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An introduction to topics that span the vast field of materials science. From crystal structures to phase transformations to materials characterization to materials processing, this course will offer a glimpse and provide a basis of understanding that will carry you through pretty much every course you will study in MSE.
See the F!Rosh Anti-Calendar for more information.
How do we go from our idea of atoms in chemistry to the materials we use in our daily lives?
What simplifications must we make in order to understand how material properties arise?
What models or machines do we use to “see” things at the level of atoms?
This course covers an introduction to the field of materials science and engineering following a design-led approach. Application areas such as stiffness-limited design, fracture-limited design, strength-limited design will be used to guide further investigations into elements of the processing-structure-properties-performance paradigm. Topics covered will include material property charts, computer-aided design and materials selection, crystallographic planes and directions, crystal structures, stiffness, strength, plasticity, yielding, ductility, fracture and fracture toughness, cyclic loading and fatigue, friction and wear, thermal properties of materials, electrical properties, optical properties, materials corrosion, and materials processing.
Note: Not in the F!ROSH Anti-Calendar on skule.ca.
This course is split into two sections: one part multivariable calculus and one part differential equations. You will learn how to describe surfaces and solids in 3D and higher dimensions, integrate in different coordinate systems, and discover some fundamental differential equations which govern related laws in materials science. The goal of this course is to learn and understand the mathematics that will appear in later courses.
The class is divided into “cycles” or modules, which each include an assignment, some homework questions, and some “cycles” have tests. The class tends to emphasise the concepts behind the math rather than calculation
How can we use different coordinate systems to more efficiently calculate systems or solids? What fundamental mathematical theorems do engineers use? What are their proofs and how can we apply them to real life? How can we use differential equations to predict a changing system at any point in time and space? How do we do calculus if we now have multiple changing variables?
This course actually answers the question, “Why does anything happen in the universe?” Before you answer ‘42’, I will save you the trouble. The answer is, ‘To lower the Gibb’s Free Energy’. Now, if you already knew that from other courses, don’t fear. You don’t spend the entire semester doing just that. Thermodynamics deals with all of the nitty-gritty details of chemical equilibrium. It may feel like this course has no overarching ideas, but try to keep sight of the bigger picture - Gibbs Energy.
What factors are present that determine whether a process can ever start?
What does it mean to be energetically favorable?
How can we design reactions to maximize efficiency? What considerations do we need to make?
Why/When do reactions happen?
Despite what CIV100 might have you believe, things are always in motion. One of the first things you learn about matter is that it is made of atoms in constant motion. What you don’t learn is the result of that motion, and how materials scientists take advantage of that bumping around to do some crazy things. In Diffusion and Kinetics, we cover two of the most important basic building blocks to understanding materials phenomena: diffusion, the bulk atomic motion of matter due to a concentration gradient and kinetics, the study of the rate at which phenomena on the atomic and molecular level occur.
How do we describe bulk atomic motion in various media?
What is the difference between thermodynamics and kinetics?
How do we take advantage of factors affecting the kinetics of a situation?
This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts and principles of crystallography and characterization of materials – both in 2D and 3D. Beginning with the concept of reciprocal space and leading into crystal lattices and groups, the first half of the course deals with determining the arrangement of atoms in a crystal, their denotation, the language used in materials science to describe structures and transformations. Once you finish with tensors, the course shifts to cover material characterization, where you learn about various types of crystallographic techniques from Atomic Force Microscopy to X-Ray Diffraction.
All in all, the course focuses on characterising, understanding and exploring the microstructures of materials.
What is reciprocal space and how is understanding it useful to us as Material Engineers? How does symmetry make our lives infinitely easier when studying crystalline solids? Which characterization technique is appropriate to determine a particular property? What are the sample limitations to using this technique?
Divided into two sections, this course will cover essential statistics and numerical methods topics. The statistics portion covers probability, distributions, hypothesis testing, regression, and other basic statistics principles. Numerical methods will cover techniques to numerically solve problems in calculus and differential equations, by hand and through the use of MATLAB.
How can we test if our hypothesis is correct? What are the ways to solve calculus questions without computing them? How can we predict the outcome of an event?
Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers - Montgomery & Runger - 5th/6th Edition
This course covers the fundamental trends that help shape the periodic table, and offers an understanding of why different elements behave differently. It gives an overview of organic chemistry by going through the elements group by group.
Once a thorough understanding of periodic trends is presented, individual elements are analysed and their uses in modern applications are understood. This course is important to know how a material will react in a certain situation, before it is actually applied. A lot of the content covered will echo your high school chemistry introduction. This course also dabbles in material processing from natural resources such as ores.
What can chemicals be used for? What causes certain elements to be more or less reactive than others? How can we test and differentiate between different inorganic compounds?
This course will mirror the style of MSE 244 but will cover Organic Chemistry, arguably on of the most difficult subdisciplines of chemistry. The course begins by working with the basic building blocks of organic compounds: Hydrocarbons, methyl groups, carboxylic acids, thiols etc. You will understand how to name such compounds, how they are formed and how they react with other compounds. The course ends on a few units in polymer chemistry which will lead into polymer courses taken in third and fourth year.
How can we predict reaction mechanisms and the product of two organic compounds? Which polymers are used in everyday life? How do we synthesize and organic compound
This is a seminar course which tries to link the general MSE courses together into a larger theme. It is pretty fun and light!
What is the materials paradigm? What are we studying when we study materials?
This class focuses on all kinds of engineering communication, ie. memos, proposals and more! You also learn to use Solidworks, which is a useful CAD tool.
How do engineers communicate? What considerations go into a materials selection project and how do you back these up? How can engineers leverage solidworks?
Phase transformations are among the material engineer’s greatest tools in controlling the properties of a material system. This course relies on your knowledge of thermodynamics and diffusion to learn how the microstructure of a material impacts its macroscopic properties. This is explored by use of free energy diagrams to reflect such phenomena as crystallization, nucleation and grain growth. An integral course in the MSE curriculum.
How do metallic microstructures develop? How can thermodynamic and kinetic principles explain phase transformations? What are phase transformations?
This course introduces economics with a practical focus on accounting. Topics covered include: interest rates as applied to mortgages and bond yields, time value of money, reading and generating balance sheets, assessing costs of a project, and much more. You will learn and apply this knowledge while learning the ropes of Microsoft Excel, a more powerful program than most people realise. This course is extremely applicable to real life projects and will be helpful for your long term career.
How to determine the value of assets over time? How to determine if a project is financially sound? How to understand a corporate balance sheet?
This is a continuation of thermodynamics 1, and partially consists of a thorough and more rigorous review of some MSE202 concepts. It goes on to explore Gibbs free energy in more depth, specifically of different types of mixtures. There is also a heavy lab emphasis on FactSage, a thermodynamic modelling software.
When will a mixture occur? When will a reaction occur? What is the definition of chemical potential?
This course covers the mechanical behavior of materials with a focus on stress-strain relationships, dislocation theory, strengthening mechanisms, and the processes and mechanisms of elastic, visco-elastic, plastic, and creep deformation. A strong focus is directed at the mechanical behavior of metals.
What mechanism governs the deformation of metals? How are mechanical properties of materials evaluated? How is mechanical behavior affected by time, temperature, and composition?
This course discusses how momentum, heat, and mass are transferred in a given process or system. This is done by exploring of the Navier-Stokes equation, the heat equation, and the diffusion equation with realistic boundary conditions to model real-world problems in metallurgy and materials processing such as melt cooling. An effective understanding of calculus and partial differential equations is recommended.
How can we model momentum, heat, and mass transfer? What are the engineering challenges for designing materials processes relating to heat and mass transfer?
This course discusses the application of solid state physics used to describe material properties. Special focus is given to properties related to phonon and electron interactions in a crystal lattice. This course is essential in understanding the properties and effects used in the semiconductor/electronics industry.
Previously taken in second year. The nitty-gritty of materials is expounded in this course that highlights the important theories and fundamental concepts that describe material behaviours. From the Drude model of electron motion that describes conductivity, to electron polarizations that result in the magnetization of materials, this course provides a look at the math and physics that lies at the heart of the material properties we take for granted.
Disclaimer: some of the course content may be slightly different or more difficult than what past students remember.
What causes the electromagnetic properties of metals? How do electrons and phonons interact in a crystal lattice?
This course offers general perspectives on the emerging fields of nanomaterial synthesis and manufacturing. Case studies of nanotechnology will be presented- primarily relating to the development of nano-Ni by our very own Professor Erb!
What defines a nanomaterial? How do we make nanomaterials? How can we observe nanomaterials? What are the advantages and disadvantages of nanomaterials?
This course is on the mathematical modelling of materials via the finite-element method. The focus is on developing practical solutions to the theoretical differential equations controlling stress/strain, heat transfer, and fluid flow. There is a strong lab/software component using the ANSYS software to solve practical and multidisciplinary engineering problems. There is also a group project to model an engineering system of your choice.
What controls how we model a material system and its boundary conditions? What are the limitations of computational materials modelling?
This course covers metal refining from a raw materials and energy resources perspective. Life cycle analysis is taught with activities to demonstrate the technique.
How can we efficiently use resources in materials processing? What methods can we use to evaluate a process?
This course is essentially materials arts and crafts(in a good way!) because the manufacturing techniques covered in lecture are experienced hands-on in labs. Topics include: casting, sintering, surface treatments, etc.
What factors affect the setting of concrete? How do you make a double walled coffee mug? What processes are used in forming?
This course is designed to teach the fundamental concepts of electrochemistry via the interactions in material-electrolyte systems and their application to the corrosion of materials. You will calculate the thermodynamics of interactions using the Nernst equation, the phase stability of materials using Pourbaix diagrams.The various types of corrosion processes covering all material types are discussed.
What are the interactions of material-electrolyte systems and how do they contribute to corrosion processes? What conditions exacerbate and inhibit corrosion processes? What methods can be used to prevent the environmental degradation of materials?
The principles necessary for the selection of engineering materials suitable for a given application from the full range of materials available are developed through a series of case studies. Both the material properties and the capabilities of applicable fabrication processes are considered to identify the material and process which best satisfy the design requirements. This course has a lab component as well as a term project.
(Description based on the Official Academic Calendar)
The various roles of a practicing engineer in industry and society will be presented through a series of seminars. The lecturers will include practicing engineers from local companies and consulting firms and representatives from professional and technical societies.
(Description based on the Official Academic Calendar)
What are the roles of an engineer in industry and society? What ethical standards are engineers held to?
Introduces physiological concepts and selected physiological control systems present in the human body, and proposes quantitative modeling approaches for these systems. Topics covered will include (1) the endocrine system and its subsystems, including glucose regulation and the stress response, (2) the cardiovascular system and related aspects such as cardiac output, venous return, control of blood flow by the tissues, and nervous regulation of circulation, and (3) the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, including the control of voluntary motion. Linear control theory will be used to develop skills in system modeling and examine concepts of system response and system control in the context of a healthy human body.
(Description based on the Official Academic Calendar)
This course focuses on biomaterials, beginning with an overview of relevant biology (like immune responses) and then focuses on various biomaterials with particular time spent on orthopaedic implants and fracture fixation, as well as dental implants.
It is an introductory course, and previous biology knowledge (while it may be helpful) is not required! Tissue engineering, and other fun areas of current research are sprinkled throughout the course. The course aims to close the gap between materials engineering and biology, and teaches you how to think about biomaterial design.
What happens when a biomaterial is implanted into the body? How can we change materials to make them safer in the body? What does it mean to be biocompatible? How can we make/change an implant for different types of bone? What considerations are necessary for biomaterials?
This course focuses on semiconductors, and their unique properties. The main topics of the course include crystallography, quantum physics, and finally semiconductor physics.
Why are semiconductors special?
The course serves as a deep dive into the entire process of iron and steel making. How we transform raw materials into iron, how we can carefully control the compositions to make high grade steels. It focuses on each step of this process from start to finish.
This course has weekly lectures followed by short tutorial quizzes. The final assessment is a Term Paper/literature review about a suggested topic or a topic of your choice. You also turn the term paper into a short (7-10 minute) in-class presentation in the final week of the term.
What are the basics of iron making, the thermodynamics, reactions, processes. How do we go from raw iron to high grade steels? How can we increase the ecological sustainability of iron and steel making? What steel defects potentially caused the Titanic to sink?
MSE419 teaches fracture and failure of materials, focusing mainly on metals. This is a very useful course! The information is vital to MSEs, as it relates to how to design against failure from a materials perspective.
You will learn about crack initiation and propagation, and when a part is safe/needs redesign or replacement. Fracture mechanics (how materials fracture and related calculations) is a major focus of the course. The next major section of the course is fatigue - what it is, and relevant graphs/calculations. The way the course flows is that first the main ideas (microstructural effects on fracture in metals, ceramics, thin films, biological materials and composites, toughening mechanisms, crack growth resistance and creep fracture) will be covered.
Then the following topics will also be discussed: interface fracture mechanics, fatigue damage and dislocation substructures in single crystals, stress- and strain-life approach to fatigue, fatigue crack growth models and mechanisms, variable amplitude fatigue, corrosion fatigue and case studies of fracture and fatigue in structural, bioimplant, and microelectronic components. This class has weekly assignments.
How/under what circumstances do materials fail/fracture?