Materials

There is no recommended basic knowledge.

The course unit is organised in lectures, theoretical-practical lessons and laboratory practices. The lecturing sessions are primarily dedicated to presenting contents, using the board and the projection of slides with auxiliary pictures, diagrams, schemes or tables. In conducting these classes, student participation is often raised by formulating questions that lead them to reflect on the subject matter and create opportunities for clarifying concepts. It is reserved for the theoretical-practical lessons the presentation and exploitation of specific parts of the unit syllabus whose nature provides a more applied and interactive approach. In practical classes, students take contact with components of different materials and get acquainted with equipments and experimental methods used in the evaluation of mechanical properties.
Tensile tests are carried out on metallic and polymeric materials and the main mechanical properties are calculated based on the force/elongation curve.
Brinell, Rocckwell and Vickers hardness tests are carried out on different metallic materials.
Charpy impact tests are carried out on different metallic materials.

The main objectives of this course unit are:

To familiarize the students with different types of engineering materials and their typical applications; To provide basic knowledge in materials science, necessary to understand the relationships between composition, structure and properties of materials; To introduce the students to experimental methods commonly used in the evaluation of mechanical properties of materials. Upon completion of this unit, the students should be able to: Know a wide range of engineering materials and their classification; Describe the structure and general properties of the main classes of materials; Understand fundamental aspects of the relationships between composition, structure and properties of materials; Know and understand specific properties and potential applications of the most common engineering materials; Perform tests to evaluate mechanical properties of materials and interpret their results.

1. Introduction to Materials
The importance of materials in Engineering. Materials Science and Engineering.
Relationship between the chemical composition, structure, properties and processing of materials.
The role of materials in the circular economy.

2. Mechanical Properties of Materials
Elastic and plastic stress and strain; Tensile test and determination of mechanical properties from the force-elongation curve. Understanding the concepts of modulus of elasticity, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, work hardening, ductility and toughness.
Brinell, Rockwell and Vickers hardness test.
Fracture of materials – impact tests.
Example of other types of tests to determine mechanical properties.

3. Classification of Materials and Main Characteristics
Characterization of classes and subclasses of materials: Metallic materials; ceramic materials; polymeric materials; composite materials;
Properties and industrial application of the most representative materials of each class.

4. Iron-Carbon Alloy equilibrium diagram
Metal alloys, amorphous and crystalline structures, grain size and polycrystalline structures.
Metastable  and stable equilibrium diagram of the Fe-C alloy system. 
Interpretation of the Fe-C equilibrium diagram and classification of steels and cast irons.
Solubility of carbon in iron and compounds formed under equilibrium conditions.
Transformation of austenite into equilibrium microstructures.
Relationship between composition, microstructure, mechanical properties and industrial applications of hypoeutectoid, eutectoid and hypereutectoid steels.

5. Characterization of Steels
Classification of steels according to their chemical composition: non-alloyed and alloyed steels; other classifications.
Microstructures resulting from the transformation of austenite with and without diffusion: Perlic, Martensitic and bainitic transformation.
Alloyed steels: Distribution of alloying elements and Influence of alloying elements on steel properties.

6. Heat Treatment of Steels
Annealing heat treatments.
Quench heat treatment and tempering heat treatment.
Surface hardening treatments: Surface hardening; Thermochemical treatments for cementation and nitriding.

7. Materials Processing
Processing of metallic materials: Steel industry and operation of the blast furnace. Casting, rolling process, extrusion, die forging and embossing.
Processing of polymeric materials: Extrusion, injection, blow molding, thermoforming and rotational molding.
Processing of ceramic materials: Forming, pressing and sintering.

NAO

Recommended Bibliography
• William F. Smith (1998). Princípios de Ciência e Engenharia dos Materiais, McGraw-Hill de Portugal. 4-14-73 (ISEC)
• Lucas F. Silva, Fernando J. Alves e António Torres Marques (2013). Materiais de Construção. Publindústria. 4-14-111 (ISEC)

Complementary Bibliography
• A. S. Pouzada e C. A. Bernardo (1983). Introdução à Engenharia de Polímeros, Universidade do Minho.
• J. Barralis e G. Maeder (2005). Prontuário de Metalurgia, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. 4-3-94 (ISEC)
• Antera Valeriana Seabra (1995). Metalurgia Geral, Vol. II. Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil. 4-3-78 (ISEC)
• Joaquim Pinto Soares SOARES (2010) Aços: Características, Tratamentos. Publindústria.