Description
Why do we study materials? Many an applied scientist or engineer, whether mechanical, civil, chemical, or electrical, is at one time or another exposed to a design problem involving materials, such as a transmission gear, the superstructure for a building, an oil refinery component, or an integrated circuit chip. Of course, materials scientists and engineers are specialists who are totally involved in the investigation and design of materials.
Many times, a materials problem is one of selecting the right material from the thousands available. The final decision is normally based on several criteria. First, the in-service conditions must be characterized, for these dictate the properties required of the material. On only rare occasions does a material possess the maximum or ideal combination of properties. Thus, it may be necessary to trade one characteristic for another.
The classic example involves strength and ductility, normally, a material having a high strength has only a limited ductility. In such cases, a reasonable compromise between two or more properties may be necessary. A second selection consideration is any deterioration of material properties that may occur during service operation. For example, significant reductions in mechanical strength may result from exposure to elevated temperatures or corrosive environments.
The development of many technologies that make our existence so comfortable has been intimately associated with the accessibility of suitable materials. An advancement in the understanding of a material type is often the forerunner to the stepwise progression of a technology. For example, automobiles would not have been possible without the availability of inexpensive steel or some other comparable substitute. In the contemporary era, sophisticated electronic devices rely on components that are made from what are called semiconducting materials.
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