including nanotechnology, biomaterials, and metallurgy."
"Materials science is also an important part of forensic engineering and failure analysis – investigating materials, products, structures, or components, which fail or do not function as intended, causing personal injury or damage to property."
"Such investigations are key to understanding, for example, the causes of various aviation accidents and incidents."
"Materials scientists emphasize understanding how the history of a material (processing) influences its structure, and thus the material's properties and performance."
"Materials science still incorporates elements of physics, chemistry, and engineering."
"Materials engineering is an engineering field of finding uses for materials in other fields and industries."
"Major technical universities around the world created dedicated schools for its study."
"The understanding of processing-structure-properties relationships is called the materials paradigm."
"...research areas, including nanotechnology, biomaterials, and metallurgy."
"...understand ancient, phenomenological observations in metallurgy and mineralogy."
"...investigating materials, products, structures, or components, which fail or do not function as intended, causing personal injury or damage to property."
"...investigating materials, products, structures, or components, which fail or do not function as intended..."
"Beginning in the 1940s, materials science began to be more widely recognized as a specific and distinct field of science and engineering."
"When researchers began to use analytical thinking from chemistry, physics, and engineering to understand ancient, phenomenological observations in metallurgy and mineralogy."
"...incorporates elements of physics, chemistry, and engineering."