Course Catalog
Materials Engineering Classes
MATE 101L
Introductory Materials Engineering Laboratory
1 credits
3 lab hours
Hands‐on laboratory experience with some fundamental concepts in materials engineering: classification of solids, gelation processes, particulate dispersions, nucleation and growth of crystals, phase diagrams, magnetic domains, (explosive) welding, and composite design. Course provides a glossary of terms and concepts used in the field of materials science and engineering.
MATE 202
Materials Engineering I
3 credits
3 class hours
Corequisite: CHEM 122
Application of the student’s background in physical sciences, mathematics, and computer science to the solution of elementary problems in the materials sciences. Introduction to metallurgical techniques and the science of materials. Elementary design problems involving the optimum use of materials.
MATE 202L
Materials Engineering I Laboratory
1 credit
3 lab hours
Corequisite: MATE 202
Laboratory experiments addressing elementary design problems involving optimal use of materials. Designed to reinforce principles discussed in MATE 202.
MATE 235
Materials Engineering II
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: CHEM 122 and 122L Corequisite: Phys 122 & 122L
Survey of technologically important materials including ceramics, glasses, semiconductors, polymers and composites. The objective is to understand the chemical composition, structure, processing and property relationships in material systems. The student will obtain a basic understanding of the principles of electronic transport, dielectric, thermal, optical and mechanical properties of engineered solids. Undergraduate students majoring in Materials Engineering must take MATE 235L concurrently.
MATE 235L
Materials Engineering II Laboratory
1 credit
3 lab hours
Prerequisites: CHEM 122 and 122L Corequisites: MATE 235
Laboratory experiments introducing the fabrication of technical materials and the measurement of their properties. Designed to reinforce principles discussed in MATE 235.
MATE 301
Introduction to Ceramic Engineering
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: MATE 235; or consent of instructor
Ceramic processing from raw materials to finished products. Chemistry and structure of ceramic raw materials. Ceramic powder preparation and characterization. Engineering ceramic suspensions. Microstructures of traditional (porcelain and glass) and advanced (modern structural and electrical) ceramics. Properties of ceramics, and their dependence on processing and microstructure.
MATE 310
Processing and Microstructure Methods and Analysis
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisites: MATE 202, MATE 235; or consent of instructor
Emphasis on the relationship between processing and microstructure. Processing techniques used to form metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites will be studied such as extrusion, pressing, forging, rolling, casting, and joining. Elementary analysis techniques such as optical and electron microscopy will be used to illustrate the effect of processing on microstructure.
MATE 311
Thermal and Mechanical Methods and Analysis
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisites: MATE 202, MATE 235, ES 302; or consent of instructor
Emphasis on the use of thermal and mechanical techniques to both influence and measure the properties of metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites. Thermal techniques such as DSC, DTA, TGA, TMA, and dilatometry will be described. Thermal processing and temperature measurement techniques will also be covered. Mechanical techniques such as viscometry, rheometry, strength/toughness testing, hardness testing, and fatigue will be covered. These thermal and mechanical techniques will be used to elucidate the relationship between properties and microstructure, relaxation mechanisms, lifetime predictions, phase transformations, chemical reactions, and synthesis.
MATE 314
Transport Processes
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: MATH 131, MATH 132; PHYS 121
Introduction to the concepts of fluid dynamics and mass and heat transfer.
MATE 350
Materials Thermodynamics
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATH 231, CHEM 121, PHYS 121. (ES 347 is recommended.)
The mathematical structure of thermodynamics is developed and elucidated from a transport‐process‐based perspective. Basic quantities such as heat and temperature are carefully defined. The conserved nature of the First‐ Law and the non‐conserved nature of the Second Law are emphasized. The consequences of the ensuing stability‐ conditions are explored in the area of phase equilibrium in multicomponent mixtures. (Same as ChE 349)
MATE 351
Introduction to Polymeric Materials
3 credits, 3 class hours
Prerequisites: MATE 202 or MATE 235, MATH 231 or MATH 335
Basic concepts of polymer science; polymerization reactions and mechanisms, as well as kinetics involved; polymer solutions, molecular‐weight determinations, analysis and testing of polymers; structural properties of polymers; properties of commercial polymers; processing of polymers.
MATE 402
Physical Ceramics
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 301
Review of ceramic microstructures. Atomistic, microstructural, and thermodynamic origins of ceramic properties, with emphasis on the effects of atomic and structural defects and interpretation of phase diagrams.
MATE 410
Microstructural Characterization Methods and Analysis
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: PHYS 122, MATE 202, MATE 235 or consent of instructor
Crystalline and non‐crystalline materials are characterized using various types of scattering, diffraction, absorption and microscopy techniques. Methodologies such as x‐ray diffraction, electron diffraction and microscopy are introduced for analyzing crystallographic and other structural properties of metals, ceramics, polymers and composites.
MATE 420
Biomedical Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 202 or MATE 235 or consent of instructor
This course covers the application of materials in medical devices. Mechanical properties of hard and soft tissues are reviewed. Applications of biomaterials in orthopedics are discussed with emphasis on problems of material‐ tissue interactions. Other biomedical materials are covered with applications in skin transplants, eye surgery, pacemakers, tissue engineering, and neural prostheses. Host responses are surveyed including adaptation, inflammation, coagulation, foreign body effects, and changes in tissue and organ functions. Methods for biological and clinical testing are highlighted. Regulatory, ethical and business issues are discussed. Students taking the graduate‐level course will write an additional report proposing a new solution to an unsolved surgical problem. Shares lecture with MATE 520, with additional expectations for graduate credit.
MATE 430
Design and Analysis of Experiments
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Senior standing
Methods of statistics and modeling important to many problems in materials science and engineering including Six Sigma. Examples are chosen from a number of actual experiences. Safety considerations and experiment design including analysis of risk, how risks may be integrated, and how formal procedures should be established. The use of information sources, such as materials safety data sheets (MSDS). (Same as ChE 463)
MATE 431, 431D
Fundamentals in Manufacturing Processes of Materials I
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: MATE 202; ES 302; and senior standing or consent of instructor
Introduction to materials design; flow theories and work of deformation; microstructure‐property relationships for different materials; fracture; casting and heat‐flow/mass‐transfer issues; bulk deformation processing with applications to rolling and extrusion; powder metallurgy and sintering of metal and ceramic powders.
MATE 435
Mechanical Behavior of Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 202 or consent of instructor
Elasticity and plasticity; flow criteria. Strengthening mechanisms. Deformation processes. Mechanical testing of materials: tensile, hardness, fatigue, fracture, formability.
MATE 441, 441L
X‐Ray Diffraction
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: PHYS 122, MATE 202 or MATE 235
Properties and generation of X‐rays, X‐ray diffraction phenomena. Single‐crystal and powder techniques for study of structure of metals and alloys, imperfections, stress, and strain.
MATE 442
Solid State Diffusion
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 314 or ES 314
Development of the diffusion equations in solids and their solutions by analytical and numerical methods. Diffusion theory and mechanisms. Diffusion phenomena in semiconductors, metals, alloys, ionic crystals, and oxides. Thermodynamic, point‐defect and defect reactions, and impurity effects. High‐diffusivity paths; Electromigration (EM) in metallic films and EM measurement. Review of experimental techniques.
MATE 443
Magnetic Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 235 or consent of instructor
The origin of magnetism, theory of magnetism, comparison of diamagnetic, paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, and ferromagnetic solids. Magnetic measurements, magnetic characterization techniques, domain theory and hysteresis. Structure‐processing‐property relationships in magnetic materials. Applications of “hard” and “soft” magnetic materials.
MATE 445, 445D
Introduction to Composite Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: ES 302 or consent of instructor
Reinforcement materials, glass, Kevlar, polyethylene, carbon, boron, silicon carbide, alumina, metallic fibers. Interface between the matrix and fiber. Polymer matrix, metal matrix, and ceramic matrix composites. Mechanism of fiber strengthening. Micromechanics and macromechanics of composite materials, their strength and fracture behavior.
MATE 446, 446D
Computer Simulation in Materials Science
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATH 231
Computers have become a common tool in the effort to bridge the gap between atomic and macroscopic materials properties. Examples selected from the literature are used to introduce the student to the principal techniques employed in the field. Topics covered include: polymers, metals, ceramics, magnetic materials, water, phase equilibrium, protein folding, self‐assembled monolayers, gelation, the glass transition, rheology, and dielectric relaxation.
MATE 447
Optical Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 235 or consent of instructor
Review of optical phenomena: reflection, transmission, absorption, color, polarization, refraction and birefringence, and their origin in materials. Structure‐processing‐property relationships in optical materials including crystals, glasses, and thin films. Applications including mirrors, filters, lenses, lasers, electro‐optics, detectors and fiber optics.
MATE 452, 452D
Solid State Physics for Engineers
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of instructor
Discussion of physical properties of metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics from the viewpoint of solid‐state theory. Electron dynamics, electronic transport, interaction of electromagnetic waves with solids, wave mechanics, quantum mechanics, free electron theory, band theory of solids. Application of semiconductor and quantum physics to modern electronic and opto‐electronic devices.
MATE 452L
Electronic Materials Laboratory
1 credit
3 lab hours
Prerequisites: MATE 235, 235L, or consent of instructor
Use of electronic measurement equipment to characterize the behavior of common circuit components: resistors, capacitors, inductors, temperature‐ and voltage‐dependent resistors, diodes. Interpretation of electronic properties of materials.
MATE 460
Failure Analysis
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: ES 302
Failure analysis is the science of unraveling why a product failed unexpectedly. The results of the failure analysis may be used to design a better product, or as evidence in litigation. This course will cover the proper methodology for investigating a failure, the common failure modes of structures and machines, fractography, the procedure for writing a failure analysis report, and the legal implications.
MATE 466, 466D
Interfacial Phenomena
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 350 or equivalent or consent of instructor
Thermodynamics of interfaces (liquid/liquid, liquid/vapor, liquid/solid, solid/solid, solid/vapor) interfacial equilibria; interfacial free energy (surface tension measurements in liquids; specific surface free energy in solid systems); structure of solid surfaces and interfaces; properties of interfaces; case studies in ethical decision making. Shares lectures with MATE 566, but is graded separately and additional work is required at the graduate level.
MATE 470
Corrosion Phenomena
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: CHEM 122, MATE 202 or MATE 235
Theory of aqueous corrosion (thermodynamics and kinetics); forms of corrosion; corrosion testing and evaluation; designing to minimize corrosion; methods of corrosion prevention; corrosion of specific systems; case studies.
MATE 472, 472D
Advanced Transport Phenomena
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: ES 216 and 350 or MATE 314 or consent of instructor
Advanced topics in momentum, heat, and mass transfer. Newtonian and non‐Newtonian fluid behavior and laminar flow problems, elementary turbulent flow concepts, energy balance applications in incompressible fluid flow, flow and vacuum production. Fourier’s law and thermal conductivity of materials, steady state and time dependent heat conduction, application in solidification, elementary convective heat transfer. Diffusivity of materials, diffusion in gases, liquids and solids and through porous media, time dependent diffusion, and interphase mass transfer.
MATE 474
Polymer Processing and Characterization
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
The basics of rheology, calorimetry and mechanical testing are covered. A specific polymer is used (e.g., an epoxy) throughout the course and the processing of this polymer is covered. Students are expected to acquire a working knowledge of the instrumentation and analysis tools used in the course. These include rheometers, calorimeters, and mechanical testing. The primary analysis tool is Kaleidagraph software. (Same course as ChE 474)
MATE 479
Transmission Electron Microscopy
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: MATE 441, MATE 410, or consent of instructor
Electron optics, design and operation of TEM; specimen preparation; electron diffraction and interpretation of diffraction pa erns; imaging, dynamical theory; image interpretation for perfect crystals, crystal defects, interfaces and precipitates. Use of a TEM.
MATE 480
Advanced Dislocation Theory
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: METE 327 or consent of instructor
Dislocations in isotropic continua; effects of dislocations on crystal structure; point defects and physical properties; point defects and mechanical properties; dislocation‐point‐defect interactions and groups of dislocations; dislocation interactions. Shares lectures with MATE 580, but is graded separately and additional work is required at the graduate level.
MATE 481, 481L
Engineering Design I
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: Senior Standing, MATE 301, MATE 351, METE 327, MATE 310, MATE 311 (BIOL 111/111L may substitute for MATE 310 or 311 for students pursuing the Biomaterials Engineering Option)
Student design teams begin a year‐long capstone design project. The teams will identify project needs, establish goals, determine design requirements, produce alternate solutions, and perform detailed planning. Project initiation, periodic design reports and design reviews. Students, faculty, and distinguished visitors discuss subjects of current and/or long‐range interest in various fields of materials. Undergraduate students majoring in Materials Engineering are required to take MATE 481 and MATE 481L concurrently.
MATE 482, 482L
Engineering Design II
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: MATE 481, MATE 481L
Continuation of the design projects initiated in MATE 481. The student design teams bring the projects to a successful conclusion. Economic analysis and detailed cost evaluation, use of engineering statistics in data analysis and design of experiments, preparation and presentation of final project report. Undergraduate students majoring in Materials Engineering are required to take MATE 482 and MATE 482L concurrently.
MATE 483, 483L
Scanning Electron Microscopy
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: PHYS 122 or consent of instructor
Fundamental theory and experimental techniques in scanning electron microscopy. Electron optics, electron beam interactions with solids, signal detection and processing. Chemical X‐ray microanalysis. Undergraduate students majoring in Materials Engineering are required to take MATE 483 and MATE 483L concurrently.
MATE 491
Directed Study/Senior Thesis
3 credits
Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of instructor
MATE 500
Directed Research
Credit hours to be arranged
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
This course may not be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements.
MATE 501
Foundations of Materials
3 credits
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
This course is designed for the Materials graduate students with undergraduate degrees from other disciplines. Fundamental elements of metals, ceramics, polymers and composites will be covered.
MATE 502
Physical Ceramics
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 301
Review of ceramic microstructures. Atomistic, microstructural, and thermodynamic origins of ceramic properties, with emphasis on the effects of atomic and structural defects and interpretation of phase diagrams. Shares lectures with MATE 402, but is graded separately, and additional work is required at the graduate level.
MATE 503, 503D
Crystal Chemistry and Crystal Physics
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Classification of elements and ions. Bonding and rules for building of structures in solids. Systematic review of the basic crystal structures of inorganic solids and their relationship with observed macroscopic properties. Introduction to crystal physics, relating measurable quantities to crystal symmetry.
MATE 504
Nonlinear Dielectric Ceramics
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 235 and graduate standing; or consent of instructor
Review of polarization mechanisms and relaxation phenomena in nonlinear dielectrics. New capacitor formulations (high permittivity) and “relaxor” ferroelectrics. Ferroelectric phase transitions and phenomenology. Piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity, and applications.
MATE 505, 505D
Electronic Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 235 and graduate standing; or consent of instructor
Review of electronic, atomic, and defect structures which govern electrical behavior of ceramics and metals. Bulk and printed (thick film) electronic sensors and components. Superionic conductors used in solid electrolyte batteries, and developments in new high‐temperature superconducting ceramics. Polarization mechanisms and relaxation phenomena in dielectrics, with discussion of low‐permi ivity and microwave dielectrics.
MATE 509, 509D
Statistical Mechanics of Simple Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 350 or ChE 349 or Graduate Standing or consent of instructor
After a brief review of thermodynamics, the basics of Statistical Mechanics are presented and applied to a number of cases of interest. These include solid state heat capacity, the adsorption of gases on surfaces, Bose‐Einstein statistics, blackbody radiation, magnetism, superfluidity, Fermi‐Dirac statistics, the electron gas, theories of phase transitions, and the Monte Carlo method.
MATE 510
Mechanical Properties of Ordered Intermetallic Alloys
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Development of understanding of the mechanical behavior of ordered alloys and of the process of alloy development. Crystal structures, ordering phenomena, lattice defects in ordered alloys, tensile and compressive behavior, anomalous yielding, enhanced work hardening, fracture, creep and fatigue, environmental effects, alloy development strategies.
MATE 512, 512D
Electronic Thin Films: Science and Technology
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Discussion of thin‐film deposition techniques (evaporation, sputtering, molecular beam epitaxy, liquid‐ phase epitaxy, and chemical vapor deposition), and their applications and limitations. Thin‐film growth mechanism. Stress and interdiffusion in thin films. Electrical and optical properties of thin films, heterostructures, quantum wells, and superlattices.
MATE 514, 514D
Liquid State Theory
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 509, Graduate Standing or consent of instructor
An introduction to the study of many‐particle systems and to the techniques of computer simulation. The statistical mechanics of simple liquids and their mixtures, with particular emphasis on the atomic origin of the structure factor and the relationships between atomic‐level structure and macroscopic, thermodynamic properties.
MATE 515
Glasses and Other Complex Fluids
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 351 or consent of instructor
Complex fluids span the range between the traditional Newtonian fluid (where shear stress is proportional to strain rate) and linear response solids (where shear stress is proportional to strain). In all cases, non‐trivial relaxation mechanisms introduce a range of relaxation times and extreme temperature sensitivity in the a materials’ properties. Glasses are the most dramatic examples of this class of materials although all polymeric materials show complex behavior under temperature and time scales in typical applications. This course introduces the techniques used to quantify the thermal and temporal response of common complex fluids focusing primarily on rheometry and calorimetry. In addition, theories linking evolving microstructures are employed to explain the observed macroscopic responses.
MATE 516
Biomimetic Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
An overview of the field of biomimetics: the achievement of unusual materials properties or processes by mimicry of various aspects of biological systems. Mimicry of natural structural design; biomimetic materials processing; “artificial photosynthesis”; biomolecular electronics; and biomimetic catalysis. Interdisciplinary studies.
MATE 520
Biomedical Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 202 or MATE 235 or consent of instructor
This course covers the application of materials in medical devices. Mechanical properties of hard and soft tissues are reviewed. Applications of biomaterials in orthopedics are discussed with emphasis on problems of material‐ tissue interactions. Other biomedical materials are covered with applications in skin transplants, eye surgery, pacemakers, tissue engineering, and neural prostheses. Host responses are surveyed including adaptation, inflammation, coagulation, foreign body effects, and changes in tissue and organ functions. Methods for biological and clinical testing are highlighted. Regulatory, ethical and business issues are discussed. Students taking the graduate‐level course will write an additional report proposing a new solution to an unsolved surgical problem. Shares lecture with MATE 420, with additional expectations for graduate credit.
MATE 530, 530D
Design and Analysis of Experiments
3 credits
3 class hours
Methods of statistics and modeling important to many problems in materials science and engineering including Six Sigma. Examples are chosen from a number of actual experiences. Safety considerations and experiment design including analysis of risk, how risks may be integrated, and how formal procedures should be established. The use of information sources, such as materials safety data sheets (MSDS). Shares lectures with MATE 430, but is graded separately, and additional work is required at the graduate level.
MATE 531, 531D
Fundamentals in Manufacturing Processes of Materials I
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 202 or equivalent; ES 302 or equivalent
Introduction to materials design; flow theories and work of deformation, microstructure‐property relationships for different materials; fracture; casting and heat‐flow/mass‐transfer issues; bulk deformation processing with applications to rolling and extrusion; powder metallurgy and sintering of metal and ceramic powders. Shares lectures with MATE 431, but is graded separately, and additional work to include learning manufacturing software, as well as a detailed research paper, is required at the graduate level.
MATE 534, 534D
Phase Equilibria in Materials Systems
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: MATE 350 and METE 327, or consent of instructor
The theoretical and practical aspects of phase equilibria of metal and ceramic multicomponent systems will be examined in detail. The thermodynamics and experimental methods of determining phase equilibria of these systems will be studied. Particular emphasis to Gibbs phase rule, the construction and interpretation of phase diagrams, and the importance of nonequilibrium in metals and ceramics will be investigated. Thermodynamic calculations related to phase stability and phase diagram prediction will be performed using the modeling software, Thermo‐Calc.
MATE 540, 540D
Electrochemical Techniques & Process
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: Upper division or graduate student standing
This course is an overview of the growing field of electrochemistry, and the many electrochemical techniques and processes. The lectures and assignments will review the theory and the science of batteries, electroplating, fuel cells, electrocatalysis, electro‐refining, corrosion, bioelectrochemistry, and organic electrosynthesis. In addition to the applications, the electrochemical techniques will also be introduced, including open circuit potentials, linear polarization, potentiodynamic polarization, cyclic voltammetry, zeta potentials, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemistry.
MATE 541
Advanced Physical Metallurgy
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: METE 327; or consent of the instructor
Application of thermodynamic principles to formation and stability of alloy systems. Recrystallization. Precipitation hardening. Physical metallurgy of steels, aluminum, rapidly solidified alloys, and quasi‐crystals.
MATE 543, 543D
Advanced Mechanical Metallurgy
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisites: MATE 435
Theory of elasticity/plasticity; dislocation theory; strengthening mechanisms; tensile testing; fracture and related failure phenomena; principal features of fatigue and creep; metalworking; related strain state‐ strain rate phenomena, including shock deformation and high energy rate forming.
MATE 544
Strengthening Mechanisms
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 435 or consent of instructor
Application of dislocation theory to precipitation, dispersion and solution hardening; yielding; strain aging; Hall‐ Petch phenomena and strengthening by grain refinement; strengthening by dislocation substructures; work hardening; strength of martensite; fiber‐reinforced composites; production of strong microstructures.
MATE 545
Micromechanics of Fracture
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 435 or equivalent or consent of instructor
Analysis of criteria for crack initiation and propagation leading to structural failure; study of fracture mechanics starting with Griffith theory for ideally brittle materials through plane strain and ultimately elastic‐ plastic toughness phenomena. Effects of geometry, rate, environment, and microstructure will be considered as related to micromechanisms of fracture (cleavage, ductile fracture, fatigue, stress corrosion cracking).
MATE 548
Advanced Composite Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 445 or consent of instructor
Reinforcements, their fabrication and properties. Matrix materials and their characteristics. Interfaces in various types of composites. Micromechanics of composites; macromechanics of composites. Failure processes in composites. Designing with composites. Specific important composite systems, their fabrication, properties, and applications.
MATE 549
Nano‐Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Physical basics of nanosystems, physics and chemistry of nanostructure synthesis and fabrication, semiconductor nanostructures, magnetic nanostructures and spintronics, molecular nanostructures, electron transport in nanosystems, optical effects in nanosystems, nanomachines, nanoscale biological assemblies, nanocomposite materials.
MATE 554
Scattering Techniques
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 351 or consent of instructor
Application of scattering techniques to the characterization of polymeric materials, ranging from polymer solutions to melts or composites. Molecular motion of polymers in solutions and melts, Flory‐Huggin theory, phase separation. Fundamentals and applications of scattering techniques to polymeric materials. Dynamic light scattering, laser light scattering neutron scattering, X‐ ray scattering.
MATE 560, 560D
Failure Analysis
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: ES 302 or consent of instructor
Failure analysis is the science of unraveling why a product failed unexpectedly. The results of the failure analysis may be used to design a better product, or as evidence in litigation. This course will cover the proper methodology for investigating a failure, the common failure modes of structures and machines, fractography, the procedure for writing a failure analysis report, and the legal implications. Shares lecture with MATE 460, but is graded separately, and additional graduate‐level work is required.
MATE 563
Radiation Effects in Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Fundamentals of radiation damage (energetic particles and energy dissipation, atomic displacements and cascades, evolution of damage); material‐dependent radiation‐damage phenomena (at atomic, microstructural, and macrostructural levels); applications (swift‐ion irradiation effects, ion‐beam modification of materials, nanostructure design via irradiation, nuclear fuels and waste forms, radiation detectors and dosimeters, solar and galactic cosmic particles).
MATE 564, 564D
Nano‐Optics,
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Review of Nano‐Optics—an emerging field, rapidly developing as a part of nanoscience and nanotechnology requiring tools and techniques for fabrication, manipulation and characterization at nanoscale. The class covers theoretical foundations on propagation and focusing of optical fields; methods of nanoscale optical microscopy: near‐field optical probes and nanoscale distance control; features of optical interaction in nanoscale environments. Modern applications of nano‐optics including quantum emi ers, photonic crystals and resonators, surface plasmons structures and devices, will be discussed in the frames of this class.
MATE 565, 565D
Catalyst Characterization Techniques
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: ChE 349/MATE 350 and/or CHEM 331/332 or consent of instructor
The course provides an overview of techniques used to characterize catalytic materials including data analysis and linking physical and chemical properties to catalytic activity at the laboratory and process level. Topics include x‐ray methods, neutron scattering methods, physical adsorption, chemical adsorption, temperature programmed techniques, photoelectron spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. A research project is required.
MATE 566
Interfacial Phenomena
3 credits
3 class hours
Thermodynamics of interfaces (liquid/liquid, liquid/vapor, liquid/solid, solid/solid, solid/vapor); interfacial equilibria; interfacial free energy (surface tension measurements in liquids; specific surface free energy in solid systems); structure of solid surfaces and interfaces; properties of interfaces.
MATE 567
Dynamic Deformation of Solids
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Elastic waves. Plastic waves. Shock waves (Rankine‐Hugoniot equations and more advanced treatments incorporating materials strength). Wave interactions and attenuation (including spalling). Spherical and cylindrical waves. Impact; Gurney equation. Principles of detonation.
MATE 568
Material Behavior at High Strain Rates
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 567
Mechanical properties of materials as a function of strain rate. Dislocation dynamics at high velocities. Structural changes introduced by shock waves: phase transformations, point defects, line defects, interfacial defects. Dislocation models for shock front. Materials aspects of adiabatic shear localization, spalling, dynamic deformation. Shock modification of ceramics.
MATE 569, 569D
Fuel Cell Technology
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
The principles of fuel cell technology, including classification of fuel cells and operating mechanisms. Analysis of underlying thermodynamics and physical factors which govern fuel cell performance and efficiency. Cell components and integrative cell design.
MATE 570, 570D
Corrosion Phenomena
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing or consent of instructor
Theory of aqueous corrosion (thermodynamics and kinetics); forms of corrosion; corrosion testing and evaluation; designing to minimize corrosion; methods of corrosion prevention; corrosion in specific systems; case studies. Shares lecture with MATE 470, but is graded separately and additional graduate‐level work is required.
MATE 575, 575D
Introduction to Nano-Materials
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
An introduction to physical basics of nanosystems, physics and chemistry of nanostructure synthesis and fabrication. Other topics include: semiconductor nanostructures, magnetic nanostructures and spintronics, molecular nanostructures, electron transport in nanosystems, optical effects in nanosystems, nanomachines, nanoscale biological assemblies, nanocomposite materials.
MATE 576
Drug Delivery Techniques
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: Senior or graduate standing or consent of instructor
Focus is on current developments in drug delivery techniques, with only a brief discussion of common clinical techniques. The first portion of the class focuses on various delivery mechanisms and the tools needed to validate successful targeted drug delivery (both in vitro, in vivo and diagnostic tools). The second part of the course focuses on current developments in drug delivery based on published research articles. Students will read, digest, and critically analyze scientific work from leading research laboratories. Students will also gain valuable communication tools, as each student will present an article of interest to the class. Finally, the third part of the course focuses on important materials characterization methods such as biological sample prep, SEM, TEM, DSC, Flow Cytometry, Fluorescence Microscopy, ELISA Assays. Same as BIOT 576. Shares lecture with ChE 476, with additional expectations for graduate credit.
MATE 579
Advanced Electron Microscopy
3 credits
2 class hours, 3 lab hours
Prerequisite: MATE 479 or MATE 483; graduate standing
Advanced topics in transmission electron microscopy. In‐situ studies of deformation and fracture processes, environmental effects, and radiation damage. High‐resolution electron microscopy, weak‐beam techniques, scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron microdiffraction. Analytical electron microscopy; electron energy loss spectroscopy and energy‐ dispersive analysis of X‐rays; instrumentation, techniques, quantitation, applications.
MATE 580
Advanced Dislocation Theory
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 435 or consent of instructor
Dislocations in isotropic continua; effects of dislocations on crystal structure; point defects and physical properties; point defects and mechanical properties; dislocation‐point‐defect interactions and groups of dislocations; dislocation interactions.
Shares lectures with MATE 480, but is graded separately, and additional work is required at the graduate level.
MATE 581, 581D
Directed Study
Credit hours to be arranged
Study under the guidance of a member of the department. In general, subject matter will supplement that available in the other graduate course offerings in metallurgy or materials engineering.
MATE 590
Independent Study
Credit hours to be arranged
The student must clearly demonstrate the ability to organize and pursue research. A written final report and public oral presentation is required.
MATE 591
Thesis (master’s program)
Credit hours to be arranged
MATE 592, 592D
Materials Engineering Graduate Seminar
1 credit
1 class hour
Must be taken S/U
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Seminar presentations by students, faculty and outside speakers. Discussion of topics of technical interest in materials science and engineering and related fields.
MATE 595
Dissertation (doctoral degree program)
Credit hours to be arranged
Prerequisite: Successful completion of PhD candidacy exam and Academic Advisor recommendation for candidacy.
MATE 599, 599D
Special Topics
Credit hours to be arranged
Lectures in new or advanced areas of materials.
Metallurgical Engineering Classes
METE 326
Introduction to Process Metallurgy
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: CHEM 121 Corequisite: MATH 132
Introduction to stoichiometric computations. Calculations of energy and material balance. Elementary process analysis and reactor design. Single‐phase and multiphase systems. (Same as ChE 326)
METE 327
Introduction to Physical Metallurgy
3 credit
3 class hours
Prerequisite: MATE 202
Mechanisms of deformation and fracture in metals. Binary phase diagrams. Phase transformations, age hardening, heat treatment of steels, TTT diagrams, CT diagrams, martensitic transformation, shape‐memory effects. Common ferrous and non‐ferrous alloys.
METE 434
Introduction to Dislocation Theory
3 credits
3 class hours
Prerequisite: METE 327 or consent of instructor
An introduction to elasticity and the theory of plastic flow in materials. Geometrical and crystallographic features of dislocations, elastic equations of dislocations in crystals. Partial dislocations and stacking faults. Dislocation interactions and multiplication.
METE 491
Directed Study/Senior Thesis
3 credits
Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of instructor