Learning objectives
The course deals with the applications of the fundamentals of Chemistry in the use of engineering materials. It presents a variety of engineering materials and correlate their chimicophysical nature with their mechanical, thermal and processing properties for explaining their behaviour in service.
Deepening on the study of metallic materials and of engineering non metallic materials such as polymeric materials, reinforced plastics composite materials and engineering ceramics used in technology.
Moreover it deals with several phenomena involved in thermochemical processes aimed at energy production and the main treatments of industrial processes water.
Course unit content
Crystal and amorphous materials. Engineering materials: metals, ceramic materials, polymeric and composite materials. Mechanical and thermal properties of materials and tests for their characterization.
Principal metallic crystal structures. Metallic solid solutions. Crystal lattice defects. Stress and strain in metals. Cast irons and steels: production and properties. Heterogeneous equilibria.
Binary phase diagrams. The iron-iron carbide phase diagram. Heat treatment of steels (hardening, softening, annealing, normalizing). Alloying elements in steel, stainless steels. White, grey, malleable and nodular cast irons. Standard classification and codification of metal materials.
Copper and aluminum: properties, production. Main copper and aluminum alloys. Mention of magnesium, titanium and nickel alloys.
Electrochemical corrosion. Galvanic cells. Intergranular corrosion. Stress corrosion. Corrosion control and prevention. Oxidation of metals.
-Polymeric materials: summary of polymerization reactions. Industrial polymerization methods.
Processing of plastic materials: injection molding, extrusion, compression molding, transfer molding, calendering. Some important aspects of the structure, properties and applications of engineering thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. Elastomers.
-Reinforced plastics composite materials. Fibers and matrix materials for reinforcing plastic resins.
Elastic modulus for isostrain and isostress conditions.
-Fuels: calorific value; theoretical combustion air; particulate volume and composition; theoretical combustion temperature; chimney loss; flammability limits. Calculations on combustion reaction.
Characteristics of solid, liquid and gas fuels. Liquid and solid lubricant; viscosity and viscosity index.
-Engineering ceramics. Mechanical properties of ceramics. Toughness of ceramic materials.
-Water: hardness and related calculations; water softening; water demineralizing (multi-flash evaporation, ion exchange, electrodialysis, reverse osmosis). Flocculation and sedimentation, filtration. Water for industrial processes.
Bibliography
W.F. SMITH, J.HASHEMI: "Foundations of materials science and engineering" McGraw-Hill, 2006.
C. BRISI, “Chimica Applicata”, Edizioni Levrotto e Bella, Torino, III Ed., 1997
