Materials are the basis of everything in the world around us. From metal alloys that have defined major epochs of civilization to the wood, brick and insulation used in construction (and even the chemicals and polymers that make up computers) materials are everywhere.
Michigan Tech offers outstanding facilities and hands-on learning opportunities in materials science that train you to understand the scientific properties of existing materials, design new ones, and create them.
The interdisciplinary nature of the field
Everything that we use is made of materials – and nothing could work without the right ones. Materials science and engineering is at the heart of new ideas for electronics, medical devices, faster computers and even jet engines – but they can only be realized with the right materials. MSE empowers engineers to make these things by solving the fundamental problems with materials and then creating or designing new materials that meet specific requirements, such as high strength or low weight.
Material scientists are trained to understand the macroscopic properties of materials based on their atomic and molecular structure. They can then design materials with certain characteristics, such as scratch resistance (like Corning Gorilla Glass), optical properties or sustainability. They also understand how processing a material changes its atomic and molecular structure, influencing its performance and properties.
The field is inherently interdisciplinary and many of its research projects require the expertise of physicists, chemists and engineers to succeed. In addition, the natural world provides a wealth of inspiration for materials scientists. This can be seen in bioinspired research, with applications as diverse as engineered protein films for adhesion and lubrication, or molecular tools for in-vitro and in-vivo imaging (C-Dots and FRET).
It’s no wonder that MSE departments are often housed within physics, chemistry and engineering departments. We are proud to feature many distinguished scholars in this interdepartmental committee, including Professors Bailey, Barmak, Billinge, Chan, Herman, Im, Marianetti, Noyan and Pinczuk from physics; and Brus, Durning, Flynn and Koberstein from chemical engineering.
The design process
Choosing the right materials for buildings is a complex process. Building scientists must be able to understand all of the available options and determine which are best suited for a particular project. This can include everything from cost and chemical makeup to aesthetics and sustainability.
Ultimately, the goal is to design and produce new materials that are capable of meeting the needs of the building industry. This will allow architects, engineers and construction professionals to create structures that are safe and effective.
As part of their research, materials scientists study all aspects of a material, from the atomic and molecular structure to the microstructure and macrostructure resulting from processing. They also focus on the properties of these materials, including their reactivity and how they react to environmental conditions.
This information can then be used to optimize existing materials, improve the performance of existing products or even design entirely new materials. Additionally, materials scientists are often called upon to perform forensic engineering and failure analysis, examining the causes of product, structural or equipment failures that could cause injury to people or property damage.
The development of new materials requires a great deal of experimentation and careful record-keeping. This can be a slow and costly process, but it’s one that is vital to advancing the field of engineering. The work of a materials scientist can help to speed up the process and bring new and exciting advances to market more quickly.
The role of simulation
The building industry makes decisions about materials on an almost daily basis – decisions that require a foundational understanding of how those materials are made. That’s where simulation comes in. With the advent of software that enables users to rethink their design process and automate hand-offs between tools, architects, engineers and construction professionals are unleashing the power of simulation to help them meet the evolving needs of the building industry for price, performance, chemical makeup, trends in aesthetics, recycled content and more.
The use of simulation allows engineering teams to test many solutions and system scenarios before they build. This can save time and money. After all, the more time engineers spend on a plant floor fixing issues they could have prevented with simulation, the less time they have to innovate new line processes or product ideas that will drive future growth.
Materials science is a discipline that uses knowledge of chemistry, physics and engineering to understand existing materials and design new ones. The field seeks to optimize the properties of existing materials through structure modification, develop new materials with desirable properties and explain why certain materials fail under different conditions. It is a broad discipline that focuses on both the microscopic scale (i.e., material defects) and the macroscale (i.e., the appearance of a material in millimeters to meters).
The use of simulation is not without challenges. A perceived mismatch between the computational capacity of simulation systems and the need for rapid feedback in explorative R&D contexts can inhibit their use. However, the use of simulation in interdisciplinary design processes can overcome these barriers.
The development of new materials
Material scientists use their knowledge of chemistry, physics and engineering to research new materials, improve existing ones and create new uses for them. They look at materials at all scales – from their constituent chemical elements to their microstructure and macrostructure, as well as the processes that affect them, in order to understand what makes them tick and how to use them.
The field is incredibly diverse and there are many areas of expertise within the discipline. For example, metallurgists work with metallic elements to create alloys for different purposes. Materials engineers use their understanding of how processing affects the structure of a material to make better, more reliable products. And when something goes wrong, materials scientists can help to find out why.
In the building construction industry, materials scientists work with architects and designers to develop new and innovative materials that can be used in a variety of different ways. This may include creating new building materials that are designed to be more eco-friendly, or to meet specific aesthetic and performance requirements.
Materials science is a broad and important field that can benefit many different sectors. It’s vital that businesses take the appropriate amount of time and effort to ensure they have a good understanding of how materials science works. Otherwise, they risk being restricted in their product development by the limitations of the materials technology currently available.